Enhancing Women Activists Capacity to effectively engage and advocate for peace in the light of the upsurge in violence spurred by Boko Haram in Northern Nigeria.
PROJECT BACKGROUND:
The sectarian crises in Nigeria have cost thousands of lives and huge displacement from homes. The nature of these conflicts, expose civilian populations, particularly women and children, to violence with an impact that is more visible on women because of the social services they render. Yet, they are sidelined when it comes to negotiating peace and facilitating the reconstruction of societies. Women peace movements all over the world have broken new grounds in developing strategies, organizations and tools for peace. Lack of access to political decision making is the primary obstacle in the work of women peace builders.
The most critical contribution to peace building by women lies in transforming attitudes and practices, structures and competencies, to lay the groundwork for the local and global changes that permanent peace requires. Women’s peace activism works towards women’s own rights and equality, and it also works towards broader societal goals. Both are necessary elements in conflict transformation.
The work of building peace is not exclusively about direct mediation or formal negotiation. It demands the integration of initiatives taking place at different levels: local, national, regional and global. It also requires the transformation of global and societal relations. Successful and sustainable peace building processes involve people acquiring self-respect, identity and dignity, as well as physical security. It also requires that all sections of the population have the opportunity to participate in political processes. The United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325, the first ever on women, peace and security, is a result of a very successful international campaign. The resolution “Urges Member States to ensure increased representation of women at all decision-making levels in national, regional and international institutions and mechanisms for the prevention, management, and resolution of conflict. It in view of the above that Integrated Development Services (IDS) -Nigeria with support from the Urgent Action Fund (UAF)- Africa an international donor agency with Head Office in the United State of America (USA) dedicated to protecting and advancing women's rights and enabling their participation in crucial processes that contribute to shifting of power relations. UAF- Africa provides financial and technical support for strategic interventions that take advantage of opportunities to advance women's human rights in situations of conflict and post conflict; precedent setting legal or legislative interventions and protection of women's human rights defenders who are persecuted because of their work. Such opportunities arise when an unexpected event (positive or negative) creates a situation in which rapid intervention can have a significant impact.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
I. To promote women right and address gender disparity in all spheres of human endeavour and reduce the culture of violence and discrimination against women and girls that exist prior to the conflict.
II. The project will elevate the role of women from their position of obscurity in conflict resolution and promote their participation in the decision – making structures of a society
III. Strengthened women’s networks at the local level discussing women’s issues, including violence against women and advocating it for policy-level consideration.
IV. Increase in the number of women representation in the conflicts resolution and peace building processes.
PROJECT JUSTIFICATION:
1. To listen to the grievances of the Boko Haram sect while at the same time expressing condemnation for their human rights abuses.
2. Sending messages of peace and reconciliation through the community outreach approaches to both sides of the conflict to demonstrate impartiality
3. To carryout counseling services to assist rape victims organized feeding programs for displaced women in refugee camps and organized peace marches across their communities.
4. To carryout Advocacy, sensitizations and Raise awareness amongst women’s groups, legislative members, executives members, traditional/ religious leaders and other stakeholders on various issues fundamental to reaching a sustainable peace, such as respect for human rights, democracy, gender equality and development
5. Provide a forum for grassroots participation in issues on women, peace and security by airing the 'Voices of Women' through social medial programs
6. To increasing rural women's access to basic skills and knowledge in community peace-building and ensure long term autonomy for grassroots peace-builders, the women in peace-building program will continued to translate the specialized training tools and methodologies in conflict prevention and peace-building into indigenous language.
7. To advocate violence against women from a health perspective as both service and policy organizations.
8. To create peer mentoring networks with agreements for ongoing contact and sharing of practices
9. Identify needs and opportunities for women to engage in specific processes from a rights-based and gender perspective.
DATE: Wednesday 27th - 29th March, 2013
VENUE: Conference Hall, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC)
Agwuyi Ironsi Way, Opposite National Merit House, Maitama Abuja (FCT)
TOTAL BENEFICIARY:
50 Women Activities from Northern Nigeria
TRAINING TOPICS:
1. Introduction to Gender and Peacebuilding
2. Women’s Roles in Peacebuilding
3. Gender Analysis of Conflict and Violence
4.Skills for Women in Peacebuilding (Strategic planning, Advocacy and sensitization)
5. Resources and Challenges for Women in Peacebuilding
6. Designing a Strategic Plan for Women in Peacebuilding
7. Advocacy and sensitization strategies for women in peacebuilding
TARGET BENEFICIARIES:
Women activists from civil society organizations (CSOs) such as faith based organizations (FBOs), community based organizations (CBOs), and non-governmental organization (NGOs) in the 19 Northern States of Nigeria only
TRAINING PACKAGE:
Seminar Handouts, Refreshment (Tea & Lunch Break), Souvenirs, Certificates, Partnership opportunities
NOTE: Participants are to provide their own accommodations; Hotel Reservation is available on demand.
For Reservation/Participation, kindly SMS: - Your name, Organisation, State, Tel. Number, Email Address and your expectation at the seminar to 08036854938 or email to ids_ngo@yahoo.com
VULNERABLE WOMEN (GIRLS) TRAINED ON LIVELIHOODS VOCATIONAL SKILLS JAN-APRIL,2013
Mararaba Gurku is an urban slum community located along Abuja-Keffi Express way in Karu Local Government Area, Nasarawa State Nigeria with an estimated population of over 4 Million people who are mostly low income civil servants working in Abuja, the Nigeria Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and petty traders as occupants with an average daily income of less than one US Dollar. The community is best known with violence and other criminal activities such as Prostitutions, Drugs addict, Alcoholism, Robbery and other societal vices. As part of IDS effort to improving on the living conditions of vulnerable young persons (girls) most especially those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, widows, victims of early marriage, disabled persons, commercial sex workers(CSWs) and displaced women and girls due to the upsurge of Boko Haram insurgency and other violence in the country through the provision of psychosocial support, livelihoods vocational skills and other empowerment opportunities aimed at promoting self-reliance, employment creation and poverty alleviations among youths at the community level. 21 vulnerable women (girls) were trained on various vocational skills programs including catering/decoration, detergents and cosmetics including entrepreneurships development and market access training for a period ranging from two to three months in 2013. The project beneficiaries were mobilized by Mr. Moses Alakali, a National Youth Services Corp (NYSC) member CODE: NS112C10466.
IDS Partner North East Regional Initiative(NERI) to Rehabilitate and Empower Insurgency victims
IDS-Intercommunity Development Social Organisation and North East Regional Initiative (NERI) partnership is to provide technical assistance for productive ventures as well as counseling in an intensive manner to farmers’ cooperatives, groups and associations in Borno state by strengthening their organizational capacity and democratic power structure to become legitimate (formally registered with appropriate government authority), set up or acquire business addresses (office and farm sites) and then initiate or improve administration (EXCO/board members, bank accounts, financial records, office hours). They will be taught and mentored through participatory organization self assessments and development (POSAD) strategies, to identify areas of strength, weakness, opportunities and threats (SWOT analysis), to effectively manage Agribusiness and the revolving fund scheme to improve on their capital and production capacity for profitability and sustainability. Members will be encouraged to contribute their quota (resources). It may include space, manpower and other resources available at the community level into their cooperatives and associations to ensure participatory development. The aim is to promote self-reliance and sustaianability. The feature of our training is going to be steady but gradual transformation of their cooperatives into functional units with the available resources. These functional units will now be integrated into a larger effective cooperative federation or coalition through a gradual process. The project will help achieve the assessment, identification and strengthening of the capacity-gaps that exist among farmer’s cooperatives and associations in Borno State by adapting appropriate and participatory training approach that will involve all the stakeholders in the BRI team and the beneficiary farmers through consultations, advisory services, technical inputs and commendations on areas of improvement on components aimed at starting and managing Agribusiness profitably and in a sustainable manner among beneficiaries in Borno state and entire northeastern region. The project is primary aimed at promoting income generating activities (IGA), Create employment opportunities and poverty alleviation in Borno State and the North East Region at large, The capacity building and training for farmers associations and cooperative societies in Borno State will forcused on the following areas: (1). Administrative and Financial Managemenet, (2). Agriculutural productive value chain, (3) Revolving Fund maagement, (4) Marketing and Entrepreneurship development, and (5). Business Plan Development
3DAY SEMINAR FOR NORTHERN WOMEN ACTIVISTS ON PEACE BUILDING
Northern Nigeria women activist’s had called on political leaders across the nineteen northern states and the federal government to as a matter of urgency find a way to dialogue with members of the Boko -Haram sects to down their tools and give peace a chance to lessen the pains and suffering that had characterized the region for the past’s years. This called formed part of the communiqué issued at the end of a three days seminar held at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) auditorium in Abuja from 27th to 29th March, 2013 organized by IDS-Nigeria with support from the “Urgent Action Fund- Africa” to train ‘’Northern Women Activists” to involved in peace building and reconciliation process in their respective constituencies in other to bring an end to sectarian crisis’s in the northern part of the country. The sectarian crises in the northern Nigeria had affected the political and social economy needs of some of the states which have translate to tougher economic s challenges for women and their children. Women, been the end-receiver of crisis, the Seminar was organized to provide women with relevant skills to participate in the peace building process and simultaneous dialogue with their family members and other stakeholders. Delivery her welcome address at the opening of the workshop, the Executive Director of IDS-Nigeria, Mrs. Priscilla Ajeneku, urged, northern women to actively get involved in the process that will led to Peace and Unity in the north and the entire country since the women “themselves” are at the receiving-end of all the crisis. She said, “women’s are better peacemaker when given the chance because as ‘’mothers” they known the soft-spot to touch the men and youths to hear their voices.
AWDF PARTNER IDS TO TRAIN WOMEN AND GIRLS LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS ON VOCATIONAL SKILLS
African Women Development Fund (AWDF) Ghana partner (IDS)-Intercommunity Development Social Organisation Nigeria to provide Livelihood Vocational Skills Training and Start-Up Capital to Vulnerable women and girls living with and affected by HIV/AIDS in Karu community and it environs. In the memorandum of understanding (MoU) sign by both parties, IDS is to use the grants to train vulnerable women and girls on Fashion designing(Tailoring), knitting(dress making), Hairdressing, Hat/bead making, Catering/Decorations, Detergents/Cosmetics and small scale Agricultural production(poultry and fish farming). Entrepreneurship development and market access training is also incorporated in the project. The one year project implementation duration started in October 2013 and is expected to end in September 2014 with the primary aims of boosting beneficiaries income generation, create employment opportunities and poverty alleviations among vulnerable women and girls infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in Nigeria. Interested beneficiaries are to contact the Project Officer on Tel: 08036854938 or via email:ids_ngo@yahoo.com for more information. Concern members of the public will recalled that in June 2013 AWDF staff including Rose and Solange of the grants making department and Nene of media department paid familiarization visit to IDS head office. The highlight of the visits was the inspections of IDS training facilities and interaction with vulnerable women and girls leaning different vocational skills including Entrepreneurship development and market access training. The visiting team commended IDS Board, management and staff efforts for the poverty alleviation initiatives most especially as it addresses the plights faced by vulnerable groups in the society.
ADDRESSING THE ISSUE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN NIGERIA
.IDS-Intercommunity Development Social Organisation has partner Justice for All (J4A)-UK Department for International Development (DFID) to Address the Issue of Violence against Women in 3 towns of Abuja Municipal Area Council Nigeria. The one year project seeks to address the capacity problem faced by justice service providers in ensuring timely arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of gender based violence; the lack of support and guidance for victims to take forward violence against women (VAW) cases, the non-existence of a viable CSO coalition to advocate for the implementation of VAW policy and increase pressure on services providers to arrest and prosecute perpetrators; and the lack of awareness on the rights of women and girls to live a life free from sexual and other gender based violence. The project is aimed at; increasing arrests of VAW perpetrators, timely dispensation of justice in VAW cases, provision of avenue for VAW victims to receive support services and be informed on where to report cases of GBV in the society. The project will be delivered through capacity strengthening of supply-side actors, awareness rising via a TV documentary; establishment of a CSO coalition and CSO capacity enhancement; establishment of a telephone helpline to provide advice and guidance on VAW and support services available; and development of IEC materials that will provide information on where VAW victims can seek justice in Abuja in Municipal Area Council (AMAC). Justice for All (J4A) is a UK Department for International Development (DFID) funded programme aimed at supporting the reform of the justice sector in Nigeria. The goal of the programme is to ensure improved personal security and access to justice for all Nigerians through capability, accountability and responsiveness of key organizations in the safety, security and justice sector.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (VAW) VICTIMS SUPPORT HELPLINE: 08099936317
CALL IDS/J4A-DFID VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN (VAW) VICTIMS SUPPORT HELPLINE: 08099936317 (TOLL FREE WITH ETISALAT)
IDS -NIGERIA RECIEVED GRANTS FROM URGENT ACTION FUND-AFRICA TO TRAIN WOMEN ACTIVISTS IN NORTHERN NIGERIA
Integrated Development Services (IDS) is a registered, non- profit and non – governmental organisation (NGO) founded in 2004 and dedicated to Socio-economic, Agriculture, Environment, Health, Education and promotion of democracy and gender equity in Nigeria through research, capacity building and empowerments.
VISION:
IDS envision improving on the living standard of the vulnerable women, youth, children and communities through participatory initiatives and collective actions.
MISSION:
To facilitate development programme such as socio-economic, health, environment and education to improve on the living standard of the vulnerable Women, Youth and Children through Research, Capacity building and Empowerment in Nigeria.
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