The project implemented by FOCEI in Kwami Local Government Area (LGA) of Gombe State, Nigeria, aimed to enhance the leadership skills and capacity of women and adolescent girls while addressing the critical issue of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This initiative recognized the interconnectedness of inequality, governance, and sustainability, emphasizing the importance of full citizen participation, regardless of gender, in achieving Sustainable Development Goals.

The specific objectives of the project were multifaceted. First, it sought to raise awareness and sensitize the community to GBV and its mitigation strategies. Second, it aimed to provide essential training to women and adolescent girls, equipping them with basic leadership skills to enhance their active participation in governance. Third, the project focused on building the capacity of these women and girls to respond to GBV incidents effectively and access GBV-related services and information. Lastly, it worked towards empowering women’s groups to serve as watchdogs, monitoring, and reporting GBV perpetrators for appropriate sanctions and mitigation.

To achieve these objectives, FOCEI adopted a comprehensive strategy, combining advocacy, sensitization, training sessions, focus group discussions, and strategic meetings with relevant stakeholders, including government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). Community awareness was further promoted through various means, such as Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) methods, conventional media, Theatre for Development (Role Play), Focused Group Discussions, and rigorous Monitoring and Evaluation.

The planned project activities encompassed advocacy visits to relevant stakeholders and community leaders, community-wide sensitization efforts, training sessions for women and adolescent girls on leadership skills and GBV mitigation strategies, and a systematic monitoring and evaluation process.

Notably, the project achieved several exceptional successes. It managed to break the prevailing culture of silence surrounding GBV in all project sites, encouraging women to assert their rights and report acts of violence. For instance, a participant named Samira Mohammed expressed her newfound awareness and commitment to preventing violence within her community. Additionally, a watch group established in Doho community reported a rape case involving a six-year-old girl, demonstrating the project’s tangible impact on addressing GBV incidents.

Nevertheless, the project faced notable challenges. Overcoming the deeply rooted ‘culture of silence’ in the communities proved to be a significant hurdle, as many GBV cases went unreported due to familial ties between perpetrators and victims. To address this challenge, separate discussions were held with women and men to encourage open dialogue. Another challenge was the lack of funds for community watch groups’ activities, which FOCEI mitigated by providing stipends for emergency calls. Additionally, the project initially omitted budgetary allocations for COVID-19 safety materials, such as facemasks and hand sanitizers, but FOCEI mobilized resources to ensure the safety of participants.

Through this project, FOCEI learned a valuable lesson about the transformative power of effective awareness creation, which can positively influence perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors within communities.

Looking to the future, FOCEI has ambitious plans to replicate this successful project in additional Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Gombe State. To realize these expansion plans, FOCEI seeks support from the NNGOs and Individuals, underscoring their commitment to making a broader impact in the fight against GBV and women’s empowerment.