West African Traditional, Faith Leaders, Others Gather In Abuja To Combat SGBV

Traditional and faith leaders from across West Africa, government officials, and international organisation representatives have gathered in Abuja for the first Annual High-Level GBV Prevention Summit.

Many forms of gender-based violence in Africa are justified by culture and tradition. Violence against women and girls is perpetuated by harmful gender norms and practices that stem from traditional customs and religious misconceptions.

Traditional and religious leaders’ authority and platforms are thought to be useful in addressing the root causes of GBV, such as patriarchy and gender stereotypes, by mobilising communities to effect change. Recognising this, UN Women, with support from the Ford Foundation, organised a GBV prevention summit to assess the accomplishments of leaders in their respective jurisdictions and provide a forum for sharing critical and inspirational insights.

Ms. Beatrice Eyong, UN Women Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the Ford Foundation for their unwavering support for the Traditional and Cultural Leaders for Ending GBV by Advancing Advocacy, Policy, and Social Norms Change in Nigeria and West Africa (LEAP) programme.

She emphasised that this initiative recognises the critical role of traditional and religious leaders in challenging harmful social norms that perpetuate GBV, particularly violence against women and girls.

She emphasised the importance of challenging societal norms that condone violence, pointing to Africa’s rich cultural heritage while acknowledging the need to confront practices that violate human rights and dignity. Ms. Eyong also emphasised the pervasive nature of GBV, stating that “GBV is not just against our women and girls; it is also against our economic growth, stability, and emergence to become a continent that has everything it needs to be great and prosperous.”

His eminence, Alhaji (Dr) Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, also spoke at the event and urged traditional and religious rulers to work together to end all harmful practices against women and girls, saying, “We are 100% behind you in this fight.

His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, reiterated his commitment, urging traditional rulers to ensure that the summit is outcomes are implemented in their respective communities.

Mr. Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, who was also present at the summit, emphasised the importance of continuing to invest in GBV prevention in order to create a more equitable society for Nigerian women and girls. Mr. Walker was also recognised as a He4She for his efforts to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment in Nigeria and West Africa.

Despite some progress, disparities persist, with West Africa experiencing high rates of child marriage and female genital mutilation. To put an end to violence against women and girls, radical shifts in mindset are required, which can be accomplished through dialogue and knowledge sharing among distinguished leaders from Nigeria, Niger, Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ghana.

The summit is an important milestone in the ongoing fight against GBV in Nigeria and throughout West Africa. It builds on the momentum of previous initiatives such as the Spotlight Initiative and the LEAP project, focusing on improving traditional leaders’ skills and partnerships to prevent and shift harmful social norms and practices.