A Non Governmental Organisation (NGO), Salma Attah Foundation for Women and Girls Support (SAFWGS), on Saturday unveiled its “BoysAsAllies” campaign, in its efforts to tackle sexual and gender-based violence in the country.
Ms Amrah Aliyu, Team Lead of the Foundation, disclosed this while briefing newsmen on the activities of the organisation, on Saturday in Abuja.
She said the campaign which was part of its activities to commemorate this year’s 16 Days of Activism, had no fewer than 500 boys drawn from 10 different schools sensitised on the effects of gender-based violence.
According to her, the selected schools which were in Niger State and the FCT, had the students enlightened on various forms of GBV, importance of consent, how to report and the role of boys in ending the menace.
“In compliance with the theme for 2022 16 Days of Activism, which says Unite! Activism to end Violence against women and girls, the foundation found a need to embark on a mission of educating not only young girls but fully educating and involving young boys too.
“This step is part of our effort at making them allies in bringing an end to all forms of violence.
“We want them to be better equipped, frown at sexist jokes, entitlements and ensure that they become champions that fight gender-based violence.
“Researches have shown that one in three women around the world have been subjected to either physical or sexual violence by age 15, while one in five women have been sexually abused as children.
“So we carefully planned these activities to sensitise the boys and not only the girls on the negative effects of gender-based violence, because it is important we catch them young,” she said.
Aliyu added that the foundation also embarked on another campaign tagged “Orangetheschools” to raise more awareness about the menace.
“For this particular campaign, we visited 16 schools within the 16 Days of Activism, in Niger, Kano and FCT, all in our bid to enlighten school girls on the need to speak out once they are molested.
“Overall, the objective was to promote behavioral change by emphasizing positive masculinity and promoting gender equality norms in school environment,” she added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 16 Days of Activism against gender-based violence is an international campaign to raise awareness and generate action to end violence against women and girls in communities around the world.
The campaign runs every year from Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to Dec. 10, Human Rights DaY.
NAN
