TRAINING OF TRAINERS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL ACTION PLANS ON SGBV, VAWG, HP AND SRHR – Communique

August 6, 2020

TRAINING OF TRAINERS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL ACTION PLANS ON SGBV/VAWG/HP AND SRHR FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS GROUPS AND CSOs IN FOCAL STATES

COMMUNIQUE

1. INTRODUCTION

The Training of Trainers on implementation of National Action Plans on sexual and gender based violence (SGBV), violence against women and girls (VAWG), harmful practices (HP) and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for Women’s Rights Groups and CSOs in the focal states of Adamawa, Federal Capital Territory and Sokoto States was convened by Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) with the support of the European Union-United Nations Spotlight Initiative at 3J’s Hotels Ltd, 31 P.O.W Mafemi Crescent, Utako, Abuja on August 5^th and 6^th 2020. Participation was drawn from Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Women’s Groups and Faith-based organisations.

The workshop is part of a series of activities under the Spotlight Initiative which seeks to eliminate violence against women and girls with the overall vision of a Nigeria where women and girls, particularly the most vulnerable, live a life free from violence and harmful practices.

The workshop was convened to contribute to an outcome vis; Legislative and policy frameworks based on evidence and in line with international human rights standards, on all forms of violence against women and girls and harmful practices are in place and translated into plans. The expected output is that women’s rights groups and CSOs in Adamawa, FCT and Sokoto States are better able to effectively demand for the development  of evidence based national and subnational action plans on ending VAWG/SGBV/HP in line with international human rights standards with M&E frameworks, increasing financing and allocation of appropriate budgets for their implementation, including for those groups facing intersecting and multiple forms of discrimination.

The objectives are designed from the demand side considering that government provides the supply either in the performance of official duties or on the demand of civil society. It seeks to build the capacity of participants to:

• Understand VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR and the provisions in subnational, national and international standards including the SDGs on the project theme;
• Understand and use the indicators for measurement and assessment of progress towards eradicating VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR in the preparation and implementation of national and subnational plans;
• Mainstream response to VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR in the preparation and implementation of national and state level policy instruments;
• Mainstream responses to VAWG/SGBV/HP/SRHR in the preparation and implementation of budgets within the policy, plan budget continuum;
• Establish the relationship for continued institutional knowledge support within the project period.

The following presentations were made:

(a) Standards on SGBV/VAWG/HP and SRHR.

(b) Indicators for Measurement of Success in Eradicating SGBV/VAWG/HP/SRHR

(c) Mainstreaming SGBV/VAWG/HP/SRHR in Plans and Policies

(d) Budgeting for the Eradication of SGBV/VAWG/HP and improvement of SRHR:

(e) Civil Society Engagement Strategies: How do CSOs engage to achieve results

(f) Relationships and Sustainability

2. OBSERVATIONS

The Workshop Made the Following Observations

• There is a plethora of international standards ratified and applicable in Nigeria including Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), SDG5 and other relevant Goals and Comments/Observations of the CEDAW Committee; United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (DEVAW); the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action; Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa; the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR) and its Limburg Principles and Maastricht Guidelines in relation to States parties obligations, etc.
• National standards that seek to respect, protect and fulfil freedom from SGBV/VAWG/HP and the promotion of the SRHR of women and girls include the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), National Gender Policy, Child Rights Act, Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, National Policy on the Elimination of FGM/C, Strategy to End Child Marriage, Sexual Harassment Policy, Gender and Equal Opportunities Policy, Universal Basic Education Act/National Policy on Basic Education, Maternal and Reproductive Health Policies, laws against Domestic Violence and those establishing Sexual and Gender Based Violence Response Teams, etc.
• Sources for data, measurement of progress and validation of the observance of norms for the eradication of SGBV/VAWG/HP and improvement of SRHR of women and girls include the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS), Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) and Nigerian Education Indicators.

• The focal states of Adamawa and Sokoto have not adopted the Child Rights Act, the Violence against Persons Prohibition Act nor have they set up by law, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Response Teams. The exiting SGBVR Teams in the two states were set up by Voluntary Agencies in collaboration with Government. Furthermore, the two States do not have specific laws prohibiting domestic violence.
• We recall the promise of the Body of Attorney Generals of the 19 Northern states to adopt VAPP across all the states in the Region,
• Adamawa, FCT and Sokoto states all recognise that 18 years is the age of majority and informed consent and anyone below the age of 18 is deemed to be a child by law. Sex with any person under the age of 18 is criminalised by the penal laws.
• The following ministries, departments and agencies were deemed to be central to the campaign for the eradication of SGBV/VAWG/HP and promotion of the SRHR of women and girl’s vis, Ministries of Women Affairs, Education, Health, Justice, Agriculture, Information, Budget and Planning, Youth and Sports, etc.
• We observe that the concept of resources for the struggle against SGBV/VAWG/HP is beyond money and fiscal resources. Resources include information, ecological, technological, etc. resources.
• Several low hanging fruits in activities, budgeting and policy are available for the realisation of freedom from violence across the states.
• Knowledge acquisition, processing, informed and evidence-based engagement of government by civil society is imperative for progress to be made on eradicating the vices and promoting SRHR. There is the need to engage at both the federal, state and local government.

3. RESOLUTIONS

Based On The Foregoing Observations, The Workshop Resolved As Follows:

1. Participants commit to raising awareness and disseminating information on national and international standards as well as strengthen networks and coalitions at the state and local government levels.
2. Participants commit to bridge the gap between laws and policies and their implementation.
3. CSOs and women’s groups should get involved with the official agencies on data gathering and processing on SGBV/VAWG/HP and SRHR.
4. Engage in advocacy for adoption in the focal states of Adamawa and Sokoto of the Child Rights Act, establishment by law of the Sexual and Gender Based Violence Response Teams and enact specific laws prohibiting domestic violence.
5. Take up the promise of the Body of Attorney Generals of the 19 Northern states to adopt VAPP across all the states in the Region through legislative advocacy and engagement of the executive in the states of Adamawa and Sokoto.
6. Tackle the challenges of child/early marriage, teenage pregnancy and VVF through the enforcement of the universal basic education requirement for all girls to be in school until 18. Sensitisation and engagement of religious leaders on the provisions of the Penal Codes of Adamawa and Sokoto States on the age of marriage and consent to marriage as anyone below the age of 18 is deemed to be a child by law. This can be done through media advocacy, litigation and other forms of advocacy.
7. To engage the budget of the Ministries of Women Affairs, Education, Health, Justice, Agriculture, Information, Budget and Planning, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, etc. in 2021 and subsequent years. And to ensure that expenditure proposals are realistic and in tandem with revenue sources which will lead to budgets being fully funded.
8. Women’s groups, CSOs and the media should encourage MDAs through recognition of very well performing MDAs.
9. Advocacy for the establishment of adult literacy centres, youth friendly centres, skills acquisition centres, women empowerment centres.
10. To deploy other resources including information, technology and ecological resources for the eradication of SGBV/VAWG/HP and promotion of SRHR, etc.
11. Low hanging fruits would include setting up knowledge centres and capacity units in the Ministry of Women Affairs to facilitate women’s access to soft loans and funding of development agencies; mainstreaming inter agency collaboration in SGBV/VAWG; the Ministry of Information using the state media to disseminate information on gender equality; energising the Universal Basic Education framework; set up shelters for women survivors, etc.

Eze Onyekpere                                                                              

Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice    

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TRAINING OF TRAINERS ON IMPLEMENTATION OF NATIONAL ACTION PLANS ON SGBV, VAWG, HP AND SRHR FOR WOMEN’S RIGHTS GROUPS AND CSOs IN FOCAL STATES – Communique