Project Alert on Violence Against Woman (VAW) held a Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Community Capacity Building Programme for Civil Society Organisations and Right Groups on SGBV Referral Services today, under the Spotlight Initiative, at the Sasha General Community Town Hall, Jaiye Oba.
The Spotlight Initiative Project (SIP) is a European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN) joint global multi-year initiative focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls. The SIP has six mutually-reinforcing programming pillars which are: Laws & Policies, Institutions (Strengthening national governments and regional institutions), Prevention (Promoting gender-equitable social norms and attitudes), Services (making high-quality essential services for survivors of violence available, Data and Women’s movements.
During the exercise, Project Alert Resource Person, Mrs Osasu, educated the women in attendance on the "Prevalence of Sexual & Gender-Based Violence in Communities & Steps to Take Including Referrals'.
Sounding really excited about the programme, an attendee, who simply identified herself as Mrs Oladunni said:
“The programme went very well, and this NGO is very interesting. We were told that domestic violence is not permissible in marriage. Husbands must treat their wives and children right. They shouldn't perform philanthropic activities outside their homes, while their family is suffering.
“We love the way the organisers treated us. We trust them to take care of us. We will join them to make everything easy for all women and Africans generally.”
The Coordinator of Artisans for the event, Mrs Odebode was grateful to the organisers of the programme for the initiative. She claimed, ‘it is an unforgettable experience. We were informed on how women are deprived of their rights and then educated on our rights and what we can achieve in the society.
“Issues revolving around marital relationship were also addressed: how women experience domestic violence and rape, how mother and child are raped in marriages and how people experience rape generally.
Mrs Odebode added that they were educated on how to prevent domestic violence and rape. Steps to be taken in the occurrence of such were also addressed.
She concluded: "This programme will continue, and we were asked to also publicise this programme wherever we are. People should be aware that domestic violence and rape is not tolerable; it should come to an end."
The Programme Officer and Shelter Administrator of Project Alert, Mrs Nsini Udonta, told AlimoshoToday that Project Alert is one of the implementing partners of the Spotlight Initiative, working particularly with UN Women in Nigeria to implement pillar 4 which is 'Services'.
“Spotlight Initiative came into Nigeria last year and it is a one-year programme. It was originally for Ikorodu and Yaba, but since we offer practical support services to survivors of SGBV, we expanded it across local governments in the three senatorial districts of Lagos namely: Alimosho, Lagos Island, Kosofe, Agege, Ikorodu, Yaba, Ikeja, Oshodi/Isolo and Surulere.
She explained that the aim of the programme is to focus the world's attention on SGBV, placing it at the centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and women’s empowerment. Through the use of a comprehensive multi-sectoral approach, the Spotlight Initiative Project aims at ensuring that women and girls live a life free of violence and harmful traditional practices.
She also added: "Our own core is to create awareness in the society about these Civil Society Organisations. We want the victims and their families to have timely and appropriate information on where they can go to for medical, legal, psycho-social and shelter services."
