INTERNATIONAL WOMEN DAY: CHALLENGING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS IN A POST COVID WORLD

On International Women Day this year 2021, Women Inspiration Development Center gathered 130 Confident Girls Ambassadors to challenge sexual and physical violence against women and girls in Nigeria. There has been a great surge of domestic violence against women and girls in Nigeria since COVID 19 pandemic to date. Girls are no more safe anywhere. They are not safe in the school, they are not safe on the street and even in the corner of their homes which should be a safe haven for them, their lives are seriously threatened. 

Since eliminating violence against women and girls is pivotal to achieving gender equality and sustainable development goals, the time is now to engage, mentor and help girls regain back their confidence. Confident Girls Initiative by Women Inspiration Development Center therefore will engage and mentor 5000 girls in 200 Nigeria primary schools, high schools, higher institutions of learning, religious institutions taking them through a process of self-discovery as they make their negative disempowered thoughts visible and turn them around into positive achievable visions for their lives. An agency-based workshop called Imagine, includes coding, robotics and summer camping where they will receive entrepreneurial trainings that are rooted in personal empowerment, spiritual consciousness and mentorship.

The workshop takes people through a four-step process of 1) becoming aware of their current beliefs (“where am I now”); 2) creating an idea of what they want (“where do I want to be”); 3) understanding the limitations of thought which have held them back (“what are my limiting beliefs and how can I transform them”); and 4) setting progressive, achievable goals toward reaching their larger vision (“what is my ‘growing edge’”). Workshop participants are taken through this process in seven life areas—emotions, relationships, sexuality, body, work, money, and spirituality. These girls would be recruited with at least 30 states of Nigeria in mind and they are expected to become WIDC Confident Girls Ambassadors and Activist in their states and communities to continue to spread words. We expect that participation in this project, with continued mentorship and peer support through confident girls radio app we will develop in conjunction with meaningful internet engagement will result in significant positive behavioural change to continue to challenge the status quo that is making domestic violence thrive in our world..