COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF THE STAKEHOLDERS
MEETING ON PUBLIC AWARENESS AND CAMPAIGN AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE IN NIGERIA
HELD AT THE HONOURABLE MINISTER’S CONFERENCE ROOM 6TH FLOOR FEDERAL
MINISTRY OF HEALTH, ABUJA ON 1ST APRIL, 2014
Preamble:
The
4th Annual Scientific Conference of National Association of Nigerian
Nurses in North America (NANNNA) held in Houston Texas on 7th – 10th
November, 2013 was attended by the Permanent Secretary (PSH), Director Nursing
Services and Staff of the Diaspora Unit of the Ministry. One of the
recommendations at the end of the conference was ‘to create awareness and
campaign against domestic violence in Nigeria’. The PSH therefore directed that
strategies to execute the recommendation should be developed by the Nursing
Division in collaboration with NANNNA. The purpose of the one-day stakeholders’
meeting was to have diverse perspectives on domestic violence and to
collaboratively develop the plan of action on creating public awareness on and
effectively campaigning against domestic violence in Nigeria.
The
stakeholders’ meeting was well attended; participants came from: NANNNA, Legal
Aids Council, National Human Rights Commission, Abuja Muslim Forum, National
Association of Nigerian Nurses & Midwives (NANNM), Nursing & Midwifery
Council of Nigeria (N&MCN), International Federation of Female lawyers
(FIDA), National Orientation Agency (NOA), Daughters of Abraham Foundation
(DOAF), Nigerian Police, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the PPP/Diaspora
Unit and the Departments of Public Health, Family Health & Hospital
Services in the Federal Ministry of Health.
Observations:
Various
perspectives on domestic violence were presented by individuals and
representatives of the different agencies from which the following were deduced:
i.
Domestic violence is a
global phenomenon with far reaching effects on the health and socio-economic
wellbeing of the afflicted and the affected; the victim could be male or female
ii.
Statistics indicate
that domestic violence is on the increase globally with increasing fatal
consequences
iii.
Domestic violence is a
recurring problem among Nigerian couples in the Diaspora and the cause is
traceable to socio-cultural issues
iv.
Family and religious
institutions are not supportive because they lack the basic knowledge, skills
and resources to provide support and domestic violence cases are usually
mistaken for marital conflicts
v.
Education on human
rights and responsibilities of victims, neighbours and relevant stakeholders
is currently poor yet education is fundamental
to prohibition of violence against persons
vi.
There are some existing
social, legal and government structures that can be strengthened activities
against domestic violence e.g. National Orientation Agency, National Human
Rights Commission, social welfare services, etc
vii.
The role of health,
social, educational and law enforcement agencies is critical hence the need for
capacity building to provide relevant services and serve as trainers
viii.
There is inadequate
database on domestic violence in Nigeria hence the need for research and
improved reporting system
ix.
There is a Bill towards
prohibition of violence against persons before the National Assembly
x.
The high level of
participation and commitment exhibited by the stakeholders is a demonstration
of appreciation of the magnitude of the problem of domestic violence and the
fact that the time for intervention is NOW
Resolutions:
Based
on i – x above, participants at the meeting arrived at the following
resolutions towards creating awareness on and campaigning against domestic
violence
- Nursing Division should prepare the report of this meeting and forward it promptly to the HMH for due consideration and approval
- The plan of action indicating the activities and roles of the stakeholders developed at the meeting should guide interventions
- The Federal Ministry of Health should coordinate activities by the stakeholder agencies
- A committee domiciled in the Federal Ministry of Health to facilitate the activities should be inaugurated
- Copies of the communiqué should be forwarded to all participating individuals / agencies and other identified stakeholders who were not at the maiden meeting to help provide feedback and initiate appropriate actions
- Appropriate advocacy kits should be developed preparatory to proposed advocacy visits to Mr. President, members of the National Assembly, State Governors, etc. The kits should be modest and not boring, indicating the antecedents, the vision, strategic plan, conclusion and what expected from the person visited
- NANNNA should include domestic violence prohibition activities in its Healthfare scheduled for December 2014 and July / August 2015
- The Federal Ministries of Education, Women Affairs and Information, National Council of Women Societies (NCWS), NAPTIP and similar stakeholders should be involved in the campaign
ACTION PLAN FOR AWARENESS CREATION & CAMPAIGN
AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
|
SN
|
ACTIVITIES
|
RESPONSIBLE AGENCY /
PERSON
|
TIME FRAME
|
OUTPUT / INDICATORS
|
FUNDING
|
|
1
|
Development
of IEC materials including jingles in as many local languages as possible;
billboards; etc
|
FMOH-Health
Promotion Unit; NOA; NHRC; FMWAffairs
|
Start
now and conclude by 3rd quarter
|
%
level of awareness among Nigerians
Reduction
in number of DV cases
|
Relevant
MDAs International and Local development partners and NGOs
Relevant
MDAs International and Local development partners and NGOs
|
|
2.
|
Public
enlightenment and education through workshops, seminars, lectures, dialogues,
FGDs with focal groups – CBOs, traditional rulers, religious organizations,
family units, health workers, etc
|
All
relevant stakeholders – NOA; Nollywood; NHRC; NANNNA; Ministry of Women
Affairs; NCWS; FIDA; NSCIA & CAN; NHRC
|
Start
now
|
Number
of workshops etc organized for various groups
Improved
reporting of DV by victims and/or others
Reduction
in cases of DV from 30 to 15% by March 2015
| |
|
3.
|
Inclusion
of Domestic Violence prevention issues in schools’ curricula at all levels of
education
|
FMoE;
N&MCN; NUC; NCCE; NBTE; MDCN; NHRC
|
Start
the process now
|
Availability
of DV content in curricula at levels by 2015
| |
|
4.
|
Counselling
of offenders / victims of DV and their children
|
Police;
Faith-based organizations; Ministry of Women Affairs; NCWS; Nurses; FIDA;
NHRC
|
On-going
|
%
increased KAP on DV
| |
|
5.
|
Reorientation
of Nollywood against violent films etc
|
National
Films Censor Board; NHRC
|
Now
|
Reduction
in number of violent films produced by 2015
Increase
in number of films to support prohibition of DV
| |
|
6.
|
Capacity
building through training and provision of support structures such as
shelters; counselling centres; legal aid for the indigents; work-life balance
skills development / support; etc
|
Daughters
of Abraham; FOMWAN; FMOH; NOA; NHRC
|
As
soon as possible
|
Number
of people trained
Number
of school clubs established
Human
rights / counselling desks established in hospitals
Number
of TOTs
Number
of Shelters provided
| |
|
7.
|
Lobby
the Judicial Commission and Chief Justices of States on speedy disposal of
cases on DV and tagging of offenders in database
|
NANNNA;
FMOH; NOA;FIDA; NHRC
|
Now
|
% of
cases disposed within 3 months
| |
|
8.
|
Lobby
NASS on speedy passage of the Bill on Prohibition of Violence Against Persons
|
NANNNA;
FMOH; NOA;FIDA; NHRC; NCWS; Ministry of Justice; NGOs
|
August
2014
|
Bill
passed
| |
|
9.
|
Research
on DV in Nigeria
|
FMOH;
N&MCN; NANNM; NANNNA; FMOE; NHRC
|
As
soon as possible
|
2
Nationwide studies by 2015
| |
|
10.
|
Increase
penalty for offenders and send for mental assessment
|
Judicial
Commission; Ministry of Justice; NASS; NMDC & NMA
|
As
soon as possible
|
% of
offenders charged by 2015
| |
|
11.
|
Celebrate
International day Against DV with greater coverage & impact
|
All
stakeholders – FMSD
|
Annually
from 2014
|
Celebration
at grassroots
| |
|
12.
|
Inclusion
of DV prevention activities in annual budget and action plans of stakeholders
|
All
relevant MDAs and stakeholders
|
Annually
from 2015
|
DV
prevention activities captured in 2015 budget of relevant MDAs
|
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