Community, religious leaders seek end to gender-based violence

Community and religious leaders have called for an end to gender-based violence across West African countries.

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The leaders, drawn from Nigerian communities, spoke at an event in New York, US, on 17 March, organised by the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, the foundation said in a statement on Monday.

The event, entitled “Traditional, religious, and community leaders driving meaningful change,” was held as part of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

It was organised to mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

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The event highlights Ford Foundation’s ongoing commitment to preventing gender-based violence and advancing justice and equity for women and girls.

‘The culture of silence’

During a panel discussion at the event, the leaders shared their insights and experiences in challenging harmful norms and advocating for change.

According to them, various forms of gender-based violence include physical violence, sexual assault, harmful widowhood practices, and the violence women sometimes face from other women, particularly in polygamous families.

They called for stronger cultural and political institutions that would protect women’s rights and enable them to actively contribute to lawmaking and policy decisions.

Speaking during the event, one of the participants and the Obi of Onitsha, Alfred Achebe noted that gender-based violence thrive because of what he called “the culture of silence” which is a tendency to conceal incidents of violence within families and communities.

Mr Achebe stressed the need for creating context-specific approaches to transform harmful social, religious, and cultural practices that restrict women’s participation.

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“To combat gender-based violence, we must address socio-economic root causes – poverty, unemployment, substance abuse – which fuel gender-based violence in communities,” he said.

The traditional ruler suggested efforts like economic empowerment programmes, strengthening female leadership, and conflict mediation as part of a broader approach to reducing violence.

Another participant, George Ehusani, a Nigerian Catholic priest and author, stressed that religious leaders play crucial roles in shaping societal attitudes.

Mr Ehusani, who is the executive director of Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, urged religious leaders to join forces against gender-based violence.

“Religious leaders must challenge harmful interpretations of scripture and lead the way in promoting gender justice,” he said.

The executive director said that, with support from Ford, his foundation has trained over 500 Christian leaders to address gender-based violence by creating ‘Centres of Excellence’ in churches and organisations that advocate zero tolerance for violence.

He said the centre also supports legal advocacy for women’s rights.

On his part, Awwal Nasir, from the Development Research and Projects Centre, argued that “shifting societal norms begins with empowering local leaders to speak out against violence and engage communities in meaningful dialogue.”

Mr Nasir narrated how the Muslim Opinion Leaders project, funded by the Ford Foundation, helped raise awareness about gender-based violence in sermons and community dialogues.

He said the programme successfully shifted attitudes in northern Nigeria while respecting cultural and religious traditions.

For Priscilla Usiobaifo, founder of BraveHeart Initiative, grassroots advocacy is central to fighting gender-based violence.

“Grassroots advocacy is the key to changing deeply rooted cultural practices and ensuring women’s rights are upheld,” Ms Usiobaifo said.

She said that by engaging local leaders through town hall meetings and community dialogues, her advocacy has led to reforms in harmful traditions like female genital mutilation and widowhood rites, promoting gender equality and women’s rights.

‘Why we organised the event’ – Ford

Sarita Gupta, vice-president of the US programme at the Ford Foundation, said the foundation organised the event because of the influence community and religious leaders wield in the fight against gender-based violence.

“We recognise the influence that traditional, religious, and community leaders have in shaping societal norms.

“By joining forces with local leaders who hold the respect and authority necessary to inspire transformation at the grassroots level, we can create lasting change that prevents violence and promotes gender equality,” Mr Gupta said.

The vice-president said the foundation’s efforts are part of a broader initiative to address and eliminate gender-based violence, a persistent issue in many parts of the world.

He said by promoting collaboration and supporting the “critical voices” of community leaders, the Ford Foundation strives to create a more just and equitable society for women and girls everywhere.