Overview
Religious and traditional leaders wield enormous influence across Nigeria. From sermons to village councils, their words shape belief systems, behavior, and social norms. The Side-by-Side Movement for Gender Justice was established to channel that influence toward one of the most urgent issues of our time: eliminating sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
With Centre LSD as the national secretariat since its launch in 2018, the Nigerian chapter of Side-by-Side has grown into a formidable faith-led movement. Now, with core support from the Ford Foundation, the project is scaling up, strengthening advocacy, community protection systems, and survivor support infrastructure, while building momentum for policy-level accountability.
Project Purpose
At its core, this initiative is about reclaiming faith and tradition as tools for justice, not oppression. By mobilizing religious and traditional leaders, the project seeks to challenge the norms, silence, and impunity that have long protected perpetrators and marginalized survivors.
Through training, advocacy, community engagement, and systemic partnerships, the movement is helping to dismantle GBV-enabling cultures from the inside out.
Laying the Foundation: Progress So Far
Since 2018, Centre LSD has trained over 473 faith and traditional leaders across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. These leaders now form the backbone of a growing national coalition that is reshaping narratives, reporting abuse, and challenging laws and customs that once normalized violence against women and girls.
In 2024, the movement recorded another leap forward by expanding into Kano and Benue States, establishing new chapters and sub-chapters that brought in 167 new members across both regions.
Redefining Norms and Driving Change
Faith and culture are often cited as excuses for inaction but the Side-by-Side Movement is flipping that script. Here’s how the work is reshaping realities:
Shifting Religious and Cultural Barriers
Through persistent engagement, leaders who once resisted the conversation are now stepping into it.
- In Kano State, initial pushback from the Council of Ulamas gave way to collaboration. Today, representatives from the council speak openly within Islamic spaces against SGBV—a major cultural shift.
- Churches across Benue State now regularly feature sermons condemning gender violence. At Petros Assembly International in Makurdi, Bishop Cephas Okwori, SBS co-chair, has institutionalized these messages in Sunday teachings.
- In Obi and Oju communities, traditional leaders have made public commitments to end FGM and elopement marriages, while advocating for inheritance rights for women.
Empowering Leaders to Enforce Justice
The movement isn’t just changing minds—it’s mobilizing action.
New Legal Advocacy Platforms:
Local SBS chapters in Kano and Benue are empowering members to report and intervene in real-time.
- In Kano, leaders trained by Centre LSD now report abuse directly to NAPTIP. Notably, 10 convictions were recorded in just two months—the highest since NAPTIP’s establishment in 2005.
- In Benue, SBS members worked with the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Women Affairs to prosecute a high-profile political abuser, preventing interference and securing justice. Hajiya Hauwa Isah, an SBS member, led efforts to protect a young survivor and secure a conviction despite threats.
Strengthening Legal and Community Structures:
Through collaboration with ministries and justice systems, SBS has helped establish:
- Humanitarian Tracking and Monitoring Team (HIMAT)
- State SGBV Prevention, Advocacy, and Response Committee (SPARC)
- These bodies are now actively shaping and reviewing the Benue State VAPP Act.
Expanding Survivor Support Systems
Real progress requires infrastructure. The SBS Movement is ensuring survivors have access to services, dignity, and justice.
Improvements in Response Systems
- Benue State is now listed on the Nigerian Sexual Offenders Database, enabling public identification of convicted perpetrators and preventing their quiet reintegration into sensitive spaces like schools and politics.
- A Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) has been secured in Makurdi through SBS advocacy. The facility has a coordinator and is connected to a national SARC network, offering survivors integrated services.
Trauma Support and Safe Spaces
SBS is collaborating with local partners to provide:
- Shelter services (House of Hilkiah Foundation)
- Trauma counseling and healing (Elohim Development Foundation)
- Psychosocial support for teens and minors (Glorious Teen Ministry)
Fostering Accountability Through Collaboration
The project has also made significant strides in improving synergy between law enforcement and first responders, particularly in Kano State:
- Through joint training initiatives, police, NAPTIP, HISBAH, vigilante units, and civil defence officers are now working together more effectively.
- First responder capacity has been upgraded, ensuring survivors meet trained professionals first, not biased community figures or dismissive gatekeepers.
Media and Public Engagement
Change requires amplification. SBS-led radio programs in Kano, Benue, and the FCT have elevated survivor voices and shifted public consciousness. Survivors themselves are now sharing their stories through social behavior change campaigns, challenging the culture of silence and fostering empathy.
What’s Next
This is just the beginning. With momentum building and institutional doors now open, Centre LSD is driving the movement forward by:
- Expanding SBS chapters to additional states
- Deepening policy advocacy and legal reform
- Launching national media campaigns with faith-based messaging
- Scaling up survivor support infrastructure and monitoring of traditional pledges
- Capturing impact stories through video documentaries to inspire replication
Conclusion
The Side-by-Side Movement shows that when faith and tradition speak out, the silence around SGBV is shattered. Through strategic mobilization, legal advocacy, and survivor-centered programming, this initiative is rewriting the narrative of what religious and cultural leadership looks like in 21st-century Nigeria.
The work is ongoing. The vision is bold. And the impact is growing.
