A non profit organization, Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, has raised a campaign against sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV),in Nigeria, seeking support from religious and community leaders.
Sexual and Gender-based Violence which is currently posing a great threat to the society, is any form of discrimination against persons or a violation of human rights based on gender.
The foundation in its bid to eradicate this menace and as well expose its perpetrators to constituted authority, has trained over 219 religious and youth leaders in different cohorts in Abuja,to equip them with the relevant knowledge and skills needed to tackle and eliminate SGBV in Nigeria.
At the opening Mass of the Cohort 8 group, the Rev Fr George Ehusani, Executive Director, Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, said the issue of SGBV is becoming prevalent, hence the need to nip in the bud any form of discrimination or violence against persons based on gender.
Fr. George, however, called for the active participation of the participants, as they will stand as advocates of the foundation in their various states in the awareness and prevention of sexual and gender based violence.
In her welcome speech, Prof Taiwo Abioye, welcomed the cohort 8 participants and outlined some of the dangers of SGBV and the need to collaborate with relevant stakeholders in confronting the menace head long.
She reeled out the deliverables expected of the participants and sought their support so as to achieve or rid the society of violence or any form of infringement of one’s human rights.
Recall that the Lux Terra Leadership Foundation (LTLF), was established in 2009, as an indigenous Nigerian nonprofit organization committed to the positive transformation of Nigerian society through research, documentation, training, and advocacy.
Under its previous award, LTLF successfully trained 300 religious leaders on strategies for promoting integrity within their various faiths. It also trained 600 student leaders from Islami and Christian schools on faith and accountability, as well as 270 National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members who were later appointed as Accountability Ambassadors. Under this award, Lux Terra is strengthening and deepening its work to influence behaviors that promote integrity and accountability.
The foundation participates in behavior change training and identifies specific behaviors and complementary interventions. With this knowledge and technical assistance, it designs and tests tailored interventions, targeting faith-based communities that would inform full implementation at a later date. Award activities include celebrating persons of high integrity, educating and promoting accountability and transparency in religious communities, and establishing the nexus between faith and accountability.
Lux Terra is mindful of gender, ethnic, religious, generational, and disability diversities in the implementation of the work. This project is being implemented in collaboration with other Foundation grantees.
In achieving these goals,the Cohort 8 participants were trained on different topics bothering on religious perspective, cultural, legal,psychological and as well, the best approach in communicating the issue of discuss. In understanding and dealing decisively with the menace of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), in Nigeria, it is important to be holistic.
