Nigerian sociocultural leaders have collaborated with the Ford Foundation to drive grassroots efforts against gender-based violence in West Africa by transforming harmful traditional and religious practices that perpetuate abuse and inequality.
The leaders emphasised cultural change at a recent hybrid forum titled “Traditional, Religious, and Community Leaders Driving Meaningful Change”, held at the Ford Foundation Centre for Social Justice in New York.
The event was part of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women and commemorated the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.
Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe; Executive Director of Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, Reverend Father George Ehusani; and an Imam and member of the Development Research and Projects Centre’s advisory board, Dr. Awwal Nasir, represented Nigeria on the panel.
The Ford Foundation, in a statement, described the session as a crucial step in addressing what it called the “culture of silence” that allows GBV to fester across many African communities.
“We recognise the influence that traditional, religious, and community leaders have in shaping societal norms,” said the Vice President of US Programs at the Foundation, Sarita Gupta. “By joining forces with local leaders… we can create lasting change that prevents violence and promotes gender equality.”
Igwe Achebe stressed the need to address socio-economic factors such as poverty, unemployment, and substance abuse, which he said were fuelling violence in communities.
“To combat gender-based violence, we must address the socio-economic root causes,” the monarch noted, citing economic empowerment initiatives, the promotion of female leadership, and conflict mediation as effective tools in reducing violence.
Reverend Father Ehusani called on religious leaders to confront harmful scriptural interpretations.
“Religious leaders must challenge harmful interpretations of scripture and lead the way in promoting gender justice,” Ehusani declared.
He revealed that the Lux Terra Leadership Foundation, in partnership with the Ford Foundation, has trained over 500 Christian leaders and established ‘Centres of Excellence’ in churches to support women’s rights and advocate zero tolerance for GBV.
Similarly, Nasir highlighted the role of faith-based engagement, particularly in Northern Nigeria, stating that “Shifting societal norms begins with empowering local leaders to speak out against violence and engage communities in meaningful dialogue.”
According to the Imam, the Muslim Opinion Leaders project, backed by the Ford Foundation, has used sermons and community meetings to reshape attitudes towards GBV while upholding Islamic values.
Another contributor, the founder of BraveHeart Initiative, Priscilla Usiobaifo, added that grassroots efforts are critical to dismantling entrenched cultural practices like female genital mutilation and widowhood rites.
“Grassroots advocacy is the key to changing deeply rooted cultural practices and ensuring women’s rights are upheld,” she said.
Participants at the session called for stronger cultural and political institutions to safeguard women’s rights and ensure their inclusion in policymaking and lawmaking processes.
Key action points included promoting legal frameworks, reinterpreting religious teachings, and creating inclusive systems that protect women and girls.
The Ford Foundation’s Office for West Africa, through its Gender, Racial, and Ethnic Justice Strategy, reiterated its commitment to working with traditional and religious leaders to foster positive change.
“We aim to promote positive cultural and traditional practices while transforming harmful ones,” the foundation said in a statement.
The Foundation acknowledged that traditional and religious leaders, as custodians of culture, can drive the societal shift necessary to end gender-based violence and build a more just and equitable society for women and girls.
