By Mnena Iyorkegh, Abuja
Stakeholders in the gender equality sector have urged for a more inclusive and robust commitment to secure and uphold the progress of the Spotlight Initiative in eradicating Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The call for action was reiterated during the national close-out and handover ceremony of the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative project, which was orchestrated by the United Nations to combat violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
The UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr. Mathias Schmale, emphasized that the initiative is centered on addressing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in conjunction with collective efforts to accomplish the 2030 Agenda in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Since the inception of the Spotlight Initiative in Nigeria in 2019, we have significantly impacted the lives of numerous individuals in Nigeria. It has facilitated the provision of valuable services to over 60,500 women and girls. It has fostered collaborations with traditional leaders, improved data collection, and spurred a change in mindsets that transforms lives,” he stated.
Mr. Schmale further added that “With the culmination of today’s Handover Ceremony, the sustainability of these efforts lies in the hands of the Nigerian people, the Government, and the partners. The momentum must be sustained, progress safeguarded, and the spotlight must remain on gender-based violence. The United Nations system in Nigeria is steadfast in its commitment to closely collaborate with the Federal Government,” he concluded.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Samuela Isopi, EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, highlighted that the initiative stands as the largest global effort and investment in the fight against GBV.
“The EU, in conjunction with the UN, launched this initiative in 2018. It is backed by a global investment of €500 million Euros, reflecting our conviction that this is indispensable for effecting transformative change. Out of this sum, €25 million Euros has been allocated to support the fight against GBV in Nigeria. The program adopted a new holistic approach in Nigeria, bringing all stakeholders together. The initiative has yielded remarkable results, with a record number of 35 States of the Federation passing the VAPP Act into Law, making it the fastest bill passed in Nigeria,” Ambassador Isopi added.
In his address, Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, reaffirmed the Nigerian Government’s commitment to establishing Standard Operating Procedures (SoP) for the expeditious prosecution of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases in schools.
According to Fagbemi, “the ministry has benefited from numerous programs under the EU/UN Spotlight Initiative, in partnership with the UN Women, UNESCO, UNICEF, UNDP. These programs revolve around criminal justice actions at the Federal and spotlight States. The ministry is set to launch the SoP for prosecution of GBV, funded by UNESCO under the EU/UN Spotlight Initiative. The SoP aims to identify and respond to GBV incidents in our schools. This initiative encourages further collaboration with key ministries of Women Affairs and Justice, to establish a more robust, real-time, and easily accessible framework for resolving such cases,” he articulated.
In a related development, the Emir of Shonga, Deputy Convenor-General of the Council of Traditional Leaders in Africa (COTLA), Dr. Haliru Ndanusa, described the initiative as the most significant commitment by the EU/UN in combating Sexual-GBV (SGBV).
“SGBV remains the most pervasive human rights violation impacting our society’s socioeconomic development and conflicting with the values of human dignity and sanctity within our communities. Recognizing the socio-cultural repercussions of SGBV, we, as custodians of culture and traditions, have been ethically engaged in transforming practices related to violence. We express immense satisfaction at the Spotlight Initiative for fostering a movement of ethical groups in tackling SGBV, and we are committed to sustaining the achievements of the initiative,” Ndanusa expressed.
The event’s highlights included a stage performance on SGBV, a video documentary showcasing the results and impacts of the Spotlight Initiative, a discussion on the Initiative, the official declaration of the project as “closed,” and the handover ceremony.
