Gender Equality Nigeria Project #51718

Empower 1000 Nigerian Girls to End Sexual Violence

by Girl Pride Circle Initiative

Summary

In Nigeria, 1 in every 4 girls is subjected to sexual violence before her 18th birthday. Through after-school education clubs and empowering martial arts training, this project will equip 1000 vulnerable adolescent girls with basic self-defense skills while increasing their knowledge about sexual violence and their confidence to advocate strongly against sexual violence across their local communities.

$30,000
total goal

$29,861
remaining

4
donors

1
monthly donor

1
year

Challenge

"I was struggling. He carried me into a room in the uncompleted building. He removed my clothes...That was how he forced himself on me and raped me. After he finished, he gave me [52 Cents]." - 15 Year Old Girl Sexual violence in Nigeria is often referred to as a pandemic, with adolescent girls at the highest risk of being violated. A culture of silence and lack of knowledge leaves girls even more vulnerable. This project will reach 1,000 girls - empowering them to stand against the menace.

Solution

Girl Pride Circle engages adolescent girls through after-school education clubs and empowering self-defense training. Our age-appropriate sexual violence education curriculum is used to facilitate weekly education club meet-ups, where the girls learn about the nature of sexual violence as well as effective community organizing techniques. The girls also participate in Taekwondo classes to build their self-confidence and learn about bodily autonomy, beyond acquiring basic self-defense skills.

Long-Term Impact

Through this project, 1000 Nigerian adolescent girls will acquire basic self-defense skills and have access to accurate information about sexual violence. They will also be equipped with the requisite skills and confidence to advocate against sexual violence across their communities. These efforts would contribute significantly to ending sexual violence - a menace which violates girls' rights, undermines the sanctity of adolescence, and compromises a safe transition from childhood to adulthood.