Press Statement on the occasion of the "16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence"

BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights (BAOBAB)

On the occasion of the

“16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence”

Lagos, Nigeria, November 25 2011

Press Statement

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press,

BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights (BAOBAB) happily welcome you to this Media conversation happening on the first day of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence,” “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence Against Women’.”

The 25th November every year marks the beginning of the “16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence” which is an international campaign that started in 1991 dedicated to advocate against all forms of Gender Based Violence. The 16 Days runs from November 25, (International Day against Violence against Women) to December 10, (International Human Rights Day) to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasise that such violence is a violation of human rights. This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including December 1, which is World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre in 1989, when 14 women students were massacred by a lone gun-man opposed to the affirmative action policies promoted by feminists at the University of Montreal.

Since the “16 days…” campaign started, this period has been utilized by various women’s groups to call for the elimination of violence against women by raising awareness about gender based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels; strengthening local work around violence against women; establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women; providing a forum in which organisers can develop and share effective strategies; demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organising against violence against women and creating tools to ask governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women.

Over the years, gender based violence has been a cause for concern in Nigeria and the world at large. This is mainly due to the very patriarchal nature of the society and obnoxious cultural beliefs that subjugate women and lead to their systemic discrimination in private and public spheres. The need for strategic campaigns and interventions has become even more crucial with recent reports of the prevalence of rape and assault cases on women and young girls in the country. This rise in the number of cases is a very worrisome development as BAOBAB has also continued to receive more reports of violence against women at its offices and via email and telephone calls. Two of such cases of violence are the alleged infamous gang rape in August 2011 of a young woman by 5 men suspected to be students of Abia State University, as well as the rape of female students of St Anne’s college Ibadan, Oyo state. There was also the cold murder of a female banker allegedly by her husband, amongst others.

The theme for this year’s campaign is ‘From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women’. BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights is today joining other partners around the world to mark the period with a series of activities which include: a Gender and leadership training for young boys and girls between the ages of 13 -17 years; solidarity street campaign by a network of Men and Boys against Violence against Women (MABVAW); an in-house debate by the BAOBAB team on “Violence Against Women and Globalization, ”as well as various social advocacy activities by members of our community based volunteer outreach teams in 15 states of the country.

BAOBAB is using this opportunity to call on the government of Nigeria to:

1. Expedite the passage of the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill into Law;

2. Expedite the reintroduction, adoption and passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill into Law;

3. Establish support mechanisms including one-stop centers for victims of SGBV and formal shelters in collaboration with women focused NGOs;

4. Strengthen existing laws and frameworks to protect women from FGM and other harmful practices

5. Increase involvement of women in peace building processes and strengthen CSO collaboration for sustained engagement in conflict prevention and peace building.

6. Improve the collection of disaggregated data and maintenance of statistics on SGBV.

7. Ensure efficient investigation and prosecution of SGBV cases.

Distinguished friends of the Press and fellow agents of social transformation, once again we are happy that you have honoured this invitation to participate in the conversations of the next few hours and some of the activities with us, and we hope that this will translate to further collaboration towards eliminating all forms of gender based violence and consequently promote human development. Remember, if it is not good for your mother, daughter or sister, then it is not good for any woman! Let’s stop violence against Women now!

Thank You all

Chibogu Obinwa

Ag. Executive Director

Concept Note - “16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence” (2011)

BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights

 “16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence”

November 25^th – December 10^th   2011

Theme: “From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women.”

Concept Note

Gender-based violence is a universal reality existing in all societies regardless of economic status, class, culture or any other diversity. So many women have, and are experiencing this form of violence which has adversely affected their well being as well as productivity in their homes, communities and places of work. This problem in a country like Nigeria is mainly due to the very patriarchal nature of the society and obnoxious cultural beliefs, which suppress women and leaves them to suffer in silence. These inhumane acts have continued to prevent women from achieving their maximum potentials and compromise their physical and psychological integrity.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender Based Violence is an international campaign that was started by the Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) in 1991. The 16 Days runs from November 25, (International Day against Violence against Women) to December 10, (International Human Rights Day) to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasise that such violence is a violation of human rights. This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including December 1, which is World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre in 1989, when 14 women students were massacred by a lone gun-man opposed to the affirmative action policies promoted by feminists at the University of Montreal.


Since it began, the 16 Days of Activism has been used as an organising strategy by women’s groups to call for the elimination of violence against women by raising awareness about gender based violence as a human rights issue at the local, national, regional and international levels; strengthening local work around violence against women; establishing a clear link between local and international work to end violence against women; providing a forum in which organisers can develop and share effective strategies; demonstrating the solidarity of women around the world organising against violence against women and creating tools to pressure governments to implement promises made to eliminate violence against women.

BAOBAB for Women’s human Rights in line with one of its objectives to partner with like-minded organizations, is joining other groups across the world to mark the 2011  “16 days of Activism against Gender Based Violence.”

The theme for this year’s campaign is ‘From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World: Let's Challenge Militarism and End Violence against Women’.

In line with this theme, the following activities have been planned for the period.

1.       Media Conversation

BAOBAB plans to invite some members of the Media (both electronic and print) for a briefing on the concept of the “16 Days…” campaign, and for a post briefing conversation around gender based violence in Nigeria, the role of the social responsibility of the media and follow-up action. The media will also be invited to interview a few of the teenage students who will be in attendance regarding their role in addressing gender based violence in Nigeria.  

Date: November 25^th 2011

Venue: BAOBAB’s Conference Hall

Time: 9am

2.      Peer Educators’ training on GBV and leadership training for young boys and girls, respectively, between the ages of 13 -17 years.

Society has changed over the years. One of the most significant changes that will have a great impact in the development process and leadership is the involvement of adolescents in leadership. With the influence of globalization and modern social media, teens of today desire different things from teens of yesterday. These drives pull or attract teens to negative activities or towards a desirable goal or objective. The power of peer influence and helping teenagers cope with the universal, everyday problems and pressures of becoming adults which involves team building is the essential foundation of a strong, diverse and democratic society. BAOBAB recognizes the strategic importance of mentoring leaders while they are young especially as leadership skills can be learned by those who might never imagine themselves playing such prominent role in the world.

In view of this, BAOBAB will organize a two (2) day Peer Educators’ training on GBV for young boys and a three (3) day transformative leadership training for young girls both in Lagos state.

Date:     25^th and 26^th November 2011 (Training for teenage boys)

               28^th -30^th November 2011 (Training for teenage girls)

Venue: BAOBAB’s conference hall

3.      Men and Boys against Violence against Women (MABVAW) solidarity walk.

Globally, there is more recognition of the need to involve men and boys in the campaign to end violence against women. Since 2005, BAOBAB has translated this strategy of involving men and boys to address gender based violence to local advocacy mobilizing and action. Our first gender sensitization training and debate was organized in 2005, with the male relatives and friends of BAOBAB in attendance. We have since then organized different groups of men and boys in gender awareness workshops, popular theatre, ‘men-only’ led street campaigns on anti-gender based violence, and open debates. These men have been committed to lead the campaign against violence against women.   We have also been doing on-line advocacy to provoke strategic discussion on involving men and boys to address violence against women. The general feedback we received, spurred us on to institutionalize this strategy and extend it nationally and possibly regionally.

 This year, BAOBAB will organize a solidarity campaign walk around the Ogudu environs where men and boys will disseminate stickers with varied anti gender based violence messages and other IEC materials as well as sensitize people on issues of violence against women.

Date: 9^th of December 2011

Venue: Take of point is BAOBAB’s office

4.      In-house debate on Violence Against Women and Globalization

As a means of updating BAOBAB personnel knowledge base, BAOBAB will organize a debate on “Globalization and Gender based Violence.” 

Venue: BAOBAB’s conference hall

Date: 8^th December 2011

5.      Community Based Outreach activities

BAOBAB’s volunteer outreach teams in 15 States of Nigeria will also organize various social advocacy activities (e.g. media briefing, street campaigns etc) to raise awareness against GBV.

BAOBAB believes that these activities will further enhance public knowledge of GBV and opportunities/avenues for access to justice for the violated–all geared towards ensuring that ‘Women’s Human Rights become an integral part of everyday life’

6.      Expected Outcomes

• An increased awareness by the general public, the media, law enforcement and other state agents towards addressing cases of violence against women and girls –especially domestic violence

• Increased awareness amongst men and boys on women’s human rights in general, and different dimensions of violence against women in particular
• Beneficiaries committing to initiate programmes e.g. teenage girls and boys initiating social clubs in schools and religious institutions, to campaign
• Significant reduction of incidents of VAW
• Increase and strengthen the network of men and boys who campaign against VAW

16 Days of Activism - Press Briefing on 25th November 2009

As part of the activities to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights hosted twelve (12) journalists from the print and electronic media to a press briefing on the 25th of November 2009.

The Executive Director of BAOBAB informed the media personnel present that gender based violence has been a cause for concern, not only in Nigeria but across the world which of course can be attributed to the patriarchal notion of control tied to various cultural beliefs that has given rise to the systemic discrimination against women in private and public spheres. She further mentioned that the manifestations of these practices include deeply rooted obnoxious cultural practices such as female genital mutilation (FGM), widowhood rites, and early and/or forced marriages amongst others thereby making Gender Based Violence to be one of the most heinous and prevalent cause of human rights abuses in the world, and is a threat to all women no matter their class or status, and an obstacle to all human efforts for development, peace and gender equality in all societies.

The agenda for the day also had a 30 minutes documentary shown to the journalists on cases of violence against women and BAOBAB’s work and intervention to that effect. The documentary showcased true stories and cases of different forms of violence against women in Nigeria. It featured some important highlights of the Mock Tribunal on Violence Against Women BAOBAB did in year 2001 in Abuja.

This medium was used to call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to act as a matter of urgency to domesticate and implement the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which it signed and ratified without reservation in 1985 as part of Nigerian national laws. She emphasized that having laws that protect women from violence is a strategic step towards reducing the occurrence of Gender Based Violence and according women their rightful place in the development of Nigeria as a great nation.

The choice of the press briefing as part of activities to mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence was also to sensitise media personnel on how they report cases of women’s human rights. Journalists were implored to report cases of gender based violence and women’s human rights issues from a gender perspective as it is evident that their thoughts to a great extent affect the way they report. BAOBAB stands by its belief that there is never any reason to inflict violence against women and adopts a zero tolerance attitude to Gender Based Violence.