Don’t we all agree that an inclusive society is where everyone cares and appreciates each other?
Mounting on the 2024 International Women’s Day IWD theme “Inspire Inclusion.” WRAPA as a household addressing Violence Against Women and Girls at different levels engaged with men and boys to be inclusive in building preventive measures to end all forms of VAWG in their communities.
In addressing VAWG over the years, WRAPA has identified Inclusion as a critical component of empowerment that facilitates benefits and assigns responsibility to those involved. The format and essence of inclusion award a belonging and engender a stake for all in the context of inclusion.
WRAPA as a household working with key actors with the support of the Ford Foundation leveraged its existing structures and strategies (Women of Resilience and Male champions) and engaged with Men and Boys at individual, family, societal and institutional levels in Adamawa, Enugu, Jigawa, Plateau, Katsina and the FCT to work together to remove factors that enable or justify women’s inequality in the decisions that affect them in public and private spaces.
The engaged town-hall meetings yielded men’s understanding of their roles and accountable structures that reinforce positive masculinity at all ecological levels, Strengthened GBV Referral Systems, Enhanced collaboration with grassroots organizations ensured quicker support for survivors, Increased Community Commitment, Greater participation in awareness activities and local initiatives showed a strong commitment to ending GBV.
The engagement in Jigawa led to the Reinforcement of the role of faith and cultural leaders in promoting equality with the creation of an additional safe space at the palace of the Magajin Gari of Himmayayi Community with continuous engagement with Women of Resilience to serve as referral and support pathways towards response and referrals.
The encouraging participation from the men and boys in Plateau State yielded the establishment of 4 Traditional Safe Spaces by the leadership of Berom at Vwang, Kuru Heipang and Zawan Districts. This was followed by Commitment from the districts heads to have more women in council in all palaces that don’t have them and also ensure they raise their positions above just ceremonial appearances. To wrap it up 22 Male Champions and 14 Women of Resilience WoR members were inaugurated to continue the advocacy effort towards a VAWG-free society.
Enugu adoption of the Women of Resilience and Male Champions strategy Inaugurated 26 Male Champions and 34 Women of Resilience to promote gender equality in their communities with safe spaces created at Nkanu East, Igboeze North, Udi, Nsukka, Aninri, Udenu to serves as response pathways and to continue to advocate for women’s inclusion in their community.
Adamawa also followed the footprint by inaugurating 26 male champions and 16 Women of Resilience to facilitate the newly established safe space by Lakare Women Group, Waru Jabbe Community Palace, Community Vigilante and Christian Association of Nigeria Adamawa. The different stakeholder made their commitment to enhance the inclusion of women and girls in initiatives focused on gender equality within the community, particularly emphasizing their participation in educational settings and social gatherings.
In FCT and Katsina, the existing structures of the Women of Resilience and Male Champions were further strengthened on the utilization of their roles to work with leaders of faith and culture with commitment from the community stakeholder to support inclusion and continue to strengthen accountability and response structures to promote prevention of VAWG in Dandagoro and Karmajiji communities.
In closing, the campaign in the 6 states made significant progress in mobilizing communities and fostering commitment to combating GBV. Addressing contextual and resource challenges is essential for lasting impact.
