NIGERIA: DOMESTICATION OF THE MAPUTO PROTOCOL

 On the 26th of June 2025, a 'Stakeholders' meeting on domesticating the Maputo Protocol in Nigeria' was convened by 'BAOBAB for Women's Human Rights'. The theme of the parley was 'Paving the way for women's rights & political power in Nigeria'. The Executive Director, BAOBAB, Yeye Olubunmi Dipo-Salami facilitated the engaging meeting held at Novare Mall Hall 2, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja 

L-R: Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa (Representative, Women Affairs Secretariat - WAS Abuja) & Yeye Bunmi Dipo-Salami (ED BAOBAB)

Some of the objectives of the meeting are:

* To move the needle on the domestication of the Maputo Protocol (MP)

* To assess effort and progress towards the domestication of the MP in Nigeria

* To engage strategic actors, raise awareness and foster dialogue on the relevance and urgency of domesticating the MP

* To present female politicians who recently completed a twelve week mentorship programme

* Identify practical strategies and entry points for transformative advocacy to speed up the demestication process

The meeting began with an overview of the agenda, workshop objectives and participants' expectations. My expectation:

* Participants emerge from the meeting with a firm resolve to stop working in silos

* Gain more insight about what the Women Affairs Secretariat (WAS) could do in addition to her current effort to accelerate the process of domesticating the MP

* More strategies to create awareness about the MP

Four government Agencies were represented:

* Office of the Senator representing the FCT in the Upper House - Sen. Ireti Kingibe (Represented by Mrs. Mweuese Anande) 

* Women Affairs Secretariat (WAS) Mandate Secretary, Dr. Adedayo Benjamins-Laniyi (Represented by Dr. Dayo Kusa)

* National Institute for Legislative & Democratic Studies (NILDS) DG Prof. Abubakar Suleiman (Represented online by Dr. Emily Ihide)

* The National Assembly (NASS) represented

I noted that the DG of NILDS, Prof. Abubakar Suleiman is a gender sensitive CEO and male champion for women's rights who I have encountered on many occasions. The inroad for the MP into the NASS could be the 'Special Seats Bill' now before members and the Gender Technical Unit (GTU). WAS has been working in many areas in consonance with the provisions of the MP, without specifically linking same to it.

I informed participants that some of the areas where WAS could buy into the advocacy are:

* Working with the wives of traditional leaders in the six Area Councils of the FCT. The forum is coordinated by the wife of the Ona of Abaji. WAS also penetrates the grassroots through the Women Development Officers (WDOs) in the six Area Councils for women's empowerment, etc.

* The Accelerators' Programme for the training of 40+ young ladies in life skills in order to accelerate the process towards gender equity and eventual equality. This is in collaboration with UN Women, Abuja

* The yearly celebration of 16 Days' Activism Against Gender Based Violence (GBV)

* WAS has been identified by the World Bank as the hub/platform for the actualisation and implemantation of the contents of the Disability Act in the FCT. Furthermore, it's worthy of note that the Disability Unit is situated in the Mandate Secretary's Office. A three-day program on the Disability Act, sponsored by the World Bank was held last month.

* WAS shall soon publish her own simplified version of the VAPP Act and Child Rights Act.

The government agencies, and indeed NGOs were admonished to indentify specific aspects of their work that could significantly contribute to the domestication of the MP effectively in practice. A major outcome of the meeting was the resolve to revitalise the existing coalition for the MP in Nigeria - CODMAP. WAS and other agencies were admitted into the ad hoc Steering Committee for the effective domestication of the MP. The representative of WRAPA (Women's Rights Advancement & Protection Alternative) informed us that a simplified version of the MP has been published by their organisation.

Then the selected female politicians from the six Area Councils of the FCT who had been trained for 12 weeks under the auspices of BAOBAB were unveiled. One of their mentors/trainers, Hon. Bunmi Adelugba, first female Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly was present at the meeting. She recounted her experiences during the mentorship programme. The mentees also put on record their challenges, gains and hope for the future.

L-R: Hon. Bunmi Adelugba (First female Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly & one of the mentors for the young female politicians in the FCT during the twelve week programme) & Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa

On the whole, the parley achieved its aims. A steering committee was set up to accelerate the process. There is buy-in from both government agencies and CSOs. There's commitment to re-vitalise the existing coalition for the effective domestication of the MP. Let's keep the momentum towards making the MP a household concept via ensuring the MP is effectively understood and disseminated in the FCT and indeed Nigeria...

   

NIGERIA: A PEER REVIEW COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE FOR SGBV

 A Peer Review Community Sexual & Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Data Integrity Pledge Commitment (a.k.a. The Rockview Accord) was signed by stakeholders in Abuja on the 11th of February 2025. It was convened by Hadis Foundation in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and International Institute for Democracy & Electoral Assistance (IDEA). The Preamble of the Pledge was:

'We, the undersigned members of the High Level Multi-Agency Team (HI-MAT) and the Service Provider Accountability Resource Committee (SPARC), across states hereby pledge our unwavering commitment to the establishment and implementation of a robust Peer-Review Community of Practice (PRCP). This pledge is rooted in our shared vision to enhance data accountability, improve the prevention of SGBV and ensure justice for survivors and families affected by SGBV across Nigeria...'

The collectice Vision, exact meaning of  a PRCP, raison d'etre for a PRCP, rules guiding the PRCP, reward for commitment and what members were committing to were clearly spelt out. Some of the state HI-MAT and SPARC present were: Adamawa, Edo, Ekiti and Kwara

L-R: Barr. Shirley Atame (she emerged Chairperson, of the Peer-Review Community of Practice for SGBV Data Integrity. Shirley is the representative of Ekiti state govt) & Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa

The Leadership of the Community of Practice is as follows:

*Chairperson: Ekiti state - Barr. Shirley Atame

*Secretary: FCT - Sunday Agbabiaka

*Member: Adamawa state - Amos Yusuf Sunday

*Member: Anambra state - Yohana Rachael

*Member: Edo state - Esohe Uwuigbe

*Member: Kano state - Barr. Fatima Ahmad

*Member: Kwara state - Funke Banjo

In her opening remarks, Founder Hadis Foundation, Dr. Amina Salihu aptly described herself as an 'Activator Feminist' who is a catalyst for noble causes like the SGBV Community of Practice. At the panel discussion, various states highlighted their challenges with more advanced states in the SGBV Data Integrity journey sharing their experiences as to how they navigated difficult terrains. There were issues about Situation Rooms, Relationship between HI-MAT and SPARC, the fact that donors do not support the release of data generated through funding by them, irregularity of meetings between HI-MAT and SPARC in states, etc.

What then was the adopted action plan?

* Participating states should form a WhatsApp or Telegram group

* A reward sysytem for best-performing states should be instituted

* There should be sanctions for non-performing states

* There should be quarterly meetings between HI-MAT and SPARC in states. At the national level, there should be yearly convening. 

* Awareness should be created about the need for inter-agency collaboration on data

* Google forms should be made available to fill in in-coming reports

The idea of the PRCP is indeed commendable. The current high tempo should be maintained in order to ensure the integrity of data in the SGBV millieu. I congratulate all the elected officers and wish them a successful tenure in the service of the nation...  

NIGERIA: FIRST HANDBOOK ON ETHICAL AI

 Between February 13th to 16th 2025, I was a major stakeholder at the 'Build Tech Camp' (BTC) held at Ibeto Hotel, Abuja. The Camp was organized by Hadis Foundation in collaboration with Luminate Foundation. The aim of the BTC was the Training of Trainers (ToT) who would eventually step down the knowledge acquired in their constituencies. The project is under the 'Building Agency through Ethical Tech Application across Universities' (Build Tech) Project funded by Luminate Foundation.

Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa, experiencing Virtual Reality first hand, @ 67 years young, courtesy of 'Human Angle' 3D Tech. I was 'transported' via virtual reality to Maiduguri from Ibeto Hotel, Abuja. I 'witnessed' a day in the life of a family in the insurgency infested region! The experience felt so real...

Some of the Trainers were:

*Dr. Amina Salihu - Founder, Hadis Foundation

*Adeyemi Okediran

*Nurudeen Yakubu

*Chioma Aguiegbo

*Femi Olarinoye

*Human Angle Team -Virtual Reality Tech Firm

The ToT approach enables participants gain tools and extend their learning by training others while providing creative solutions. This would have a ripple effect on critical tech practices. The delegates were from two states in Nigeria: Kaduna and Kwara. 

The BTC sought to:

* Promote generational awareness and skill-enabling in tech for the public good.

*Equip youth leaders across diverse backgrounds with the competence to 

- navigate the online space ethically

- advocate an online safety culture

- raise awareness and generate public interest in tech use across sectors

* Test and refine the first-of-its-kind handbook on ethical tech in Nigeria

*Develop a network of ToT participants/leadres to diseminate technology at the grassroots.

*Gather feedback to enhance step-down training 

*Foster commitment to creating tech-based solutions for vulnerable and under-served communities

The major achievement of the BTC was that the first-of-its-kind 160 page Handbook on Ethical Use of Tech In Nigeria was throughly dissected and refined by the delegates in a 'democratic' setting. The process was inclusive and all comments, viewspoints, residual knowledge, etc were aired and debated. I look forward to the final version of the Handbook...

                                     Dr. Dayo Oluyemi-Kusa: 2nd day @ the Build Tech Camp