BAOBAB partners Ondo Agency in Fight Against Gender Based Violence

 


A leading Nigerian Civil Society group, BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights, is implementing a project with the support of the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) to help in the elimination of sexual violence (SGBV) in Nigeria, using all available legal frameworks, especially the VAPP Act, to hold perpetrators accountable. 


One of the focal states for this intervention is Ondo State, with a list of strategic interventions to achieve this which include; capacity strengthening, strategic advocacy, collaboration, sensitization and advocacy. 


 The initiative kicked off with advocacy on the 28th and 29th of July 2022.


BAOBAB believes in community and stakeholder involvement in every intervention and as such its advocacy began with government agencies working on issues of Women and Gender-based violence in the State. 


 In effect, Executive Director of BAOBAB, Mrs Bunmi Dipo Salami and her Deputy, Mrs Anne Adidu Lawal paid courtesy visits to the Commissioner of Women Affairs, Ondo State, Hon (Princess Adebunmi Osadahun as well as the Executive Secretary of the Ondo State Agency against Gender Based Violence (OSAA-GBV), Mrs Victoria Osadadegbe (Esq).


During the visit, the Executive Secretary of OSAA-GBV) shared that although the State did not have a sexual assault referral center (SARC) yet, the agency was established to work as an alternative for SARC with mini SARCs in the 18 LGA’s in the state which would help make this service accessible to every survivor of GBV across the state.


These discussions led to a partnership between the agency and BAOBAB to building the capacity of law enforcement agents in the state, as it was highlighted by the Executive Secretary that most of the prosecuting officers and the IPOs did not know about the VAPP act, as well as how to effectively deal with cases of sexual and gender- based violence.


The Commissioner of Women Affairs expressed her gratitude to BAOBAB for its interest to work in the state, saying that the State has been working tirelessly to put structures in place for the fight against GBV and with the introduction of the OSAA-GBV interventions would be a lot more strategic. 


She also commended the First Lady of the State, Her Excellency Arabirin Betty Akeredolu for her commitment to the fight against sexual and gender-based violence.


In addition to the advocacy visits, BAOBAB launched an 8-week online Sexual and Gender -Based Violence, Leadership and Advocacy institute in partnership with the Federal Polytechnic Ile-Oluji Ondo state. 


The programme kicked off from Monday, 1st August, to empower undergraduates with leadership and advocacy skills to help them effectively raise their voices against SGBV in the society


According to the BAOBAB team, the initiative aims at transforming the participants’ understanding of issues of SGBV in their different communities and learning the principles of equality, empowerment, and respect for the dignity of women as human beings, as to improving the quality of women’s lives. 


"By so doing, the institute aims to strengthen the capacity of young women to join the forefront of Nigerian women advocating, defending and protecting the human rights of women and girls, particularly in the area of sexual violence," Bunmi Dipo Salami said.


40 female students of LELPOL are to benefit from the knowledge and wealth of experience of seasoned instructors and luminaries from the kick off date to the 27th day of September, 2022

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