Baobab for Women’s Human Rights is joining the 16 Days of Activism campaign to show our solidarity and support with survivors of Domestic Violence (DV) all over the world. We pledge to use our platform and voice to speak against the evil that is DV, to Educate and Advocate the end of violence against women and girls.
Domestic violence compromises women’s agency and autonomy. Therefore, it is expedient that government and other critical actors address the gendered dynamics of domestic violence in both the public and private spheres, and recognize its links to gender inequality, discrimination, and unequal power relations in many different areas of women’s lives. While pervasive gender-based violence is not inevitable, it can and must be prevented. Ending this global pandemic of gender-based violence starts with believing survivors, transforming social norms, adopting inclusive approaches to tackle the root causes.
We welcome all friends and family of Baobab to join us on the 25th of November to 10th of December to speak out and make impact so we eliminate violence against women.
We call on the Nigerian government and other stakeholders to:
Strengthen women’s access to justice and personal security: Policy responses to GBV must ensure the ability of the justice system and law enforcement to act as mechanisms of accountability, leverage opportunities to create a more transparent justice system, and use technological innovations to protect the rights of women and girls.
Amplify the role of women leaders and women-led organizations: The need to scale up community education on COVID-19 presents an opportunity to integrate community education with GBV awareness and ensure that women’s networks play key roles in community awareness and sensitization. Leveraging these networks and platforms will also serve to amplify women’s voices and strengthen women’s leadership on eliminating violence against women and girls in the immediate response and in long-term recovery phases.
Advocate for the immediate adoption of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015 into law by the governments of the following states – Lagos, Kano, Katsina, Borno, Gombe, Yobe, Zamfara, Imo, Rivers, Kogi, Kebbi, Plateau, Cross River, and Taraba.
Create livelihood opportunities for survivors of GBV as an integral part of GBV response mechanisms - target vulnerable groups of adolescent girls and women, including informal workers, with direct cash transfers as part of financial support measures to cushion the impact of the pandemic, as well as youth and women- led enterprises and businesses in the form of subsidized and government-backed loans.
Use the key provisions of ILC C190 and ILO R206 to advocate with governments, unions, and employers for the following: leave for victims of DV; flexible work arrangements and protection for victims; temporary protection against dismissal for victims arising from circumstances related to DV; inclusion of DV in workplace risk assessments; referrals to public mitigation measures for DV; and investment in programs to raise awareness about the effects of DV.
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