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

Gender Violence; Women mostly affected - by Theresa Kelubia

Violence is an act carried out with the intention or perceived intention of physically harming another person. From a gender perspective, it is a violent act perpetrated on women mostly by men because they are women. It has also been pointed out by the society that women are vulnerable to various forms of violent acts for several reasons such as being seen as weaker vessels,   being financially dependent on their men, and low self esteem. When there is a crisis woman and young girls are usually targeted and this has led women to be subjected to rape, sexual harassment, just to mention a few.
Rape has become the issue of the day as many women and young girls are victims of this evil act. Rape is an unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or a girl without her consent. The word rape sends shivers down the spine of most women, I for one. It is the worst sexual assault and violence any women can be subjected to but a very common incident in our society today. Women are often raped by their fathers, stepfathers, uncles, strangers and robbers.
It is bad enough for robbers to do away with your valuable goods but very devastating when they encroach on the most valuable, priceless part of you, carting away with that which cannot be replaced in a life time, leaving the victims with a life-time  scare,  a condition that in most cases has an adverse effect on them. In the same vein, it is very bad to hear a situation where a father will rape his own daughter. It is very disheartening. This in turn has other very traumatic consequences such as; expulsion from school, early/unplanned pregnancy, HIV/ AIDs, abortion and in certain cases death.
In relationships with men, women are also said to be vulnerable (weaker vessels).  This relates to the society’s concept that views women as property owned by men and dependant on their male ‘protectors’. Many women suffer humiliation, brutalization and battering as a result of this misconception. The marriage of under-aged girls against their will is a harmful practice embedded in many cultures and traditions. The root causes are complex but driven by factors that include gender inequalities, poverty, negative traditional or religious practices, weak enforcement of laws that prohibit such practices as well as pressures caused by conflict and natural disasters. It is a cross border issue affecting women and young girls in many countries around the world.
Violation of women’s human rights exist in three contexts- the family, community and the state. It is very appalling that the family is a major site of violence from the very moment a female child is born she is considered as a second-class. She is deprived of education and inheritance in favour of her male siblings. Everything done to her is geared toward preparing her to carry out her duties to her husband and family. The community culture, religion and ethnic values play a critical role in reinforcing the structure of the family and the position of women within it. The community plays the role of defining gender relations within the ideal family and often set the stage for female subordination. Punishment for extra-marital sex, rape and other forms of physical chastisements  are amongst additional practices of gender violence perpetrated against women in the name of preserving ethnic or religious integrity. At the state level, for example in Nigeria the rights of women are clearly spelt out in the nation’s constitution. Rights is defined as “A power, privilege or immunity, guaranteed under the constitution. Respect for rights is seen as a matter of justice. The rights of women enshrined in the Nigerian constitution are consistent with the ideals of humanism. Unfortunately, it is sad to say that those rights and ideals have remained paper tigers, mere theoretical postulations without any practical bearing on the lives and conditions of women.
Every woman deserves more than being seen as a weaker vessel, and discriminated against in the society. Domestic violence in the country should be discouraged. Women should be protected and not to be destroyed. Nigeria is blessed with women and if encouraged and given the opportunity, they will contribute substantially to the development of the country and Nigeria would become a better place. "A woman's body is the only piece of Real Estate on which she owes no mortgage." (Glenda Simms, Jamaica)

References:
Margaret Schuler- Freedom from violence women’s strategies from around the world
Akanda L. & Shamim. I (1984) Women and Violence: A comparative study
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/adam-short/child-brides-a-rights vio_b_986669.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000008
Women unfairly treated by policy-makers”, Daily Sun Newspaper, Tuesday, June 22, 2010, p 7.

Press Statement: African Women’s Health and Rights Day February 4th 2011

The African Women’s Health and Rights Day (AWHRD) is an annual event to raise awareness and advance critical debate around Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of women throughout the African continent both national and local levels. This year’s event is another opportunity to assess the state of women’s Health & Rights advancement across the region from the Referendum in Sudan, the tensions around elections in Nigeria, the crisis in Democratic Republic of Congo which includes sexual violence and rape as a weapon of war, the Women’s Human Rights abuses in Uganda based on sexuality, and the crisis in Cote D’Ivoire arising from that country’s last elections and the impact of all of these political issues on the political will to implement measures towards the protection of women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.

BAOBAB for Women’s Human rights is a not for profit, non-governmental organization working to promote and protect the human rights of women under customary, statutory and religious laws. As part of the organization’s advocacy work into February 4^th commemoration this year, based on the fact that Africa is saddled with a lot of issues tied to the continent’s development including but not limited to the poor state of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights and the lack of political will on the part of the various governments to implement all the regional instruments they have committed themselves to, BAOBAB calls on various governments to adhere to provisions they undertake to protect the Human Rights of citizens. This includes women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Until all the issues surrounding these rights are resolved or at least reduced to the barest minimum, moving forward will be difficult and development will be meaningless.

One critical factor, amongst a host of others, is the lack of information on the sexual and reproductive health and rights of women on the continent which is fundamental to the development of the continent as a whole; governments MUST make concerted efforts to make this available so that women can make informed decisions about their reproductive and sexual health, for example having information on family planning, HIV/AIDS, etc and reverse the lamentable rise of gender based violence.

BAOBAB is once again using this occasion to call on all governments on the continent to expedite action on their commitment to the regional instrument - Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa. BAOBAB insists that the protocol if well implemented will not only raise the status of women‘s health on the continent but will be a factor for fast development in the various countries. We believe that fulfilling the protocol is equal to taking a giant step towards the realization of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, specifically goals 4, 5 and 6. BAOBAB also calls on all the governments to review and implement the African Union Maputo Plan of Action for Universal Access to Comprehensive Sexual and Reproductive Health Services. Most governments in the region are yet to expedite actions on this and we say delay is no longer an option – the time is NOW.

Signed

Sindi Medar-Gould

Executive Director

REPORT OF RALLY/WALK AGAINST PAEDOPHILES AND CHILD SEXUAL ABUSERS - Favour Irabor

BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights participated in a rally/walk against Paedophiles and child sexual abusers on October 13, 2010. The walk was a response to the increasing reports of defilement of under aged children in schools and domestic settings.  The walk was from Allen roundabout to the Deputy Governor’s Office, Alausa, Ikeja. The walk was organised by Gender Based Violence Response Network (GBVRN). Pupils from selected public and private schools in Lagos State also participated in the walk. Participants at the rally included the NGOs, pupils from selected public and private schools whilst St. Nicholas Hospital volunteered an ambulance and medical personnel for the walk.

The protest rally started with a 15 minutes talk at about 10.00 am at the Allen Round About, Ikeja. Persons who made brief speeches before the rally included the organisers namely: Mrs. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma; Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin of Women Arise, Pastor Nike Adeyemi of the Real Woman Foundation, Mr. Nelson Ekujumi of United Action for Democracy, Mr. Andy Nkemneme of Grassroots Empowerment Initiative, Mrs Josephine Anunobi, Proprietress of Divine Offspring Schools. This was followed by the walk to the office of Deputy Governor where she received the group and a protest letter was handed over to her on behalf of the network by Mrs. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma.

Representatives of the pupils also spoke to the Deputy Governor, Princess Sarah Adebisi Sosan on their concerns. The Deputy Governor promised to look into the concerns raised and reiterated that it’s an issue of national concern and that she would also bring it to the attention of other stakeholders. Also on hand to receive the delegation were the Permanent Secretaries and Directors at the Ministries of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation and those of Education amongst others.

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.