GRIP

GRIP IN COLLABORATION WITH SWAAN CELEBRATES INTERNATIONAL DAY OF THE GIRL CHILD 2023

The United Nations General Assembly on 19th December, 2011, adopted Resolution 66/170 which declared 11th October as the International Day of the Girl Child (IDGC).

This milestone Resolution began the recognition and celebration annually of the IDGC.

The day is set atside to promote the rights and welfare of the girl child, as well as for stakeholders to raise voices on the unique challenges that girls face all over the World and the need to holistically address these challenges.

The theme of IDGC 2023 is, "Invest in Girls' Rights: Our Leadership, Our Well-being." The theme focuses on taking action to promote girls and women's rights and to gain progress on gender equality.

It is therefore important that a conducive environment is fostered in and out of school to enable girls reach and achieve their potentials.

To this end, GRIP in Collaboration with SWAAN commemorated the 2023 IDGC today at Holy Child Catholic Secondary School Ado-Ekiti on the importance of this year's theme as well as the significance of IDGC.

A World where everyone is treated with dignity and given equal access to contribute and benefits from development is possible.

At GRIP we are committed to ensuring that every girl child is equipped to benefit and contribute to development.

Girls; Our Pride

On 29th September, 2023, GRIP Ngo
engaged Students and Teachers of Ado Community High School, Ado-Ekiti on School related GBV and other social vices.

The sensitization commenced with Mrs. Abimbola Abimbola Fatimehin introduction of Team members and what we do at GRIP.

Our very dynamic partner Mr. Tolu Ashiri sensitised the students through songs on parts of the body which are out of bounds to others.

Mrs Abimbola thereafter enlightened participants on s*xual abuse; causes, consequences and prevention, while Barr. Anwuri Ajinwo taught them laws and policies on GBV and Child's Rights as provided under the extant laws, as well as organizations/agencies which responds to GBV/Child Abuse.

Barr. Mesioma and Miss Taiwo handled the question and answer session and the students were encouraged to always speak out in the face of danger, with asurances that their safety and identity are guaranteed. Helplines for reporting were also made available for ease of reportage or seeking help.

The sensitization was very engaging, as the students asked very insightful questions about over coming social vices and staying safe from GBV.

At GRIP, we are committed to raising a generation of men and women who respects human dignity and promotes gender equality for sustainable development.

On 12th September, 2023, Grip Ngo participated in the Child Protection Network (CPN), Ekiti State monthly meeting held at Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ado-Ekiti, where new executives were elected and sworn in to pilot the affairs of the Network for the next 3 years.

GRIP Program Officer Abimbola Fatimehin emerged as the Treasurer of the Network.

As an organization working to promote the welfare and protection of women and children, GRIP reaffirms its commitment to working with other stakeholders to ensure the safety and development of Nigeria children, especially in Ekiti State.

GRIP participated in the Needs Assessment of PWDs towards inclusive Ekiti State 2024 budget organized on 15/9/2023 by Disability Not A Barrier Initiative with funding support from Disability Rights Fund in Ado Ekiti.

As an organization committed to the promotion of women and children, GRIP ensured that the Needs
Assessment was gender inclusive and child friendly.

On 20th and 21st July, 2023 respectively, Gbemisola Olowosile represented GRIP at the 2Days Validation Workshop on Public Procurement Assessment Report in Ekiti State, organized in Ado Ekiti by Public and Private Development Centre (Procurement Monitor) with funding Support from MacArthur Foundation.

The Workshop brought together MDAs, CSOs, the Media, Women Groups and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) to interrogate procurement processes, in furtherance of the promotion of the inclusion and participation of Women and PWDs in public procurement processes, as well as entrenching transparency and accountability in procurement processes in Ekiti State.

Procurement process that is not transparent, excludes women and other vulnerable groups negates sustainable development development goals, as nobody should be left behind in developmental affairs.

The Workshop reenforces our commitment as women focused Organization to continue to work with other stakeholders, in order to ensure public procurement processes are transparent and inclusive of women and other vulnerable groups.

GRIP Commemorates
International Day Against Human Trafficking.

Since 2013, every 30th day of July has been set aside by the United Nations' General Assembly as International World Day Against HumanTrafficking through Resolution GA/RES/68/192.

The day is set aside to raise awareness on the evils of human trafficking, in order for stakeholders to identify, prevent and respond to human trafficking appropriately.

Human trafficking is the inhuman, degrading and criminal exploitation of persons, especially women and children for the purpose of forced and cheap labour, slavery, forced marriage, s*xual exploitation/abuse and organ harvest etc.

Human trafficking is an abuse on fundamental human right to freedom, criminal and evil. It shatters victims, families and communities.

Victims of human trafficking are faced with untold degrading and inhuman treatment. Every human being is entitled to a life of dignity, respect and freedom from oppression as preserved in international instruments and local legislations. Yet, persons especially women and children continue to be victims of human trafficking in Nigeria.

To put an end to this evil, government at all levels has a duty to ensure that all persons live a life of dignity, respect and freedom at all times.

The consequences of human trafficking are enormous, both on the victims as well as the nation. It includes physical, psychological, s*xual and economic harm, extreme depravation of liberty and even death etc.

The theme for this year celebration is "Reach Every Victim Of Trafficking; Leave No One Behind"

On 28th July, 2023, GRIP joined the Sensitisation Walk organised by the Office of the First Lady Ekiti State in collaboration with the Office of the Attorney General with active support of the Ekiti State Taskforce on Human Trafficking.

It is commendable that Ekiti State in line with the theme for this year's Anti Human trafficking Day is taking action against human trafficking with the inauguration and active support of the Ekiti Taskforce on Human Trafficking. The Taskforce is a multi sectoral body under the supervision of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), comprised of government and non governmental organizations who indentify, prevent and respond to human trafficking in Ekiti state, including justice for victims, their rehabilitation and reintegration into the community.

As women and children focused Organization and a committed member of the Ekiti Taskforce, GRIP is committed to identifying and preventing human trafficking as well as responding in a manner that meets the justice yearnings of victims and their families.

GRIP participated in the 8th edition of the Regional Specific Dialogue (CSD) which held in Lagos on 25th October, 2022, with the theme "Exploring the Case for State Policing as a Response to Rising Insecurity and Lethargic Law Enforcement in the South-West".

The CSD which was organised by Global Rights in partnership with SESOR Foundation, discussed the drivers and facilitators of insecurity in South-west Nigeria.

Insecurity in Nigeria has caused mass atrocities such as banditry, kidnapping, SGBV, destruction of lives and properties etc.

The failure of federal security agents to adequately respond to security threats in Nigeria, has led to the call for state police at different fora.

In alignment with the call for State Police, participants at the Dialogue noted that state policing was in existence before the establishment of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), therefore, State Police is possible if Nigeria is genuinely ready for it.

Participants agreed that for effective security threat response, different layers of policing in Nigeria is the way to go; Community Police, State Police and the Federal Police respectively, who should partner to effectively tackle insecurity in Nigeria.

Participants recalled that Amotekun (South-West Nigeria informal security agent), was established by governments of South-Western states in Nigeria, in response to highway robberies bandits invasion, kidnapping etc. It was however noted that as desirable and important as the states' security agents are, if not controlled and checked, it may lead to abuses and human rights violations, hence the need for their training and retraining.

In conclusion, participants agreed that states' security agents should not just carry arms, but must be able to speak the local language of the people/body language of community where they operates, because effective security response starts with localized intervention.

Robust community security framework is germane to the promotion and protection of women's rights and development. That is why at GRIP, we work with relevant stakeholders on peace and security for women safety and protection.

GRIP participated in the Boot Camp Anti-Corruption Hackathon Workshop organised between 1st- 4th November, 2022, in Ado-Ekiti by Accountability Lab Nigeria in partnership with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Open Contracting Partners (OCP).

The workshop was in furtherance of improving government procurement processes in Nigeria, through developing tech solutions for public procurement processes, in order to cub curruption at all levels in public contracts.

Additionally, the workshop built participants' capacity on the use of procurement data for effective advocacy, monitoring, and feedback mechanisms on public contracts, in order to nip corruption in the bud in government procurement processes; from needs assessment, budgeting, bidding, award and contract ex*****on.

The workshop participants were drawn from CSOs, tech-preneurs and media practitioners.

Highlight of the workshop was an interface between participants and Ekiti State Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), where the BPP enlightened participants on the its activities, including gender mainstreaming in public procurement in Ekiti State.

Corruption impact women disproportionately in relation to men, and limits women's wellbeing and development.

As an organization committed to gender justice in the public as well as in the private, GRIP would use the knowledge gained at this workshop, to advocate and hold relevant stakeholders accountable on gender responsive procurement processes in Nigeria.

On 28th June, 2022, the Nigeria Association of WomenJournalists (NAWOJ) Ekiti State in Collaboration with Hecey Health Initiatives invited GRIP to participate in a sensitization programm organised to commemorate the of Day of the African Child (DAC)

Rita Ilevbare ED GRIP spoke on the 2022 DAC theme "Eliminating Harmful Practice Affecting Children: Progress on Policy and Practice
Since 2013.

She informed the participants that the Africa Union commenced the celebration of the DAC in 1991 in memory of black South African school children massacred in Soweto on June 16, 1976.

The school children were killed for demanding access to quality education and an end to discriminations in their Country

She said the declaration of the DAC propelled members of the AU states including Nigeria to enact laws and formulated policies on child protection. Nigeria enacted the Child Right Act (CRA) in 2003. However, being a Federal Country, states are expected to adopt the CRA in their respective states as state laws. Presently, only 24 out of 36 states in Nigeria so far has adopted the CRA. Ekiti is one of the states who has enacted the Child Rights Law since 2006.

She noted further that despite these laws and policies on child protection, African children, especially the girl child is still plagued by all manners of discriminations, deprivations and harmful traditional practices like FGM, child marriage, child labour and exclusion from education etc.

She said the eronous belief that FGM prevents girls from promiscuity has no scientific basis. Ekiti is one of the states in Nigeria with high prevalence of both FGM and teenage pregnancy.

Ilevbare therefore recommended robust s*x education for children to help them understand their s*xuality in order to navigate childhood without negative s*xual consequences. She called for an end to cutting of females noting that there are legal implications including fines and imprisonment for perpetrators.

Childhood she noted is the shortest period in a man's life, yet society and parents hurries children out of childhood and ignoring the negative impacts this have on children in adulthood.

The Child Rights Act (CRA) she educated the participants has 4 cardinal principals;
✓ Children's right to Survival
✓Children's right to development
✓ Children's right to protection and
✓Children's right to participation

She therefore called to action; government, society, parents and NGOs etc to ensure every African child is not denied of these rights through abandoning of harmful practices that are detrimental to children.

Hundred of schools children males and females from public and private schools in Ekiti State attended the program which also had Dr Ajiboye Psychologist with the Ekiti Sexual Assualt Refferal Centre (SARC) speak to the school children on dangers of drug abuse.

GRIP is grateful to NAWOJ for the invite.

Together, we would continue to create safe spaces for African children.

On the invitation of the Ekiti State Transition Committee on 14th July, 2022, GRIP presented a Memo on women's expectation from the incoming Government of the Governor Elect Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji.

While appreciating the Committee for the extension of invite to GRIP, we listed key expectation of women as follows;

1. Political will on
gender equality and women empowerment, including zero tolerance for GBV
2. Election and appointment of women into political offices and leadership positions across board bearing in mind 35percent affirmative action
3. Constitution of the Equal Opportunity Commission in accordance with the Ekiti State Equal Opportunity Law, 2013
4. Continuing with or immediate reconstitution of the GBV Management Committte in accordance with the Ekiti State GBV (Prohibition Law, 2019
5. Quality maternal and child health care
6. Strengthening the Sexual Assault Referral Centre and the Transit Home, especially retention of the GBV survivors' support fund and logistics for swift GBV response
7. Quality education
8. Access to safe water
9. Support to women in agriculture
10. Condusve economic environment/job creation for youths male and female
11. Peace and security.
12. Responsive Office of the Wife of Governor.

We particularly drew the attention of the Governor Elect to the Ekiti State Transition Law 2021 which forbids new government from discontinuing ongoing projects, programmes and interventions of out gone administration.

Creating safe spaces for in-school students in Ekiti State continued in June, 2022 with the Training of members of Anti GBV Clubs of Omuo Comprehensive High School, Omuo, Ekiti-East and Ijanmodu Comprehensive High School, Ijan, Gbonyin LGA respectively.

The Anti GBV Clubs are being setup across secondary schools in Ekiti State to address the gaps in GBV response amongst school children through the project "Tracking & Reporting of Perpetrators of School Related GBV" implemented in Ekiti State with funding support from Ford Foundation by Ministry of Education, Science and Technology in Collaboration with Gender Relevance Initiative Promotion (GRIP).

The Cub members were trained on School Related GBV, Causes, Consequences, Prevention, Ekiti GBV Policies/Laws and Access to GBV Support Service, including Justice.




,3,4,5,16&17

GRIP was part of Coalition of Ekiti State Civil Society Organizations (COECSO) who participated in the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room Review Meeting of Ekiti 18th June Goversnorip Election/Interactive Session with Osun State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) on INEC's preparation for Osun State 16th July Goversnorip Election.

It was noted that the Ekiti Governorship election improved considerably in relation to previous elections in Nigeria; general and off cycle respectively.

It was further noted that despite the various security apprehension, Ekiti Governorship election was relatively peaceful with pockets of violence and few ballots snatching.

The deployment of BVAS and it's effective use, though with some challenges was commended.

Participants raised concern on the lackadaisical altitude of security agents, particularly the Police to vote trading and admonished the Police and other security agencies to be alive to their responsibilities.

Participants also called on INEC to ensure that voters and BIVAS are evenly deployed to polling units in future elections to avoid over crowding in some polling units, while others will have less voters.

Securing voting points in order to prevent other people from knowing who a voter voted for was proffered as a major solution to curb vote trading.

It is hoped that INEC would leverage on the lessons from Ekiti to better the outcome of Osun Governorship election come 16th July, 2022 and the 2022 general elections.

The meeting which held in Abuja on 29th July, 2022 had in attendance INEC and CSOs across Nigeria.

As the countdown to the June 18th Governorship election in Ekiti State continues, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) is partnering GRIP a committed member of COESCSO to deploy observers across Ado LGA in furtherance of contributing to free, fair and credible elections in Ekiti State.

CDD in collaboration with Civil Society Organisations (COESCSO) Ekiti State today 14th June, 2022, commenced a two days training of observers ahead of the Governorship election.

CDD is partnership local NGOs in Ekiti for the training and deployment of observers across the 16 LGAs in Ekiti State for the Governorship election.

In the first batch of training today were observers from 8 LGAs including Ado LGA, trained on election procedures and role of observers.

The training of observers continues tommorow with the remaining 8 LGAs.

Still on the 14days INEC supported Grassroot Mobilization and Voters' Education, Grip Ngo in collaboration with Pan Africa Women Project had women's match around Ado-Ekiti, Ado LGA, where residents were sensitized on the importance of coming out to vote peacefully and rightly during the 18th June, 2022 Governorship Election in Ekiti State.

Women were particularly encouraged to use their sphere of influence to ensure citizens' peaceful participation in the election.

Ahead of the upcoming June 18th, 2022 Governorship election in Ekiti State, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room comprised of CSOs across Nigeria on 4/6/22, engaged Dr Tella Adeniran Rahman Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Ekiti State in Abuja on the level of INEC's preparedness on the Ekiti election.

GRIP participated in the meeting, where the REC intimated participants on the laudable actions INEC is taking to ensure peaceful, fair, inclusive and credible election in Ekiti State.

While commending the effort of INEC so far, participants observed that INEC can still do more. To this end, useful suggestions were offered by participants to enable INEC conduct a credible election in Ekiti and General election in 2023.

Grip Ngo at the Ekiti State Governorship debate organised today 12/6/22 by Situation Room in collaboration wirh Channels Television.

Grip Ngo was at the Ekiti State Governorship debate organised on 9/6/22 by AIT, where we engaged the candidates on their specific agenda for gender equality and women empowerment.

GRIP in collaboration with INEC continued the Grassroot Mobilization and Voters' Education in Ado LGA on 8/6/22 with enagegement of Odo Ado Community, where citizens were sensitized on the need for peaceful election, one person; one vote, no to vote trading, the need to vote right and the need for collection of PVCs for those yet to collect etc.

GRIP Continues Grassroot Mobilization and Voters' Education in Ado LGA

Access to justice is very critical in electoral process. To this end, GRIP in collaboration with INEC took the grassroot mobilization and voters' education to the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) Working Group, Ekiti State meeting held on 7/6/2022 in Ado-Ekiti to solicit the Group's support and assurance of a peaceful atmosphere for citizens to cast their votes and also to get the Group's commitment that citizens whose rights may be violated before, during and after the Governorship election would get the required justice as laid down by the Law.

The ACJA Working Group made up of the following; Police,NSCDC, Nigeria Correctional Service, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), NBA, Ministry of Justice (MOJ), National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), FIDA, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria (LACON), NYSC Legal Aid CD Group, Office of Public Defender (OPD), Judiciary, Citizens' Compliant Centre, NGOs working in Justice Sector and the Media gave their assurances that Citizens have noting to fear in the upcoming election, as the ACJA Working Group is prepared to ensure security and justice for any citizen whose right may be violated before, during and after the election.

And so on 8/6/22, Rita Ilevbare ED GRIP was at Fresh FM Ado-Ekiti courtesy of Nigeria Women Trust Fund (NWTF) with funding support from Wrapa Nigeria and MacArthur Foundation to discuss the Topic, "The Lack of Political Will to Implement the 35 Percent Affirmative Action: A Case Study of Ekiti Political Space" where she X-rayed policy and legal frameworks such as the Ekiti State Gender Policy, Ekiti State Equal Opportunity Law, 2013 and the Re-enacted GBV (Prohibition) Law, 2019 as the foundation for promoting women's political participantion and occupation of leadership positions, and a tool for holding Government accountable on gender mainstreaming in Ekiti State.

She argued that the effort of the present Ekiti State Government in ensuring that women are deliberately brought into leadership positions should be emulated by other state governments, noting that of the 14 recently appointed permanent secretaries in Ekiti State, 6 were women.

She argued further that If women cannot get into elective positions because of societal and institutional hurdles, political will should be strong enough to get women into leadership positions through appointments.

While encouraging women to continue to build their leadership qualities and develop themselves, I she frowned seriously on the fact that women who aspires for leadership positions are usually expected to have qualities not expected of men, noting that these qualities expected of women are not measurable but rather subjective.

If men can occupy leadership positions based on their gender and on stipulated Constitutional requirements and nothing more, it is unfair to expect of women non legal requirements to attain political positions.

She therefore advised women not to be apologetic in supporting fellow women or looking for extraneous reasons to support their kind.

The fact that a woman is a human being with the Constitutional requirement to contest an elective position is enough reason for women to queue behind and vote such a woman.

She therefore recommended that women start early to prepare for leadership positions and commended the young women mentoring program on leadership implemented by NWTF across Nigeria, hoping that these young women will put to use all they learnt in the course of mentorship by actually occupying political and other leadership space in the near future.





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Rita Ilevbare ED GRIP at Cruz FM Ikere today to educate members of the public on the innovative provisions of the New Electoral Act, 2022 in relation to Ekiti State June 18th 2022 Governorship Election and youth participation in electoral process, courtesy of NIGWAD with Funding Support from NDI.





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GRIP Sensitizes Citizens in Ado LGA

Ahead of the June 18th 2022 Governorship Election in Ekiti State, the Gender Relevance Initiative Promotion (GRIP) with Support from Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Nigeria is on 14 days Grassroots Mobilization and Voters' Education in Ado LGA.

GRIP commenced the
Grassroots Mobilization and Voters' Education on 30th June, 2022 with Advocacy Visit to Mr. Shamsudeen INEC Electoral Officer Ado LGA accompanied by Mr. Bukar Maikwada INEC Nigeria supervisor for Ekiti Central Senatorial District on
Grassroots Mobilization and Voters' Education.

Every where we visited, GRIP message centred on the following;

✓The need for citizens yet to collect PVCs to do so to enable voting
✓the need for citizens with PVCs to come out on 18th June to vote
✓INEC's preparedness for the Governorship Election
✓The effort of security agencies and other stakeholders to ensure peaceful election
✓What to expect on election day and how to vote properly to prevent void votes
✓The need for citizens to ensure peaceful election and shun violence before, during and after election
✓The special role of women in ensuring violence free election
✓The need for all women and youth with PVCs to ensure they vote come June 18th
✓The need for citizens to avoid vote trading and vote their conscience
✓The need for citizens to objectively defend their votes and
✓How women can access support when faced with electoral violence etc.

Communities visited so far are;

✓INEC LGA Office/Bank Road
✓Awedele Market/Textile
✓Basiri
✓Irana
✓Igbehin and
✓Atikankan where Hausa Community was specially targeted and sensitized.

The sensitization which GRIP hopes to bring to an end on 14th June, 2022 continues tommorow with enagegement of communities and groups across Ado LGA.

We sincerely appreciate our Supervisor Mr. Bukar Maikwada who accompanied us on some of the engagements, especially the Hausa Community, where he spoke to them on electoral process in the language they understand.

GRIP updated their phone number.