REPORT: Understanding and Ending Gender-Based Violence (GBV) In Our Societies

 

CIVIL SOCIETY FOR ELIMINATION OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (CS4EGBV) PROJECT , AFRIHEALTH OPTONET ASSOCIATION [CSO's NETWORK]

Submitted by : Faith Mvududu (Zimbabwe). Lead Platform Rapporteur, CS4EGBV Project/Afrihealth Optonet Association (CSO's Network)

Date of Report Compilation : 17 January 2021

Contact:

CS4EGBV Project/Afrihealth Optonet Association [CSOs Network]

Phone: +234 803 472 5905

Email: cs4egbv@gmail.com

 

Topic : Understanding and Ending Gender-Based Violence (GBV) In Our Societies

Venue : Zoom Platform

Date : 14 January 2021

Time : 10:00am West Central Africa

Event Duration : Approximately 3 hours

Moderator : Dr. Uzodinma Adirieje (Nigeria). Global Coordinator/Chief Executive Officer, CS4EGBV Project/ Afrihealth Optonet Association (CSO's Network)

The Moderator gave Special Recognition To:

Everyone who has been working diligently on the Elimination of Gender Based Violence in the world over.

Faith Mvududu from Zimbabwe , The Lead Platform Rapporteur.

All Media Partners, Mr. Emmanuel Gaudu  from African Security Investigation.

Great Pioneers of CS4EGBV Project , Professor Hayat from Egypt , Mr. Azubuike Michael Nwachukwu from Nigeria ,Alhaji Abdul Rashid Imoro from Ghana, and Ambassador Emmanuel from Zimbabwe

Leader in this sector Dr. Eleanor Nwadinobi , President of the Medical Women’s Association and Every Woman Treaty. UK

Participants from every Country present : Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Egypt, Tunisia, Ghana, Sudan , South Africa, Belgium , Burundi , Uganda, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South America, United Kingdom, Kenya, Malawi, Switzerland

Apologies for Language Translations Facility not yet in operation.

 

Lead Speaker and Panelists :

Lead Speaker Professor Hayat Gomma  (Egypt), Former Chairperson, Dept. Of Maternal and Child Health Nursing, Cairo University Egypt and Mut'ah University, Jordan, Full Professor at Ahmadu Bello University, Nigeria

Thina Maphosa  (Zimbabwe) ,Programmes Manager YES Trust

Sophie Shima (Belgium,Burundi) Pônt De La Solidaritré Co-Founder, Restore Dignity ,Coordinator

Alhaji Abdul Rashid Imoro (Ghana) , Program Manager, SRHR ,Savanna Signatures

Mr. Azubuike Michael Nwachukwu (Nigeria), Founder, Grow Cassava Palm Tree And Farm Produce for Cash (GCPPC)

Countries Present: Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Egypt, Tunisia, Ghana, Sudan , South Africa, Belgium , Burundi , Uganda, India, Bangladesh, Indonesia, South America, United Kingdom, Kenya, Malawi, Switzerland (19 Countries and approximately 70 participants).

 

Summary of Presentations:

Professor Hayat Gomma -Lead Speaker

Objectives:

Ø To Foster Critical Community Awareness and consider GBV as an emergency situation needing to be addressed.

Ø To Encourage non-GBV specialist humanitarian actors to integrate GBV risk mitigation in their day-to-day work.

Ø To provide the audience with in-depth crucial knowledge to identify and reduce GBV and establish collaborative activities among the attendees.

Ø To plant seeds of hope, potential and possibilities for positive change.

 

Introduction:

Ø 1 in 5 women and girls under the age of 15, have suffered physical or sexual violence by spouse within the past 12 months according to data collected from 87 countries.

Ø World Health Organization reported that GBV has put an enormous burden on health care services for women and has proved to be more costly, as the cases in STDs, physical injuries, miscarriages, death, severe psychological conditions increase daily.

Ø The cost and impact of GBV is great even in societies.

Ø GBV is happening to all men,boys,women and girls, however the focus is only on women and girls which is unfortunate as then the data becomes inaccurate to a certain degree.

Ø Gender Based Violence targets the weaker person in any situation, be it in the home, private or public institutions/organizations.

Ø Gender Based Violence defined as any harmful act that is perpetrated against a person’s will, which includes physical, sexual, mental harm through threats, actions, coercion and other deprivation of freedom inflicted in public or private.

Ø Globally Gender Based Violence has a greater impact on women and girls due to the societal norms, however men and boys are also affected, though there is not enough data on the impact it has on men and boys.

Ø Men and boys are critical change agents in GBV prevention efforts and are needed to be involved in the fight of elimination against Gender Based Violence.

Ø GBV can be emotional, physical, economic and sexual.

Ø The root cause of GBV is the patriarchal gender norms and inequitable power dynamics.

Ø GBV has 8 core concepts which are human rights,sex,coercion gender,abuse,consent, power and harm.

Ø GBV has an ecological framework that was promoted by Lori Heise in 1998, that recognizes the relationship between an individual and various factors in his/ her community for the acts of intervention for GBV prevention and response. These are individual level, relationships fostered, community level and society level.

Ø There is need to strengthen local initiatives and structures, rather than creating parallel initiatives, thus creating genuine partnerships that are transparent and hold good communication.

Ø Engage more in capacity building and training to develop local competency, including skills for leadership, advocacy, coordination and networking.

Ø Collaboration amongst all organizations is crucial for effective, awareness raising, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of programs and initiatives in the fight against elimination of GBV.

 

Conclusion:

Ø Achieve Gender Equality and empower all women and girls according to Sdg5.

Ø Eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls in private and public spaces including human trafficking and other types of exploitation.

Ø Coordination and multi-sectorial approaches are urgently needed.

 

Recommendations:

Ø Apply the ecological framework as an analytical tool and design of interventions at specific levels for transformative change in contexts affected by violence.

Ø Prevent GBV at each level

 

Panelist:

Rashid Abdul Imoro

Gender Based Violence abbreviations according to United Nations:

Ø VAW- Violence Against Women

Ø IPV – Intimate Partner Violence

Ø FGM- Female Genital Mutilation

Ø EFCM – Early and Forced Child Marriage

Ø TIP – Trafficking In Persons

 

Background:

Globally 1 in 3 women have experienced physical and or sexual violence by an intimate partner ( WHO,2020).

Gender Based Violence has been on the rise during the lockdowns, pre-COVID “Epidemic”.

Ø 30% of married/partnered women have experienced Intimate Partner Violence.

Ø 7% of women have experienced non-partner sexual violence.

Ø Yearly, 12 million girls are married before the age of 18 years.

Ø 31 million additional cases during average lockdown of 6 months.

Protective laws in Ghana:

Ø Child family welfare policy

Ø 1992 Constitution

Ø Children’s act 1998 (Act 560)

Ø Justice for children’s policy

Ø National gender policy

Ø Adolescent RH policy, 2020/revised 2014/15

Ø National Youth Policy 2010

 

year timeframe, female victims were 30 333 whilst males were 4 554.

Statistics and Causes:

Ø 4 697 In 2010 to 7 572 in 2014 and out of a total 34 887 cases recorded within a four The Causes of these statistics vary and largely due to economic devastation, transactional sex, unemployment (Star Ghana Foundation 2020).

Ø Some of the contributory factors include, patriarchal system of the Ghanaian society makes intimate partner violence cases not to be reported or their urgency seen and if reported, families tend to favor out of court settlements.

Ø Lack of understanding of the law regarding GBV by local and religious leaders.

Ø Inadequate resources and budget for cases dealing with GBV under Domestic Violence Victims Support Unit and Commission on Human Right and Administrative Justice.

Ø Political Interference.

 

Way Forward:

Ø Domestic Violence Helpline, 0551000900 activated by DOVVSU In partnership with UNFPA ,must be widely publicized.

Ø Governments call center should be equipped with dedicated lines for reporting SGBV and linked to the DOVVSU hotline.

Ø Safe spaces should be designated for women where they can report abuse without alerting perpetrators, for example, in supermarkets, pharmacies,etc.

Ø Local communities and leaders should be engaged and donors should allow programmatic flexibility with current funds and provide additional resources to respond to the issues of GBV.

(Source: UN in Ghana, socio economic & health impact of COVID-19 In Ghana)

Panelist:

Thina Maphosa

About YES Trust Zimbabwe

Ø Youth led CSO based in Plumtree, formed in 2009 and formerly registered in 2013. Our focus is on:

Ø Promoting youth increased access to information as provided by the country’s constitution.

Ø Driven by the axiom that information is power.

Ø Informed young women and men are bound to make informed decisions that assist them to effectively engage in life processes that determine their destiny.

Ø Advocacy through theatre, community dialogues, awareness campaigns, storytelling, youth awareness festivals, short awareness films just to mention a few.

 

 Programs:

Ø Spotlight Initiative Pillar 6 on Strengthening and Coordinating Social Movements to end violence against women and girls.

Ø Where: 11 wards in Bulilima and Mangwe District- Matabeleland South Province-Zimbabwe Introduced the Heforshe campaign as a strategy to mass mobilize men for the promotion of gender equality as well as change agents and role model for social movement to end GBV.

Ø Use of Social media (WhatsApp, FB, Twitter) to raise awareness esp. during lockdown.

Ø Multi-stakeholder Awareness- Support District stakeholders (GBV taskforce) to reach to the community during Covid 19/lock down

Ø Villagised awareness raising- meetings were done at village level to ensure adherence to Covid 19 protocols.

Ø Advocating for GBV services to be included as part of the essential services.

Ø Advocating for establishment of a one stop center (OSC) at district level through Min of Women.

 

Let`s talk:

Focusses on Youth engagement (non-confrontational) with their duty

bearers on SRHR, GBV and HIV through:

- Dialogues at village, ward and district level.

- Training of young women as Youth Accountability Boards (YABs)

- Evidence based programming (through social accountability

tools such as community score cards)

WHERE- Mangwe district’s 5 wards and Plumtree town.

 

Edutainment:

 Mainstreaming of edutainment in all activities.

This is strong methodology for stimulating dialogue and invoking past

GBV experiences among those that could have suffered GBV thus they

can be able to take a stand and make a report.

 

Experiences:

Ø As a result of mass awareness, it has been revealed by GBV service providers and community leaders that reporting of cases has increased esp. from these remote wards.

Ø Men are taking a stand in support of Gender equality through the HeforShe campaign.

Ø Increased collaboration and team work among stakeholders (village, ward and district levels) that was not there before.

Ø Being strategic as an organization i.e participation in most of advocacy platforms at district, provincial, national and international level through physical and virtual presence.

 

 Experiences in GBV programming:

Ø Implementing a GBV program in the most remote areas of the districts.

Ø Maximum and buy in from community leadership.

Ø Knowledge levels were low at the beginning of the program-(people could not differentiate a GBV case from other cases).

Ø Cases were concealed.

Ø Teenage pregnancy was used as a justification for child marriage.

Ø Increases in teenage pregnancy due to the 7 month period out of school and reluctance among other children to go back to school

 

What is the future like?

Ø Intensify the HeforShe campaign and utilization of indigenous/ context specific strategies (traditional leaders, faith leaders, traditional healers etc.).

Ø Establishment of men forums by men champions.

Ø Changes in the harmful norms and practices.

Ø Communities with a strong voice to advocate for change.

Ø Clear path on achievement of a GBV free generation.

Ø Assertive and empowered young women who know their SRHR.

 

Panelist:

Sophia Shima

Rape as a Weapon of War In the Case of Burundi since 2015:

Ø 1993 ethnic massacres between hutsi and tusti ,over 3000 people died.

Ø Arusha agreement was enacted and one President came in, but after few years president of that year decided to run for the third time and there were diverse people against the third rulership. Disappearances and mass graves were found during this time.

Ø December 11&12 rebel attacks against women were In full effect. Many men ,boys, women and girls were raped and sodomised by members of police.

Ø An injection was injected in the blood of victims and they loose consciousness and rape took place .

Ø 2018 many women started opening up and safe places were put in place for victims of rape during the political arena.

Ø Access to medical care is still a challenge and mental health services are still far off due to stigma faced in society.

Ø It is important to have a vast network of support groups for survivors of politically motivated violence (rape).

Ø Some women did not open up of their abuse and instead come indirectly, therefore the effective impact of help is limited.

Ø Culture is a limitation for many to open up.

Ø There are no set statistics of number of victims affected by politically motivated violence (rape) in Burundi.

Ø 48% of women have been exposed to violence in Belgium

 

 

Recommendations:

Ø There is need for psychological support across the cultures.

Ø Support the survivors use culture as a catalyst for positive change

Ø Medical support for the survivors of rape.

Ø Diaspora encouraged to support those back home in peace and security processes and financial support.

Ø Capacitation of diaspora Burundian community about GBV and how they can further support those back home.

Panelist:

Mr. Azubuike Michael Nwachukwu

Issues:

Ø GBV can affect anyone.

Ø Focus on Sdg5 Gender Equality.

Ø The pandemic increases Intimate Partner Violence.

Ø Increased economic hardships that has seen an increase in early child marriages.

Ø Many men do not share their abuse due to stigma in society.

Ø 30% of girls and women have experienced sexual abuse especially in Africa.

Ø Efforts to eliminate GBV have been limited ,due to the pandemic Covid 19.

Ø Language barrier at law enforcement places.

Ø Law enforcers are also perpetrators of GBV.

Ø Immigration barriers in GBV, policies that do not protect immigrants.

 

 

 

How to End GBV:

Ø Comfort the victim and earn trust and ensure them that God loves her or him and it is not their fault what happened to them.

Ø Diversity is encouraged amongst communities and families, leave no one behind, engage communities to bring awareness, reduce stigma , demystify social and gender norms caused by patriarchal systems. Encourage sdg 5

Ø Capacitate organizations to learn local dialects as they move into the communities to bring awareness of GBV.

Ø Transparency and Fairness in policies

Ø The call for elimination of Gender Based Violence amongst all spheres is strongly encouraged.

Ø Access to all health facilities and employment for immigrants and cutting of tax for immigrants.

Ø Capacity building for all.

Ø Emergency safe houses made available for victims.

 

Collective Way Forward/ Resolutions Reached:

Ø There is need for increase in media support to ensure constant visibility of elimination of GBV

Ø Civil Society strongly encouraged to work with their respective Governments to support the negotiations to draft the African Union Convention on Ending Violence against Women and Girls at The African Union Summit in February 2021.

Ø Advocate for a global treaty against all forms of Gender Based Violence Against women and girls.

Ø There is need for dedicated funding from the Government to assist in the elimination of Gender Based Violence

Ø Sensitize communities, integrate them and bring awareness of laws in place available to victims.

Ø Incorporate technology as a tool to bring awareness of laws protecting victims of GBV.

Ø Work with the youths and youth led organizations to further the elimination of Gender Based Violence.

Ø Make the fight of GBV inclusive, leaving no one behind.

Ø The need to address the role of parents in GBV,as charity begins at home.

Ø Advocate for Elders abuse/violence prevention to be included in the policies and awareness of it as well .

Ø Advocate for provision of free sanitary wear for girls in schools.

Ø Capacity building of traditional and religious leaders, as well as the diaspora community of GBV.

Ø Financial and technical support of organizations that have funding to those without funding.

Ø Ensure comprehensive SRHR information and GBV to adolescent girls and boys.

Ø Legal support needed for survivors.

Ø Request for CS4EGBV to serve as a networking center and data bank of GBV activists and organizations for further actions.

Ø Collaboration of holistic organizations with community based organizations.

Ø Defining of social and gender norms.

 

Ø Assist Youths to be capacitated on GBV education And incorporate them in all programs.

Ø Engage a meeting for youths and GBV to anchor them in the fight against GBV, involve youths as panelists together with other established leaders.

Ø There is need for in depth collection of data of GBV cases for there to be an efficient report of what is on the ground globally.

Ø Coordination of organizations that attended the symposium for the drafting of the communiqué.

Ø Economic empowerment very crucial and should be a leading force in the elimination of Gender Based Violence.

Ø Appeal to the court of laws to provide lie detector test machines to verify reported cases, so as to avoid punishing an innocent person and letting loose a guilty person. Through these will cases be judged fairly without favor nor bribery.

 

Challenges Faced:

Ø Culture, Religion and Law limitations, tend to make the elimination of Gender Based Violence more resistant to be implemented.

Ø Pandemic limits the reach of information and knowledge to marginalized areas that have no access to technology or electricity.

Ø Laws tend to favor women and girls, therefore few men and boys report cases of Gender Based Violence, thus suffering in silence.

Ø Resources unavailable to some organizations and youth led initiatives to bring awareness on GBV issues.

Ø Lack of economic empowerment ,makes many GBV cases go unreported due to the need of receiving basic needs from the perpetrator.

Ø Perpetrators let loose due to position in society.

Ø Some allegations of reported GBV cases tend to be false, lack of lie detector test machines, to verify all stories of perpetrator and victim.

Ø Lack of trust between the people and governments.

Ø Lack of safe houses for victims of Gender Based Violence.

Ø Some cases go unreported due to the perpetrator being the bread winner.

Ø Lack of social support from community and religious entities for victims.

Ø Lack of affordable or free mental health programs and counseling for victims ,perpetrators or families.

Ø Limited resources of information concerning GBV in different languages ,especially Braille and Sign language.

Ø Lack of respect of rule of law.

Ø Cases of False accusations of rape or violence

 

Recommendations by Reporter/Rapporteur:

There is a great need for the immense collaboration amongst all sectors for there to be an effective and sustainable change in the fight of elimination against Gender Based Violence. Character is learnt in the home, how children watch their guardians handle conflict and pressure is how they will tend to manage their own personal conflict in the long run. Children who grow up watching violence ,end up turning into bullies and as adults end up being perpetrators of violence. There is also need to shun entertainment that promotes violence as a way to deal with life, such as shooting video games, violence oriented movies and films. There is also need for there to be a sensitization of the music that is allowed to be played at local, national, continental and global levels. The more a person is surrounded by violence is the more subconsciously it sinks into their being and therefore creating a cycle of a violent natured being.

Furthermore, to create a society that is decent and free from any form of Gender Based Violence, there is need to sensitize the content allowed in cartoons, music, films, games and so forth , as these create a sexualized society that knows no boundaries when it comes to ,No means No and through this our societies have continued to decay morally. To end Gender Based Violence by 2030 ,there is need for clean entertainment, there is need for anger management activities, there is need for emotional intelligence sessions, there is need for the media industry, entertainment industry, to create content that is both inspirational and character building.

There is also need for the family sphere to undergo counseling for unresolved issues, that end up affecting children, there is need for mental health to be considered a basic need in society. To demystify the stigma surrounding mental health, because everyone has a level of mental health issue, and unfortunately some are not able to handle ,therefore end up committing passion crimes and other atrocities. There is need for the religion sector to instill peace, tolerance, love and forgiveness as a way of life, this will in turn help eliminate crimes committed in the name of religion. There is need for the financial sector to empower as many people as it can, for there to be freedom from poverty ,which tends to be a number one cause of fighting in the home, sharing of surplus resources with each other ,will surely go a long way in the elimination of Gender Based Violence Globally.

In addition, there is need for the Government to enact laws that protect both genders from acts of crime. There is need for enacting of lie sector tests that are affordable, for there to be a fair and free trial in the courts of law. As to avoid letting innocent people go to prison for crimes they did not commit and letting loose those who are guilty scot free. As there has been an increase trend of women who have been reporting false rape allegations and as well as men who have reported false cases, due to the laws that favor women, the protection of abused men and boys is almost unnoticed. There is need to be a balance in society as anyone came be a potential victim and a potential perpetrator. Therefore the laws need to be inclusive for all.

When all is said and done ,there is need for the world wide spread of information that is inclusive, this comes in all languages including braille and sign language. An informed society is a liberated sphere. Education comes in all forms and this requires all sectors and spheres to bring about information at all levels. Elimination of Gender Based Violence is like a wheel, it takes different parts of a wheel to move forward, therefore it takes all of us and each of us to play a role in the eradication of this prevailing situation in our global village. Collective efforts from all spheres that instill good morals,values,beliefs,emotional health and well being will certainly eradicate Gender Based Violence by 2030.