Osun Traditional, Religious Leaders Adopt New Code to End Violence against Women and Girls

 By Titilola Olaniyan 

CEWHIN convenes Town Hall meeting in Osogbo Osun state, Launches prevention framework Under Ford Foundation-backed project. 

Osogbo, Osun state Religious Leaders, Traditional rulers, Youth groups,  Women Journalist, NUJ representatives, market Leaders and person's living with disabilities gathered at the NUJ Press Centre, Iwo Ibadan Road, Osogbo, for one-day town hall on ending harmful Cultural practice that fuel violence against women and girls.

The meeting was convened by the Center for women's health and Information (CEWHIN) as part of the second year of it's project, "partnership for Enhanced VAWG prevention among Religious and Traditional Stakeholders in Ogun and Osun State,  Nigeria" 

The Initiative is supported by the Ford Foundation, which awarded a ₦200, 000 grant to work with Religious and Community leaders in the South West Nigeria to prevent sexual exploitation and abuse. 

The Town Hall meeting is based on three clearer objectives by CEWHIN which includes: Firstly, to collectively identify harmful cutural norms , Festival and traditional rites that enable physical abuse, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse. 

Secondly, to proffer  practical community-owned mitigation strategies and: thirdly; to formally launch the key tools developed under the project . 

"The framework for the prevention and of physical abuse and sexual exploitation and abuse".

Organiser described the session as a chance for open dialogue, where community members could name the practices they see,  agree on local solutions,  and adopt the framework for use in their towns and compounds. 

A female participant set the tone that, sexual harrassment and gender based violence had long ago existed in the community , but victims rarely speak out . She urged survivor to break the silence and report to the right authorities to get justice. 

Mrs Lola, a gender based violence activist , was more direct that anyone who commits sexual harrassment or gender based violence will face the full wrath of law,  even if a victim is reluctant to pursue the case. 

Another speaker reinforced the point,  urging prompt reporting to the nearest law enforcement Agency. 

The Otun Iyalode of Osogbo, Mrs. Naimot Oladimeji, called for a deliberate shift towards youths inclusion. 

"Youths should be the highest participants in this type of program because they are the most affected when it comes to gender based violence and sexual harrassment". She said,  adding that young people need to be enlighten to know their rights. 

Mrs. Oluwaranti Ojewumi Secretary Nigeria Association of Women Journalist (NAWOJ) Osun state Chapter,  placed responsibility back in the home, parents should be a good role models, and monitor their children's activities and guide them rightly to protect them from abuse and help them live a better futures. 

During the interactive session, representatives from invited organization were asked why harmful culture persists despite widespread awareness. 

Youth representatives blamed ignorance, saying continuous enlightenment is the is major antidote to old practice still being observed.

A Muslim representatives said, Imam and pastors should should be using the sermon to teach the implications of traditions that harm women and girls. 

The Iyaloja of Osogbo listed female genital mutilation and other demeaning rites as examples, insisting that this type of engagement must be sustained and taken to major communities across the state. She urged everyone present to carry the knowledge back to markets, compounds and associations. 

A representatives of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) charged participants to put the framework and Code of Conduct to immediate use, so that communities become safer for women and girls. 

CEWHIN facilitators noted that the Osun state meeting follows engagement in Ogun state , where traditional and religious leaders have already resolved to lead the vanguard against VAWG and sensitise other leaders of thought. 

With the framework and code of conduct now formally launched in the Osun, stakeholders left the NUJ Press Center with a shared commitment. Name the harmful norm, confront it with truth and tradition that protects , and ensure that culture envolves to uplift women and girls , not to hurt them.