THE FUND FOR PEACE NSRP Impacts of Violence on Women and Girls in Kaduna
Examining Patterns and Trends in Violence Affecting Women and Girls
Patricia Taft, Hannah Blyth, and Christina Murphy
Located in north-central Nigeria, Women and girls in Kaduna are often the targets Kaduna state has a diverse population, and is no stranger to periodic outbreaks of – either directly or caught in the crossfire – conflict and violence. Inter-communal of inter-communal violence. They also bear the brunt conflict, including sectarian group-based polarization, has fuelled tensions and “ of economic pressures through displacement, ” violence in Local Government Area (LGAs) livelihood and property destruction, or the loss of such as Zaria in recent years. Clashes between herders and farmers in central and household breadwinners as a result of the violence. southern parts of the state have also led to scores of fatalities in the past six months. Background to Kaduna Insecurity NSRP Target States, Nigeria Women and girls are often the targets — either directly or caught in the crossfire — Kaduna is one of the country’s most of this inter-communal conflict. They also populous and diverse states. The city of bear the brunt of economic pressures Yobe Kaduna, the state capital, has historically Kano Borno through displacement, livelihood and been a manufacturing centre for the region, property destruction, or loss of household drawing people from across the country and Kaduna breadwinners as a result of the violence. contributing to the state’s ethnic, cultural Plateau and religious diversity. Unlike neighbouring In their daily lives women and girls also states in the north, the population of encounter frequent interpersonal abuse Kaduna is more evenly split between the and sexual violence, which is prevalent in predominantly Muslim groups from the family, community and school settings – but north and Christian groups hailing from Delta remains underreported. southern regions. However, while the Bayelsa Rivers demographics of Kaduna are diverse, the This brief will explore the key themes in state and its inhabitants remain relatively Violence Affecting Women and Girls (VAWG) segregated, contributing at times to inter- Data used in this Brief is based on reported in Kaduna state, drawing from quantitative communal tensions. Kaduna City itself is incidents on the VAWG Observatory data from the Nigeria Stability and split, with Kaduna North LGA — including Platform, using the Partners for Peace (P4P) Reconciliation Programme (NSRP) Observa- the city’s commercial centre — primarily Map. The map integrates and formats tory platform, as well as information inhabited by Muslims and Kaduna South conflict data from different sources gathered during a July 2016 workshop LGA mainly inhabited by Christians. including NSRP, Nigeria Watch and ACLED. convened by NSRP, Education as a Vaccine The map is supported by Partnership (EVA) and the Kaduna Observatory Steering While inter-communal tensions in Kaduna Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) Committee (OBSTEC). can historically be traced back to issues of www.pindfoundation.org political control and resource distribution, VIOLENCE AFFECTING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN KADUNA STATE
over the past few decades religion has Overall Levels of Violence in Kaduna State become a critical fault line. These tensions came to a head in 2000 when Kaduna state, Figure 1: Reported Incidents 2012-2016 along with other northern states, moved to 18 350 introduce Shari’a law into the criminal code. Fatalities Fighting between Christians and Muslims in 16 Incidents 300 the months following the decision led to the 14 deaths of as many as 5,000 people 250 12 according to Human Rights Watch (HRW.)1 200 Two years later, an article published in This 10 Day, a Lagos-based newspaper, that was 8 150 perceived to be blasphemous to Muslims, 6 led to religious- and ethnic-based violence 100 and reprisal attacks. There are also 4 50 sectarian tensions between Sunni and Shiite 2 Muslim communities in Kaduna state, with 0 0 reported incidents of violence as recently as
late 2016.
Jul Jul 2016 Jul Jul 2012 Jul 2013 Jul 2014 Jul 2015
Jan2014 Jan2012 Jan2013 Jan2015 Jan2016
Oct2012 Oct2013 Oct2014 Oct2015 Oct2016
Apr2015 Apr2013 Apr2014 Apr2016 Apr2012 Over the past few years, Kaduna state has Graph shows the number of reported incidents of violence and conflict-related fatalities, in Kaduna state between January 2012 and also been affected by the insurgency in Dec ember 2016. Source: ACLED and Nigeria Watch data. Formatted for the for the VAWG Observatory Map: http://www.tgpcloud.org/ p4p/index.php?m=nsrp northeast Nigeria and activity by other non- state actors. Several suicide bombings, Collective Violence in Kaduna State claimed by Jamā'at Ahl as-Sunnah lid- Da'wah wa'l-Jihād, or JS, have taken place in Figure 2: Collective Violence Fatalities Q1 2014-Q4 2016 the state. The Nigerian army also clashed 350 with the Islamic Movement for Nigeria (IMN) 300 in Zaria in December 2015 (see fatalities spike in Figure 1), with reports of at least 250 250 people killed during the violence. There 200 remain conflicting reports between the two groups over how the fighting broke out, 150 however the clashes represented the most violent month in Kaduna in the last five 100 years according to Nigeria Watch data. 50 Among the dead, it was reported that the
Shiite leader Ibrahim Elzakzaky was killed, 0 along with his wife, son and other family Q1 2014 Q2 2014 Q3 2014 Q4 2014 Q1 2015 Q2 2015 Q3 2015 Q4 2015 Q1 2016 Q2 2016 Q3 2016 Q4 2016 members. Concerns have been raised about Bar chart shows the number of reported fatalities from collective violence in Kaduna state between Q1 2014 and Q4 2016. Violence the potential for future radicalization of the spiked between a Shiite group and the Nigerian military in Zaria in Q4 2016 , and rose again in Q3 and Q4 2016 as a result of inter- aggrieved parties, as outlined in a Decem- communal violence in Southern and Central Kaduna. Source: ACLED and Nigeria Watch data. Formatted for the for the VAWG Observatory Map: http://www.tgpcloud.org/p4p/index.php?m=nsrp ber 2015 report by the International Crisis Group (ICG).2 have resulted in the destruction of property other key natural resources, the diversity of Similar to the conflict dynamics in other and livelihoods and the deaths of thousands the region means that land-based conflicts states in northern Nigeria and the Middle of people, including women and children, as often become conflated with grievances Belt region, Kaduna has also seen recurrent documented by NSRP Observatory Platform related to ethnicity, religion and political inter-communal conflict between herder incident data. While the violence stems from power. and farmer communities. These clashes struggles over access to land, water and
1. URL located at: https://www.hrw.org/report/2003/07/22/miss-world-riots/continued-impunity-killings-kaduna 2. URL located at: http://blog.crisisgroup.org/africa/nigeria/2015/12/16/new-risks-on-nigerias-shiite-fault-line/
NSRP MWAN 2 THE FUND FOR PEACE VIOLENCE AFFECTING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN KADUNA STATE
Hotspots of Collective Violence between herders/farmers often takes on a Overall trends in VAWG in Kaduna: Figure 3: Collective Violence Incidents 2016 politicized ethno-sectarian dimension. January 2014 – December 2016 However, the underlying conflict drivers —
particularly as they relate to the most recent Domestic abuse, rape and sexual assault wave of inter-communal violence in accounted for 72% of reported incidents of Southern Kaduna – include land competi- VAWG from NSRP Observatory Platform tion and political rivalries. As a 2016 bulletin sources between January 2014 and from the Interfaith Mediation Centre in December 2016. These incidents included Kaduna suggested, the lack of clear polices both sexual and domestic abuse by male or demarcations between farmlands and family members – fathers, husbands and grazing zones within the LGAs is causing uncles – as well as by male friends and ongoing pockets of violence, and builds members of the community such as perceived grievances on both sides.3 shopkeepers, neighbours and teachers.
However, the majority of the reported lethal The pervasive impacts of collective violence violence involving women and girls in the on women and children in Nigeria have state were related to inter-communal been highlighted in previous NSRP briefs on violence. Heatmap shows the concentration of reported incidents of collec- Rivers and Plateau states,4 and incident data tive violence during the period Jan.—Dec. 2016. The largest from the NSRP Observatory Platform shows concentration of incidents was in Southern Kaduna where inter- The following sections look at the predomi- communal conflict between herders and farmers was prevalent. a similar theme in Kaduna state. Women All data sources were used —including NSRP, ACLED and Nigeria nant trends that have arisen in the data and girls in Kaduna are often the targets — Watch— formatted for the VAWG Observatory Map: http:// from the Kaduna Observatory, as well key www.tgpcloud.org/p4p/index.php?m=nsrp either directly or caught in the crossfire — observations that were contributed by of inter-communal violence. They also bear Observatory Steering Committee (OBSTEC) Violence in Kaduna has spiked in the last the brunt of economic pressures through members during a July 2016 refresher two quarters of 2016, predominately due to displacement, livelihood and property training workshop convened by NSRP in inter-communal conflict. At least 226 destruction, or the loss of household Kaduna. fatalities were reported between July and breadwinners as a result of the violence. In
December 2016 — compared to 36 in the a reported attack by an armed group on a first half of the year — based on ACLED and community in Jema-a on 24th December
Nigeria Watch data (See Figure 2). The 2016, at least five women were killed. In a violence has chiefly been concentrated in similar attack, also in Jema-a on the 8th southern and central Kaduna state, where September 2016, it was reported that a 6- herder/farmer clashes have resulted in year old girl was killed during the gunfire. scores of casualties in the LGAs of Jema-a,
Kauru, Sanga and Chikun (See Figure 3). In The prevalence of interpersonal violence late December 2016, a 24-hour curfew was and abuse — including domestic violence imposed by the government in several and rape — also remains a significant issue southern LGAs in an attempt to stem the within the state. The misuse of power by violence, though several incident reports community leaders, family members and have suggested pockets of violence other people in positions of authority, to continue. sexually assault women, girls and boys is a
prevalent theme in incidents reported in
Given the diversity of religious and ethnic Kaduna from the NSRP Observatory makeup of the state, reports of violence Platform.
3. URL located at: https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5404f2c1e4b01b550b3ebfba/t/58402dd859cc68cd8a1cf85c/1480601055256/bulletin+edited+pdf.pdf 4. URLs located at: http://library.fundforpeace.org/303011610-abuseoftrust ; and http://library.fundforpeace.org/303011612-plateau
NSRP MWAN 3 THE FUND FOR PEACE VIOLENCE AFFECTING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN KADUNA STATE
Impact of Insecurity and Intercommunal Violence on Women and Girls
2016, in which an estimated 20 people were ity to sexual and economic predation. In Women and girls in Kaduna continue to be killed in Jema’a after herdsmen reportedly reports received by the Kaduna Observato- affected by wider conflict trends in the state, attacked a farming settlement called ry, the displacement of women and children including activity by armed non-state actors Godogodo, according to NSRP Observatory following intercommunal clashes between and intercommunal violence between sources and the Vanguard newspaper. While herdsmen and farmers is more often cited, herders and farmer communities. While there are occasional reports that women either at the time of the attack or in later these two categories (crime and insecurity, and girls are raped or sexually assaulted in reports. In later reports, frequently these and intercommunal violence) comprised intercommunal attacks perpetrated by each issues are intertwined with wider societal less than 10% of all reported cases from side, the exact numbers are rarely given or issues around women and girls being NRRP Observatory Platform sources from details provided which might allow for more evicted from lands by relatives after 2014-2016, they were responsible for nearly follow-up or a better understanding of the husbands or brothers are killed or have lost 95% of reported lethal incidents from actual impact that these attacks are having their farms in attacks. It can often be tricky Nigeria Watch data involving women and on women and girls in the short term. to create a direct causal relationship girls (see Figure 4). between the intercommunal violence and In the longer term, however, the impacts of the impacts on women and girls as research The immediate impacts of inter-communal intercommunal violence can be easier to on this issue, in particular, has not been violence on women and children, including gauge. Insecurity can affect women and girls extensively published. the most recent spate in late 2016 of in many ways, including through displace- herdsmen-farmer attacks, can be devastat- ment, loss of livelihood (their own or that of Nevertheless, the existence of the Kaduna ing; but is often lost in the reporting either a male family member), or direct violence. Observatory and the ability of the OBSTEC by not being reported at all or being Economic and social disenfranchisement to follow-up after attacks which are known consistently underreported. One such experienced by women and girls affected by to have directly impacted women and girls incident occurred between 15-16th October conflict can in turn increase their vulnerabil- may play a critical role in addressing this
Overall VAWG Reported Incidents VAWG Incidents Involving Fatalities Figure 4: Incidents reported in Kaduna 2014-2016 Figure 5: Incidents reported in Kaduna 2014-2016
Other incidents Domestic violence 1% and sexual assault Other incidents 5% 20%
Crime and Crime and insecurity insecurity 6% Domestic violence 35% and sexual assault Inter-communal Inter- 72% conflict communal 59% conflict 2%
Figure 4 shows the types of violence reported in Kaduna involving women and girls, during Jan. 2014 to Dec. 2016, with majority of the incidents relating to sexual assault and domestic violence. All data sources were used —including NSRP, ACLED and Nigeria Watch— formatted for the VAWG Observatory Map: http://www.tgpcloud.org/p4p/index.php?m=nsrp Figure 5 shows that of those VAWG reported cases involving fatalities, over half the incidents were due to inter-communal violence in Kaduna during Jan. 2014 to Dec. 2016. This highlights the significant impacts broader insecurity within the state can have on women and children. Data source: Nigeria Watch—formatted for the VAWG Observatory Map: http://www.tgpcloud.org/p4p/index.php?m=nsrp P4P Peace Map www.p4p-nigerdelta.org.
N S R P E V A 4 THE FUND FOR PEACE VIOLENCE AFFECTING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN KADUNA STATE
The Misuse of Power and the Role of Shame
Insecurity & Inter-Communal One of the other overarching themes from Underage VAWG Incidents VAWG data in Kaduna is the prevalence of Violence: VAWG Key Incidents Figure 6: Incidents reported in Kaduna interpersonal violence, including sexual 2014-2016 involving underage survivor assault and domestic abuse, perpetrated by February 2014 – An Islamic scholar people known and trusted by the survivors.
and his wife and children are killed by Other gunmen while traveling in Zaria The misuse of power and authority, whether 14% June 2014 – Twenty people, including by male family members or by other trusted Domestic women and girls, are killed in clashes members of the community such as religious leaders, educators and security Violence between herdsmen and farming com- 14% forces, is a recurrent theme in VAWG Sexual assault munities 72% reporting from Kaduna during the period of August 2014 – At least one woman early 2014 to late 2016. This is particularly killed in an attack on a community in prevalent in cases involving underage girls, Sanga LGA which made up 54% of reported NSRP September 2014 – Gunmen attack Observatory platform incidents in Kaduna three communities in Sanga LGA, kill- state. Of these cases, 72% of reported Pie chart shows the breakdown of VAWG incidents involving ing at least four women incidents were related to rape and sexual survivors under the age of 18 years old, reported in Kaduna during Jan. 2014 to Dec. 2016. The majority of incidents related July 2015 – A female suicide bomber assault, often by fathers or other male to sexual violence. All data sources were used —including attacks a school in Zaria, killing 37 family members (See Figure 6). NSRP, ACLED and Nigeria Watch— formatted for the VAWG Observatory Map: http://www.tgpcloud.org/p4p/index.php? people and injuring 32 m=nsrp Societal stigma and the personal nature of September 2016 – A six-year old girl these incidents often contribute to a sense died from gunshot wounds sustained of shame among survivors, which leads to Reducing shame is important both in during an attack by gunmen in Jema’a lower reporting rates and a reinforcement prevention and response to violence against LGA of the culture of silence around VAWG.5 The women and girls, and programs have taken sense of shame initially experienced by the several approaches to this issue. Some lack of attention and knowledge. The survivor of sexual assault is then passed on groups, including the WHO, have advocated incidents detailed above are just a few of to the immediate family or community, for comprehensive education programs that the 217 reported incidents of VAWG in reinforcing the instinct to hide the event. encourage non-violence, teach healthy Kaduna state from NSRP Observatory Particularly in areas where cultural or sexual behaviours and address societal and platform sources since January 2014. The religious teachings place high value on cultural norms that perpetuate VAWG.7 highest number of reports came from Local brides who come to the marriage “pure” or Government Areas (LGAs) Chikun, Kaduna- “untainted” by any prior sexual contact, a Another trend in reporting from Kaduna North, Kaduna-South and Igabi. survivor of sexual assault is often compelled that further highlights the misuse of power by her family to sweep the incident under by authority figures is the prevalence of the carpet. This silence, according to a using schools and institutions of higher World Health Organization (WHO) report learning as staging grounds for sexual published in 2002, avoids bringing the assault. Schools are intended as a safe stigma of shame through perceived space for children to learn and have indecency on the family or community.6 This supervision during the day. However, one of becomes even more pervasive when the the key trends in reported sexual harass- perpetrator of the assault is a family ment and assault of girls from NSRP Kaduna member themselves, which, as noted above, Observatory data was the abuse taking was the case in nearly 72% of the reported place at or around schools and universities. incidents involving underage girls and boys These cases occasionally involved teachers in Kaduna. but also frequently involved perpetrators
5. URL located at: http://www.womennc.org/wp/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/2015-WomenNC-ResearchPaper-Effects-ofSexEduc-on-PreventSexAssault_Dana-Raphael0415.pdf 6. URL located at: http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/42495/1/9241545615_eng.pdf 7. URL located at: http://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/violence/activities/intimate/en/
N S R P E V A 5 THE FUND FOR PEACE VIOLENCE AFFECTING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN KADUNA STATE
Misuse of Power: providing sexual services in exchange for Approaches to Making Schools VAWG Key Incidents good scores, or even in exchange for books, paper, or school fees. Safer Spaces
July 2014 – A young girl was raped by In a July 2016 training convened by NSRP, The USAID-funded Safe Schools a school proprietor Education as a Vaccine (EVA) and the Program in Ghana and Malawi is a useful example of how to tackle the September 2015 – A man routinely Kaduna Observatory Steering Committee issue of violence and abuse in schools. raped and later impregnated his 17- (OBSTEC), OBSTEC members noted that in Program activities included implement- year old daughter many of the reported cases of sexual abuse at schools, the survivors spoke of feeling ing "walk a child home" programs to February 2016 – A young girl died compelled to comply out of fear that they escort children to and from school, after her mother cut her genitals with would otherwise be expelled or would fail to developing training programs for a razor after being accused of promis- meet the expectations of their families or teachers, community counsellors and cuity and inviting sexual attention communities. Other participants at the students, creating national advocacy March 2016 – A 6-year old girl was workshop who work directly with survivors campaigns to raise awareness, and raped by her father in Peace Clubs also underscored the working with ministries of education and teachers to create codes of conduct. August 2016 – A 7-year old girl was overarching role of shame in hindering the
sexually mutilated and killed by her willingness of survivors to report specific As identified in the trends from Kaduna step-mother incidents, particularly those involving teachers or school authority figures. and other NSRP states, there is a need to think creatively and proactively about who followed girls on their way to or from The use of school grounds to commit sexual how to protect girls and boys on their school as well as those who used school assaults, and its violation of the concept of way to and from school, as well as while buildings as locations to commit their schools as “safe spaces” has an even wider on school property, perhaps through crimes. effect on women and girls. Girls can the formation of community monitors encounter a significant amount of discrimi- or community watch groups. The role of Though abuse of girls may take place on nation around access to education to begin civil society and political actors as their way to and from school, where often with, and when this is compounded by the advocates for institutional change, and they travel unaccompanied and are more shame of sexual assault, it can be even stronger government enforcement of vulnerable to abuse, it can also occur in and more difficult to encourage reporting and legal protections of those vulnerable to around school buildings and campuses. In prosecution. Other participants in the abuse, is an important part of breaking May 2015 in Chikun, for example, an training shared that although wider societal the cycle of abuse. Support by local incident involved a secondary school stigmatization and shaming played a role in community groups to women and student being raped at school by external keeping the culture of silence intact, the role children survivors, encouraging the male perpetrators. In another reported of institutions such as schools, churches, reporting of violence, is another crucial incident in January 2016 in Kaduna South, a and mosques have also been able to part of breaking the silence that often man attempted to rape a girl leaving school provide safe spaces and lend legitimacy to pervades the abuse of trust. in an incomplete building on the property. help survivors and their families pursue The abuse by teachers and school employ- justice. While these initiatives were not to prevent sexual violence in school settings ees was also regularly featured in many uniformly documented or formalized, they that may provide useful models for Nigeria. VAWG incident reports, with multiple may provide an example that civil society In Ghana and Malawi, the USAID-funded reports from 2014-2016 in Kaduna North members and leaders can emulate or Safe Schools Program worked to decrease and Chikun relating to sexual abuse of replicate in future prevention, advocacy and sexual violence in schools by developing young students by their teachers. response efforts. prevention programs and trainings for families and communities, strengthening This abuse can sometimes take the form of Non-governmental organizations and civil response networks and services for “sex for good marks,” where a teacher or society groups in other African states have survivors, and enhancing reporting instructor manipulates the student into implemented a number of initiatives aiming systems.8
8. URL located at: http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/Pdacp103.pdf
N S R P E V A 6 THE FUND FOR PEACE VIOLENCE AFFECTING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN KADUNA STATE
Conclusion
These and other programs have underlined Firstly, the broader insecurity related to and assuming impunity because of status, the importance of developing - and, more inter-communal violence in Kaduna is the sexual abuse of women and girls by critically, enforcing - codes of conduct at all having significant impacts on women and teachers and administrators may often go levels of the education system and of taking children. The hotspots of conflict between unreported and unaddressed. Attacks on a holistic or "whole-of-community" herders and farmers — most notably in women and girls on their way to and from approach to develop culturally-relevant Southern Kaduna in late 2016 and early school, as well as the use of school facilities programming. Increasing coordination 2017 — is having direct and sometimes to stage attacks, is another dimension to the between civil society, government and devastating effects on women and girls. It is issue. When parents feel that it is unsafe to school authorities, and empowering often underreported or the exact numbers send their female children to school for fear children to identify and report sexual needed to estimate its overall impact are of attack, it only further puts women at an violence in schools is also critical. Increas- frequently unavailable. While both sides educational disadvantage. ingly these groups are recognizing the need have claimed rape and sexual abuse as a to involve men and boys in programming, primary weapon in the conflict, actual both to address norms of masculinity that figures are hard to come by, making an perpetuate sexual violence and to reach accurate portrayal of the depth and breadth male survivors of sexual assault. of the issue, as well as follow-up support services, difficult. Overall, the data and supplemental information from the Kaduna Observatory Secondly, at the core of much reported and July 2016 workshop indicated that violence perpetrated against women and stronger oversight and accountability for children in Kaunda and other NSRP states, is misconduct and abuse in schools is an sexual assault and abuse by those in important part of creating safer education positions of power and authority. Male spaces for students. Making clear the link family members as well as community between sexual harassment and abuse, leaders are not brought to justice for their including “sex for marks,” and punitive crimes against women and girls (and boys) measures such as the removal and which perpetuates the idea that these prosecution of the perpetrator, might go a individuals are “above the law” when it long way in discouraging future abuse. From comes to physical and sexual abuse. The a legal standpoint, The Sexual Harassment sense of shame plays a key role in stopping in Tertiary Education Institution Prohibition survivors from reporting, which further Act passed in the Nigerian Federal Parlia- exacerbates the problem and often has ment in October 2016 imposes new fines much deeper societal or cultural roots. In and five-year jail sentences for teachers some noted cases where community convicted of sexual harassment of their leaders or OBSTEC members were able to students. Legislation such as this — and the follow-up on such cases, it has been noted promotion of the penalties for misconduct that a monetary exchange between families — are crucial to bringing the abuses of trust to keep the issue quiet is often the by offenders in education institutions to preferred way of dealing with the crime. account, and deterring inappropriate While this face-saving mechanism may conduct. However, one glaring omission in serve the purpose of helping to preserve this legislation is that it does not cover the reputation of the family or individual, it primary or secondary education institutions, undercuts the formal justice system and whose students are younger and may be does little to bring relief and assistance to even less likely to speak out. Also, as noted the survivor of the attack. in the data from the Observatory, these are also most frequently the most vulnerable Thirdly, VAWG-related incidents occurring in and most preyed upon targets for sexual or around school settings is a key theme in harassment and assault. reported data in Kaduna. Closely linked to the issue of authority figures abusing power
N S R P E V A 7 THE FUND FOR PEACE VIOLENCE AFFECTING WOMEN AND GIRLS IN KADUNA STATE
Recommendations
Civil society leaders should engage OBSTEC members and other commu- As peace actors and government more strategically in awareness raising nity leaders, particularly those trained stakeholders continue to collaborate 1 campaigns surrounding the abuse of 3 in trauma and sexual abuse, should 5 on finding peaceful solutions to re- power and authority by family members, work more closely together to encourage solve the inter-communal conflict between guardians, and community leaders. This reporting by designing effective information herders and farmers – whether it is through should include messages that target poten- campaigns that are both socially and cultur- National Peace Committees, coordination tial perpetrators and highlight the criminal ally sensitive, and consider the role of indi- between Plateau and Kaduna state govern- ramifications of abuse. Further, OBSTEC vidual and collective shame in perpetuating ments, or civil society networks – the im- members could reach out to other NSRP the culture of silence. pacts of the violence on women and chil- Observatory states where this has also been dren must be a core consideration in discus- highlighted as a notable issue and deter- While incidents of intercommunal sions and planning. mine if sharing best practices might lead to violence, particularly between herds- innovation in formulating preventative re- 4 men and farmers, is frequently report- sponse. ed, more attention needs to be paid to the impacts on women and girls. This should include in the short-term as well as more ncreased community vigilance and longer term effects, such as displacement, information campaigns surrounding poverty, and vulnerability. While there con- 2 the abuse of women and girls in school tinue to be reports of the rape and sexual settings and on their way to and from assault, as well as the murder of women school. In some settings, the formation of a and children, it is rarely presented in a way “community watch” or a collective of con- that would allow for a deeper analysis of the cerned parents and community leaders who patterns and trends occurring. Working with help monitor the safety of girls as they trav- local journalists, the OBSTEC as well as oth- el to and from school might be warranted. er Observatory partners could ensure that Support for legislation that focuses on this remains a focus and encourage a deep- tougher penalties for offenders in primary er examination of the specific impacts that and secondary education institutions will the conflict is having on women and girls. also strengthen deterrence of inappropriate conduct.
N S R P E V A 8 THE FUND FOR PEACE