Centre LSD’s Work on Ending Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Nigeria

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Nigeria is a highly patriarchal and a deeply religious society. According to a 2001 report from the World Factbook by CIA, about 50% of Nigeria’s population are Muslims, 40% are Christians and about 10% belong to African Traditional Religion (ATR).

Most anti-women behaviours, attitudes, and norms have their roots in either religious or traditional beliefs. Legislations and women empowerment efforts will not yield the desired results without addressing the underlying patriarchal structures that reinforce them. Men who perpetrate Violence Against Women and Girls are emboldened and driven by cultural and religious beliefs fuelled by misinterpretation of religious scriptures and socio-cultural norms.

Intervention Projects

Centre LSD deploys a strategic and holistic approach in its work of promoting gender justice and ending Violence against Women and Girls in Nigeria by

Engaging men and making them champions of gender equality.
Engaging traditional and religious leaders who are the custodian of cultural and religious beliefs and making them advocates of gender-equitable norms and laws.
Engaging social and traditional media practitioners to change negative gender narratives.

These approaches have not only improved men’s capacity to advocate for gender justice but have also influenced the change of norms to address the root causes of patriarchy, thereby creating a more gender-equitable society.

In 2013, The Network of Men Leaders to End Violence Against Women in Nigeria (NML) – an offshoot of the Global Network of Men Leaders – launched in November 2009 by the former UN Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki Moon, in which Dr. Otive Igbuzor is a member, was inaugurated in Nigeria and a Network was formed. The aim was to mobilize men and boys to Act, Advocate and Unite to change the practices and attitudes that incite, perpetuate and condone all forms of violence against women and girls in Nigeria. From the time of the inauguration till now, Centre LSD has been the Secretariat of the network. NoML currently has 450 members across 21 states in Nigeria. Members are made up of security agents like the Police, Gender Desk officers in MDAs, religious leaders, respected elders of the community, etc.

The NoML has executed projects in partnership with UN Women, National Agency for the Control of Aids, and Cordaid at separate times. The major task of this network is to mobilize male champions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in Nigeria. Members of the network also engaged in mediation and provision of alternative dispute resolution in cases of domestic violence between intimate partners. Between 2013 and 2018, members of the NoML have reported intervention in at least 10 cases of intimate partner violence with no repeat offenders.

Centre LSD also serves as the national secretariat of the Side by Side Faith Movement for Gender Justice in Nigeria. Side by Side is a growing global movement of people of faith who want to see gender justice become a reality across the world http://sidebysidegender.org/about-us/).

Currently, Centre LSD is part of the implementing partners in the EU-UN funded Spotlight Initiative. As one of the Implementing Partners under UN Women, Centre LSD is implementing the project in Lagos and Cross River States and shall be working with men and boys to promote gender equality, elimination of Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG), Sexual & Reproductive Health & Rights (SRHR), Gender Based Violence (GBV), and Harmful Practices (HPs)