Support female survivors of Boko Haram in Nigeria

Dear friends,

Happy New Year from International Alert!

Our work in Nigeria increased in the last few months of 2023 as we began a new project to build peace through climate action, and continued ongoing support to strengthen security approaches to violent extremism, promote stability and access to justice.

Much of this work involves strengthening the role of women and girls in peace and security efforts and working to prevent sexual and gender-based violence in communities.

One way we are helping to do this is by creating safe spaces for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) to go. The communities we work in have donated buildings and land for this purpose which Alert has renovated with the help of our partners. This work will ensure that survivors of SGBV have safe spaces in their communities with access to first aid and strong referral pathways to additional support.

Since October we have also delivered community-based initiatives in 9 locations that enhance community understanding of harmful cultural norms and practices that promote SGBV including community theatre, storytelling, comedy and cultural dances. The aim of these activities is to impede harmful cultural norms that promote female genital mutilation, child marriage, forced marriage, widowhood rites, widow disinheritance, male-child preference, girl-child neglect and forced sterilization that sustains sexual and gender-based violence in communities.

Reflecting on the community theatre, one audience member said:

“This drama on harmful cultural norms and practices that promote SGBV really touched me. We the parents at times are at fault, we should not hold on to what our forefathers have done in the olden days in this present era. The lifestyle and situation of then is totally different from now. This initiative by Global Peace Development and International Alert Nigeria has really opened my eyes to different perspective of life. Anyone who did not learn a lesson from the drama has really cheated his/herself and I urge you to refrain from such practices so that we can have a more developed community”

Another community member noted that:

“It really proved that the girl child is an asset to the community and the nation at large. We must not relent to embrace them. The message from the drama is really a good message. Just as we know, some of our norms and culture are really bringing us backward instead of moving forward. I am really happy about this message so we must say No to sexual and gender-based violence so that the community and the nation at large will move forward”

With your support through this work, along with other activities, Alert and our partners are improving the lives of communities in Northwest Nigeria, including women and girls.

We thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to peace.

Greetings from International Alert Nigeria

Since our last update, several coups and violent outbreaks have unsettled the West Africa region, including in Niger, where the international community is pulling out embassy staff and troops and cutting off its aid in response to the military takeover. This has an immediate impact on the citizens of Niger, increasing tensions and root causes of conflict, which trickle over into neighboring countries including Nigeria.

International Alert Nigeria has continued to work with communities in the north-east of the country to improve their security and reduce incidences of violent conflict, particularly those targeting women and girls. In addition to ongoing peacebuilding dialogues and support to small businesses, two new activities were implemented.

The first was a weekly local radio show to promote awareness and understanding of women and girls' roles in peace and security, decision-making, and combating sexual and gender-based violence.

Radios are an effective method to transmit information in Nigeria and are commonly found in homes, shops and public transport, they can reach inaccessible communities and do not require listeners to read a notice or disrupt their day to engage with the information.

By presenting compelling stories, real-life examples and expert insights, the radio shows help to influence attitudes and behaviors at home and in the community. They help to challenge harmful stereotypes and promote more inclusive and gender-equitable practices.

Live phone-in segments and interactive features encourage community members to actively participate, ask questions and share their experiences. This fosters a sense of ownership and community engagement in addressing these issues.

As a result, communities are beginning to develop their own solutions and initiatives to address gender-based issues and contribute to local peacebuilding efforts. Over time, sustained radio programming can contribute to a cultural shift in how gender issues are perceived and addressed within communities, leading to lasting change.

The second activity was a series of strategic dialogue sessions between community members, security agencies and local authorities to promote human rights, inclusivity and accountability in security agencies while addressing existing and emerging security challenges in Nigeria.

As a result of the meetings, the security agencies agreed to ensure the protection of human rights in their operations and agreed to greater accountability, transparency and increased training to prevent and address human rights violations.

Attendees agreed that working together was the best way to ensure security for citizens with a particular focus on including marginalized groups such as women, youth, and vulnerable populations in planning and consultations.

The groups committed to developing training on inclusive participation and accountability mechanisms to ensure that security actions respond to the needs of the communities they serve.

Together, these activities work to address security issues by changing the perceptions and actions of people at all levels of society: from government and police force, the private sector, to the local community.

These dialogues and small changes in behavior have a real impact on the lives of women and girls in Nigeria and help to make progressive changes to community perceptions and security actors’ actions to ensure their safety and security.

We thank you for your continued support and look forward to sharing more news from Nigeria with you soon.

Yours in peace,

Ollie James

International Alert