Strengthening Campaign to End Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C)

A 2-Year (2020-2022) Amplify Change Funded Project Implementated by CIRDDOC in Collaboration with CENGOS

The Strengthening Campaign to End FGM/C is a 2-year (2020-2022) AmplifyChange funded project led by Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) in collaboration with the Coalition of Eastern Non-Governmental Organizations (CENGOS). The CIRDDOC project focused on providing integrated quality and evidence-based information to benefitting communities about the dangers of Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C), with a view to discouraging persons and communities from continuing to practice the tradition, but rather to support its total ban. The strategies used for this project implementation were primarily a media mix. The media mix included interpersonal channels, broadcast channels, and print channels. The interpersonal channels used were face-to-face communication, community distribution (townhall meetings), home visits, training, group discussions and counseling. The broadcast channels employed was radio. The print channels relied upon to complement the media mix was the use of flyers and pamphlets. The media mix used enabled the communicators to reach many people many times within the stipulated time frame to supply the appropriate information in an understandable form for each target audience.

Beneficiary households received communication interventions aimed at improving the peoples’ knowledge and understanding about FGM/C and the dangers inherent in the traditional practice. Improved knowledge and understanding helped the beneficiaries take informed decisions about FGM/C and led to a change of their attitude and behaviour towards the practice.  The intervention also provided training and capacity building to a large array of partners and allies, including traditional rulers, traditional birth attendants/circumcisers, health workers, FGM/C survivors as champions, state legislators, the judiciary, the media, and a host of others, who now constituted a formidable vanguard against FGM/C. To the communication interventions, the project added skills acquisition and economic empowerment to enable the circumcisers and FGM/C survivors rehabilitate and remain committed and sustainable vanguards against FGM/C within their own communities. As the project closeout, CIRDDOC commissioned an external evaluator to assess project impact. For full project impact assessment report

Background

About ten percent of the global totals of genitally mutilated women are Nigerians. That is, one in every ten mutilated women in the world is a Nigerian1. One in four women of child bearing age (WCBA, 15-49 years) in Nigeria has been mutilated. About half of Nigeria’s population is under the age of 18 and an estimated eighty million of the females among them are considered vulnerable and at the risk of female genital mutilation/cutting. Twenty percent of the females are circumcised, 86% of the circumcision occurring before age 5 years, while 5% were circumcised at age below 5 years2.

Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), also known as female genital cutting is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as any procedure that involves partial or total removal of the external genitalia and/or injury to the female genital organs whether for cultural or any other non-therapeutic reasons3. FGM/C widely recognized as a violation of human rights, is deeply rooted in beliefs and perceptions over decades and generations. In May 2015, the Federal Government of Nigeria passed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015 (VAPP), a law banning FGM and other harmful traditional practices; however, this legislation applied only to the Federal Capital Territory (FTC) of Abuja. As at 2022, 29 states have adopted or domesticated the law. In addition to FGM/C, Nigeria’s female (and male) children suffer many other vulnerabilities, including poverty, gender inequality, child labour, domestic and sexual violence and exploitation, insufficient food, orphanhood, inadequate legal protection, poor access to social, education and health services, including HIV/AIDS and maternal mortality.

South-east and South-West Nigeria have disproportionate burden of FGM/C (South-east=35%; South-west=30% prevalence)2. The NDHS further reveals that in the South-east, the distribution of FGM/C is as follows: Imo (61.7%); Ebonyi (53.2%); Enugu (25.3%); Anambra (21.4%) and Abia (12%). The factors that enable high prevalence of FGM/C in these states include tradition, a history of single parenthood and broken homes. In spite of its gravity as an abuse of human rights of the victims, the practicing communities still cling to the act as an integral part of their cultural identity and customs of rites of passage of girls to adulthood.

It was this concern that led AmplifyChange to support CIRDDOC and CENGOS with funds to address this rights abuse through Strengthening Campaign to End FGM/C in both states. CIRDDOC and CENGOs Strengthening Campaign to End FGM/C program activities supported states and communities to improve the quality of life of traditional circumcisers and FGM/C survivors through household economic empowerment and alternative sources of income, and the improvement science method. Improvement science is about finding out how to improve and make changes in a most effective way. It is about systematically examining the methods and facts that best work to facilitate quality improvement. The CIRDDOC project focused on providing quality, correct, evidence-based, verified and scientific information about FGM/C and using mass communication approaches which reached the greatest number of targeted audiences at the most cost-effective rate.

As the project closed out, an end of project evaluation was necessary to assess project impact and document lessons learned.

The CIRDDOC project interventions were provided through two main approaches namely direct implementation by CIRDDOC and her CENGOS partners and use of media organizations. The project interventions took place in six LGAs (Abakaliki, Afikpo North and Ebonyi in Ebonyi State; and Ikeduru, Ohaji-Egbema, and Orlu in Imo state).

The CIRDDOC project provided the following services across intervention states:

Mass education and re-orientation: Millions of people were reached in Ebonyi and Imo states with information on FGM/C through radio jingles and radio phone-in discussion programs. The project also provided FGM/C information through the use of infographic flyers and posters. Adolescents/school students participated in essay competition and gained knowledge on FGM/C to re-orientate and transform the wrong knowledge, attitudes and practices they had imbibed regarding FGM/C while growing up.

Capacity building and training support: The capacity of partner member organizations was built on rigorous advocacy, project planning and policy mapping methods

Network Formation: Establishment of network of partners across media, youth, religious leaders, traditional rulers, and CSOs to support FGM/C abandonment campaign and speak out

Psychosocial support: Counselling support and building life skills through targeted group or one-on-one meetings with survivors of FGM/C.

Community-based FGM/C education: Townhall meetings and group discussions to provide right perspectives about FGM/C and drive behaviour change

Household FGM/C education: Regular home visits by trained community educators and volunteers with messages to inform on the dangers of FGM/C and advocate household heads and parents to reject cultural leanings that support FGM/C.

Advocacy engagement: Trained key influencers, Traditional rulers, CSOs and allies participate in advocacy engagements and speak out against FGM/C

Household economic strengthening: FGM/C practitioners/circumcisers trained on alternative employment declare against FGM/C practice and engage in alternative means of livelihood. Vocational training for registered traditional circumcisers and older FGM/C survivors; income generation activities (IGAs) training, skills acquisition, and financial education. Material support is also provided to identified traditional circumcisers and FGM/C survivors to enhance their genuine businesses and improve household’s income.

Key Project Achievements/Findings

In the context of the project objectives, the project recorded the following achievements in the specific thematic areas:

1. Relevance: The project was relevant as its objectives actually addressed the needs of the beneficiaries: such needs as right knowledge about FGM/C; skills for advocacy, empowerment for formation of partnership for advocacy and movement building, and economic empowerment for sustainability. The project also addressed the human rights needs of primary beneficiaries – women and girls. The project design was articulated in a coherent structure, starting with capacity building for advocacy and partnership formation, training of different strata of partners, radio and other media interventions, and economic empowerment of beneficiaries. Each project activity systematically fed into the other.

2. Effectiveness: The project was highly effective as most indicators were met, and some exceeded expectations. The well selected mix of intervention methods, and the articulated way where one method emptied into the other was the strength of the project. A traditional ruler from Ebonyi who was part of CIRDDOC/CENGOS 2-day training and who also was a guest at the radio phone-in program mused:

“Our two-day training at Enugu on FGM/C opened our eyes and to the falsehood which coated FGM practice as a harmless rite of passage for our daughters. For me, like wise most of my fellow traditional rulers, it became clear that any further support in favour of FGM/C is a crime against our own daughters and women. Our minds were made and we became champions against FGM/C”.

Another Traditional ruler from Imo averred:

“As a custodian of my people’s tradition, I never believed I could renounce the tradition of female cutting. But after our training at Enugu and follow-up with radio jingles and phone-in discussion in the radio houses, it became clear that CIRDDOC was right and our tradition about FGM/C was wrong. I willingly volunteered to support all efforts targeted at eliminating the “evil” called female circumcision”.

  • The outputs (except perhaps the activation of economic empowerment), were delivered on time. Trainings, capacity building, partnership

formation, advocacies, radio jingles and phone-in discussions came timely. The indicator on Individuals reached with information on FGM/C through infographic flyers and posters was exceeded as 1150 individuals more than the targeted 1000 were reached with flyers and posters, giving 115% achievement.

The indicator on number of Households reached with information on the dangers of FGM/C by the Champions against FGM/C was exceeded as all the 351 households interviewed volunteered that they have been inundated with information on the dangers of FGM/C by the champions and also via radio discussions and commentaries.

  •   After 2 years of intervention, families and young females are no longer being pressurized to get circumcised; 96% of families will not, under any circumstance mutilate their daughters, compared to 84% at baseline; Communities are coming up with byelaws and open declarations against FGM/C; 94% of respondents want FGM/C stopped, compared to 84% at baseline. There are few or no new cases of FGM/C taking place, and where they occur, it is in the form of ‘robbing, pressing, massaging’ and conducted in the dark. There is evidence that incidence of FGM/C has greatly reduced in most communities, and completely stopped in a few others. The current prevalence may not have altered much, but certainly the incidence is minimal. It is expected therefore, that the findings of the FGM/C at the next (2023) Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS 2023) will confirm greatly reduced FGM prevalence in the two states of Ebonyi and Imo
  • Key informants agree that the CIRDDOC project is in coherence with global best practices of total elimination of gender-based violence. Most traditional rulers justify their support to end FGM/C by saying they want to be remembered for bringing their communities to global standards of human rights. A village head from Okoroma community in Nkaleke Echara fumed:

‘The whole world cannot be wrong, and only us are claiming to be right in our conceit because of tradition. The whole world is advancing and we are here clinging to a mean tradition that retards development. Let me catch anyone practicing this dreadful act and I will ensure he or she goes in for it

  • Findings revealed that both gender and human rights were well taken care of in both design and implementation of this project. Even FGD discussants are in agreement that the project has brought gender equality and rights to their communities. Hear this from a community leaders’ discussion group:

This project has added so much quality to our women and girls as they will no longer be passing through unnecessary pains and bleedings which often leads to untimely death. The project has also impacted on us, females, that we have a right to say ‘No’ to FGM/C, a decision we initially thought was impossible.”

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CIRDDOC IS RECRUITING: A CONSULTANT FOR A STUDY ON IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON WOMEN

A CONSULTANT FOR A STUDY ON THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON WOMEN

The Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) Nigeria is an independent, non-governmental and not-for-profit organisation established in 1996 for the protection and promotion of human rights and women’s human rights and the strengthening of civil society. CIRDDOC is also committed to the institutionalization of good governance, gender equality and the rule of law.

CIRDDOC with support from AmplifyChange is working with partner organisation (CENGOS) and relevant stakeholders to end Gender Based Violence (GBV) and Increase Young People’s Access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Information and Services in 9 states – Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers.

Humanitarian crises and health emergencies affect men and women differently. As COVID-19 continues to ravage the world, there are concerns over its impact on women and girls, with vulnerabilities feared to worsen as the pandemic overwhelms health systems. Women and girls and those living with disabilities may be particularly affected by the impacts of COVID-19 outbreak.

Under the project, CIRDDOC is searching for a seasoned Research Consultant who will work independently, with minimal supervision and assistance to conduct a study on the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on women and develop a policy brief with gender-sensitive approach to the pandemic.

Objectives of the study includes:

  1. To generate the health, social and economic evidences of the impact of COVID-19 on women
  2. To examine the effects of the COVID-19 containment policies and protocols on the vulnerable populations especially as it concerns SRHR and GBV
  3. To develop rapid gender analysis response and key advocacy points
  4. To produce an advocacy tool (policy brief) for a gender-sensitive approach to the pandemic
  5. To make recommendations from the findings for sustainable programming on addressing SGBV during and after COVID-19 as well as in similar emergencies.
    Duties and Responsibilities
    The consultant for the study will work directly with the project manager to undertake the following duties and responsibilities:
    1) Serve as the researcher for the study on the Impact of COVID-19 on Women
    2) Develop comprehensive research tools that seeks to generate data/information to the realization of the study objectives
    3) Oversee and facilitate data collection/evidence gathering using the research tools
    4) Review research tools and undertake data collection, collation as well as data analysis and report writing
    5) Produce comprehensive research report that provides information on key drivers and determinants of SGBV during the COVID-19 pandemic
    6) Recommend from the findings sustainable programmes and practical steps that can be adopted in addressing SGBV during and after COVID-19 pandemic and in similar national and global emergencies
    7) Develop for publication a Policy Brief/Analysis – an Advocacy Tool of engagement from the report

Scope and Methodology
This requires a research using questionnaires, FGDs and interviews to gather data for the purpose of realizing the research objectives.
The scope of the research will cover Nigeria using the nine states of the project implementation as sample population.
Deliverables

  1. A guideline and work plan for the implementation of the consultancy
  2. Research and data gathering tools in hard and soft copies
  3. First draft research report including key findings, challenges, lessons learned, recommendations and conclusion
  4. A final analytical and comprehensive research report (in hard and soft copies), presenting findings, lessons learned, and recommendations on way forward
  5. A two-page summary of the reports with key research findings, lessons learned, and recommendations and conclusion
  6. Policy Brief from the research report

Timeframe
The consultancy will run for 3 months, from 26th October 2020 – 25th January 2021
Qualification
– Professional background in social sciences, public policy or administration.
– 7 to 10 years of progressive professional experience in gender analysis and development
– Experience in working with government and civil society organizations in Nigeria
– Experience in proposal writing, proposal management, and report writing
– Experience in monitoring and evaluation
– Ability to undertake travels remotely

Application Method
Please send the following documents as a single file to panozie@cirddoc.org
i. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
ii. Cover letter detailing your experience addressing the key responsibilities & personal requirements

Note
i. Application sent after the deadline will not be accepted
ii. Kindly note that only shortlisted candidates would be contacted
iii. Deadline for submission of application is Friday, 9th October 2020

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Building Bridges to End GBV & Increase Young People’s Access to SRH Information and Services

An AmplifyChange Supported Project of CIRDDOC in collaboration with CENGOS

LESSONS LEARNED

The following key lessons have emerged from this project:

Research on SRHR

  • Researchers need to be bold, composed, respectful and sensitive to the environment as well as the person when approaching prospective respondents on issues of SRHR because the issue is shrouded in silence and shame. The Researcher must therefore never be judgmental but rather empathetic in a manner that is not insulting to the respondent.
  • FGDs proved to be a better strategy for extracting information on sensitive issues like SRH as participants are more relaxed and open to discussion, especially when the questions are not personalised. Discussing such issues in the third person thus provide a safe space for people to speak about their own experiences and such discussions could lead to people speaking about themselves openly once they feel comfortable with the situation.
  • Researchers on SRHR should always have information about referral services where they can refer people who need such services during field work
  • To gain access to and cooperation of government institutions and their officials, the researcher must respect the chain of authority. For instance, in working with the Police, the right place to start engaging at state level is with the State commissioner of Police and at the Federal level with the Inspector Gender of Police. Always seek clearance from the highest ranking official in any institution.
  • Use of community mobilisers (familiar faces) to mobilizing respondents or participants is very effective as respondents feel more relaxed and comfortable working with them. However, care must be taken to ask such community mobilizers to leave the conversion when issues become too sensitive to protect respondents.

Young People

  • There is a high percentage of young people who are very enlightened on SRHR. Some of whom are open to candid discussions on sexuality issues and engage with a high level of maturity. Researchers and advocates therefore should engage with young people with a willingness to learn and share knowledge with them on SRHR in a manner that corrects wrong conceptions/opinions by young people

Navigating faith and religious terrains

  • Empowering the traditional leaders and community groups on why they should be involved in the issues of SRHR clearly pointing out its negative impact on their communities is a key entry point. This serves to clear the limiting perceptions on issues of SRHR as well as break the silence around the issues and thus enable this constituency to be involved in the demand for policy change or legal reform from an informed position 
  • Inhibitions arising from cultural norms on discussions on SRHR should be carefully handled and explained to rural communities as this will first break the ice, paving way for advocates to further educate them on the negative impact of the silence around SRHR as well as practices in the community and how a change of norms would be beneficiary to the community.  Building new social norms in a community on SRHR therefore is a gradual drawn out process that must be underpinned by a clear understanding and acceptance of the destructive nature of current practices. The advocate must find new wholesome and healthy practices or ceremonies to replace old negative ones in the quest to create new norms
  • Improving the economic status of rural people will improve their access to health services and information and perhaps go a long way to enabling them to create new norms around SRHR issues.

Gender and SRHR

  • Men are more inclined to discussing SRH issues with fellow men. Men felt embarrassed being interviewed by women on sex related issues. Women also felt safer discussing these issues with women. Care therefore needs to be taken in assigning researchers in SRHR to ensure that interviewers themselves are part of the safe space for such discussions. Women interview women, men interview men. Furthermore, this arrangement makes it easier for survivors of violence to share their experiences once confidence is established
  • There remains a strong and veiled resistance to gender mainstreaming and women’s empowerment by the society which clearly manifest when there is advocacy seeking structural and legal environments that will enable the institutionalization of gender equality. The concept of “Equality” for both men and women has been revealed to be a quietly acknowledged threat to patriarchy

Navigating the policy making terrain

  • Politicizing policy change/legal reform process in the direction of the ruling political party, which usually has the majority representation in the legislative is a proven strategy that gets large support for a cause
  • Engaging in legislative advocacy during election period can be futile but it can also be used to advantage by using the demand as a bargaining chip for election or re-election of the serving legislators
  • The internal dynamics within the legislative chambers are critical to the survival or otherwise of policy change or legal reform. It is important to study and understand the political climate before asking a legislature to sponsor your bill or policy initiate. The support for you proposed policy or law by any legislator who is labelled ‘enemy’ or ‘hated’ is a sure guarantee that the opposition groups in the legislature will kill the idea.
  • Policy change and legislative advocacy is a dynamic process with the variables impacting it continually changing. The advocate must therefore understand the internal dynamics of the legislature and be committed to staying the course patiently no matter the number of setbacks. Legislative advocacy is a slow process but eventual pays off;

Engaging with a broad base of stakeholders

  • Networking and partnering with relevant organisations and institutions like the traditional rulers, the media, and legislative staff creates a multi-stakeholder platform for advocacy thus leading to greater participation and synergy. Whoever coordinates such networks must endeavour to maintain relationships with stakeholders through constant information sharing, which enables sustained interest and support for an agenda and in turn creates further openings and opportunities for more future engagements  
  • Partnering with the legislative staff is essential for understanding the workings of the legislature and the mindset of the legislators thus enabling the advocates to adopt practicable strategies for engagement
  • Key to facilitating change is the ability to keep the issue on public discourse, providing current information on people’s lived experiences of GBV and SRHR such that public discussion on an issue is informed in a positive manner and not riddled with misinformation.
  • Empowering influential stakeholders and community gatekeepers to champion the advocacy initiative is a panacea to gender-based violence (GBV).
  • Ignorance is the underlying factor that perpetuates violation, abuse and denial of rights; information and awareness are essential to the realisation of a near violence free society
  • Membership organisations should not totally rely on its members (who have their respective individual organisations to manage) for effective operation of the coalition, there is great need to hire personnel charged with specific responsibilities
  • Regular project implementation review ensures focus and keeps the delivery team on track
  • Incentivized competition encourages participation and stimulates learning
  • Experience sharing and networking offer new perspectives and ideas to navigating challenges and achieving results
  • Improving the capacity of project delivery team in turn improves output and facilitates the achievement of project outcome/goal
  • Enhanced knowledge and information dispel myths, attract support and inspire action
  • Partnership brews stronger force for increased service delivery and access to services.
  • Creating space and opportunity for the application of knowledge and learning leads to innovation – creating real life situations with acquired knowledge and applying same to immediate environment
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Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): Accelerating Change

CIRDDOC as an Implementing Partner to UNFPA is funded under the UNFPA/UNICEF Joint Donor Program on the Abandonment of FGM.   The project is aimed at achieving the abandonment of FGM in Nigeria especially in the focal states including Ebonyi and Imo. CIRDDOC working with its downstream partners (Community and Youth Development Initiatives (CYDI), Community Women and Society Initiative (CWSI) and Development Dynamics otherwise known as Sub-IPs under the project has trained law enforcement agencies and the judiciary to enhance understanding, implementation and enforcement of FGM legislations in their states. The trained law enforcement agencies and the judiciary are linked with the Community Based Surveillance Committee.  The Committee is charged with the responsibility of monitoring, documenting and reporting cases of FGM to the appropriate authorities for necessary action. CIRDDOC also trained Champions to End FGM whose responsibility is to conduct door to door household discussions and to facilitate discussions with community groups for the abandonment of FGM especially in the hinterlands.

The project sensitises the traditional leaders as well as engages the religious bodies and organisations to lead the anti-FGM crusade at different levels.

Other activities in the project include life skills-based education for in and out of school girls under the age of 18 with a focus on empowering them to resist and denounce FGM; establish a male coalition advocating for the elimination of FGM at LGA level; and consensus building and public declarations of FGM abandonment.

Project Achievements/Results:

  • Four communities in Ikwo LGA of Ebonyi state publicly declared

abandonment of FGM.

  • Established a male coalition in two LGAs to advocate and lend strong voice

against FGM.

  • Established community-based surveillance in three communities.
  • Ninety-five percent of the trained girls in Ebonyi state were not cut and they

pledged to resist FGM.

  • Girls trained on FGM serving as peer educators.
  • Twenty-one communities reached with information on the harmful effects of FGM.
  • Developed and published Ebonyi state Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on FGM.
  • Establishment and enforcement of bi-laws on FGM by communities.

Challenges:

  • Stubborn mindset of people about customs and tradition including FGM

Lessons Learned:

  • Support from opinion leaders is paramount in the elimination of agelong harmful practices including FGM.
  • Mobilizing and empowering existing community groups (e.g. age grades, women groups, church groups, youth groups, kindred meetings, etc) helps in wider information dissemination

Picture showing the public declaration event on FGM abandonment at Ebonyi State

Picture showing the Male coalition groups on FGM abandonment at Ikwo Ebonyi state

Picture showing trained girls on how to resist FGM/C at Ikwo Ebonyi state

Picture showing established community-based surveillance groups in Ebonyi state.

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2018/2019 SUB-NATIONAL BUDGET TRANSPARENCY SURVEY (SNBTS)

The 2018/2019 SNBTS will provide the states another opportunity and incentive to improve on their budgeting conduct – those that scored some points and are making efforts will showcase the improvement made since the last survey while at the same time, it will enable CIRDDOC and partners to find out if progress has been made on the 2011 and 2015 scores. The findings from the previous survey constitute a baseline against which future changes in political will and systems for transparency and participation at State level can be measured. This project will provide a basis for further comparisons of performance.  

Nigeria has signed unto the Open Government Partnership (OGP), which is a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from governments to promote transparency, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance. Subnational (State) governments are also signing on. Over the next five years, OGP has the ambition to become a positive global movement for openness and deeper democracy, and as a countervailing force against the rise of closed government, at both the national and subnational level. This will require national and subnational governments participating in OGP to have a strong focus on implementing their Action Plans and sharing knowledge across different countries and types of government, so that OGP can be a home of innovation, learning, and collaboration for more open governments around the world. In Nigeria the subnational budget transparency index will serve as baseline for the Subnational OGP Fiscal Transparency thematic area of the Action Plans.

Information leads to change – The State’s Budget Transparency Survey results serves members of the public, legislators and civil society advocates, journalists, researchers, academicians, policy makers, economists, development specialists, and others interested in the use of government resources. It is intended to provide an in-depth set of measures that government officials might adopt to improve their budget performance. Evidence shows that when citizens have access to information and opportunities to participate in the budget process they are able to improve the decisions made about what to spend public money on and the quality of how the money is actually spent. That means that the allocation of scarce public resources can be potentially more equitable and effective.

Goal: The goal of the proposed project is to build on the successes recorded in the just concluded project in raising awareness and consciousness of states on transparency and participation of the budget process and instilling a spirit of ‘competitiveness’ among states towards the promotion of increased public access to government budget information.

The research process:

CIRDDOC will work with civil society partners in the targeted states to use the Sub National Budget Questionnaire to collect the data for the Survey. All the states of the Federation will be involved in the proposed study. The survey instrument will be implemented in a round of research of two years’ duration. CIRDDOC and its partner organisations with funding support of DFID, and technical support from International Budget Partnership (IBP) will compile, and analyze the data to produce the second published version of the Sub-national Budget Transparency Survey for the Federation. We suggest that at least four rounds of research should be undertaken, with published results to allow for comparisons of performance over time with the development of clear trends and their analysis.

The 36 states of the Nigerian Federation where the project will be implemented are Kano, Jigawa, Enugu, Lagos, Ekiti, Kwara, Kaduna, Yobe, Zamfara, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Bayelsa, Rivers, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Edo, Delta, Kogi, Nassarawa, Taraba, Plateau, Niger, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Borno, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi and Benue states.

All of the researchers who would be responsible for completing the Sub-national Budget Transparency Survey Questionnaire will be sourced from academic institutions or civil society organisations, preferably from the State where the work is to be undertaken. The mandates and areas of interest of the research groups will vary widely, but all will have a common interest in promoting access to information during each of the four phases of the budget process, in strengthening the role and powers of the legislature, and in the performance of the supreme audit institution. Most will be groups with a significant focus on budget issues; others will be researchers who are experts involved in budget matters on a daily basis. One researcher or group of researchers within an organization from each of the targeted states will be responsible for submitting one completed questionnaire for that state. Thus, the results presented for each state will be based on a single completed questionnaire.

In a round of research, the researchers will be expected to collect data and complete the questionnaire in 4 – 5 months. No events or developments that occurred after September are taken into account in completing the questionnaires. Researchers will be asked to provide evidence for their responses, such as citations from budget documents; the country’s laws, or interviews with government officials, legislators, or other expert on the budget process.

Once the questionnaires are completed, CIRDDOC and IBP staff will undertake an analysis of each questionnaire and in most cases will spend three to six months in discussions with researchers to review the questionnaires. This staff analysis will focus on ensuring that the questions were answered in a manner that was internally consistent, as well as consistent across states. The answers will also be cross-checked against publicly available information. This will include those budget documents that states made available on the Internet; the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Reports on the Observance of Standards and Codes (ROSCs), covering fiscal transparency; IMF Article IV reports; World Bank documents and publications, including Public Expenditure Reviews; and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development-World Bank budgeting practices database.

CIRDDOC will provide researchers with a Guide to the Sub-national Budget Transparency Survey Questionnaire (based on the results and lessons learnt from the 2011 and 2015 surveys), made available on the CIRDDOC website. The guide will outline the research method to be used in completing the questionnaire and introduce researchers to internationally recognized good practices and concepts related to budget transparency and public expenditure management. The guide will also provide detailed explanations on how to choose between possible responses and the assumptions to use in answering each question.

After the CIRDDOC /IBP staff review of the draft questionnaires, they will be submitted to two peer reviewers, whose identities will not be revealed to the researchers. The peer reviewers will be required to be independent of both the government and the research organization of the researcher. The peer reviewers will all be individuals with substantial working knowledge of the state being reviewed and its budget system. They will be identified by searching bibliographies, professional contacts, the Internet, and past CIRDDOC conference records. Peer reviewer comments can be !9 seen in their entirety in the published version of the questionnaires, to be made available at www.cirddoc.org. Governments of the states surveyed will be invited to provide their comments in the published version of the questionnaire.

The decision to invite a government to participate is made at the request of the research organization responsible for completing the questionnaire. CIRDDOC and IBP staff will review peer reviewer comments to ensure that the comments are consistent with the study’s methodology as outlined in the Guide to the Sub-national Budget Survey. Transparency Survey Questionnaire: Any peer reviewer comments that are inconsistent with the guide will be removed, and the remaining comments will then be shared with researchers. Researchers will respond to comments from peer reviewers and the government, if applicable and CIRDDOC/IBP editors will referee any conflicting answers to ensure the consistency of assumptions across states in selecting answers.

After analysing all data contained in the questionnaire, CIRDDOC and the chief consultant will afterwards write a draft report where all states will be ranked based on their performances. The draft report will be accordingly discussed with the funding partner – if given approval, CIRDDOC will go ahead and print the report. In the end the SNBTS report will be launched at the national level – advocacy follows.

GROUP PICTURE OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE 2018 SNBTS TRAINING IN ABUJA
GROUP PICTURE OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE 2018 SNBTS TRAINING IN ENUGU
UNVEILING OF THE 2018 NIGERIAN STATES BUDGET TRANSPARENCY INDEX IN SHERATON HOTEL, ABUJA
GROUP PICTURE OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE 2018 SNBTS LAUNCH IN SHERATON HOTEL, ABUJA
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AWARD WINNING ESSAYS

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ESSAY WRITING COMPETITION

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Sportlight: CIRDDOC engages religious leaders to end GBV

BY NKECHINYERE OGINYI

The Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) with support from the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative has conducted a Community Mobilization and Sensitization for Religious Leaders on the Elimination of Harmful social norms around GBV, Child Marriage and FGM in Ebonyi State.

The week-long program was conducted for twelve selected communities in four Local Government Areas of Ebonyi State including, Ezza South, Abakaliki, Onicha.

The community sensitization was aimed at enhancing the capacity of religious leaders to advocate and lend a strong voice against sexual and gender-based violence and harmful practices. 

The Executive Secretary of CIRDDOC, Onyinye Okaah in her remarks highlighted that the objectives of the community sensitization which was organized for religious leaders drawn from different denominations. 

She informed participants that the intervention was carried out with support from the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative. 
According to her, the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative is focused on Eliminating Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), harmful practices (HPs), and address related aspects of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHRs).

She noted that the project is implemented in some states in Nigeria including Ebonyi state and commended them for making out time out of their busy schedule to participate at the meeting. 

The CIRDDOC Executive Secretary enjoined the religious leaders to be champions against every form of gender-based violence.  

The Program Support Officer of UNFPA Mr. Benedict Essong in a remark stated that the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative is a global project implemented in eight priority countries including Nigeria. 

In Nigeria, he said the project is implemented in Adamawa, Cross River, Ebonyi, FCT, Lagos, and the Sokoto States while the interventions are focused on six mutually reinforcing programming pillars. 

Mr. Benedict pointed out that the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative recognizes the importance of religious leaders in society as role models and influencers.  He stressed the need for them to educate their community on the dangers associated with harmful practices.  

Earlier, the representative of the Ebonyi State Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Mr. Christian Oroke emphasized the Ebonyi state Violence against Persons Prohibition Law which according to him, has provisions that protect women and girls from FGM and Gender-Based Violence. 

Rev. Emmanuel Diala of the Anglican Church Azuiyiokwu said that girl child education is a veritable tool in curbing social norms that adversely affect women and girls.  He enjoined his fellow religious leaders to use their pulpit to sensitize people on the importance of sending young girls to school.

The Priest in charge of Assumption Catholic Parish Onicha Igboeze in Onicha LGA of Ebonyi state, Rev. Fr. kizito Osuji, commended the EU – UN Spotlight for such an awesome initiative. 

Fr. Osuji stated that the intervention will help to eliminate violence against women and girls as the religious leaders will always advocate for their protection. He assured CIRDDOC of his continuous commitment to sensitizing his congregation to shun every form of harmful practice.

Another participant, and the Pastor in charge of Presbyterian Church Okposi in Ohaozara LGA, Rev. John Obasi recalled to the religious leaders of their calling in God’s vineyard which is primarily to save lives. He added that most of the harmful practices are condemned by both Bible and Quran and enjoined them to reorient their members to abandon every practice that hinders the development of women and girls.

The pastor in charge of Assemblies of God Church Echara, Ezza South LGA, Rev. Timothy Aliegu thanked CIRDDOC for the engagement with religious leaders and urged the participants to support the EU – UN Spotlight Initiative project.

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UNFPA, CIRDDOC Lauds Ebonyi Communities For Ending FGM

By Nkechi Oginyi
UNFPA, and CIRDDOC Nigeria, Friday lauded Ebonyi state commitment towards ending FGM.
It urged communities in the state to always report the perpetrators of the phenomenon in their localities to appropriate quarters to stop the practice the way the killing of twins was stopped in the past.
They made the call during a program on FGM Elimination organized by CIRDDOC Nigeria with support from UNFPA called Accelerating Change, Consensus Building meeting on FGM elimination.
A Total of eleven communities participated in the consensus-building program held at community primary school Ogbala Ishieke, Ebonyi local government of the state.
Onyinye Okah, Executive Secretary CIRDDOC Nigeria said “we are organizing this consensus meeting on FGM abandonment with support from the United Nations population fund. The main objective of this consensus building is to get these communities that are here to on their own publicly accept the abandonment of female genital mutilation.
” in this year 2021, we have been carrying out series of activities in this Ebonyi starting from May it is believed that now they know the consequences of female genital mutilation, we are not coercing them, we are not forcing them but they have agreed to publicly declare the abandonment of FGM.
The CIRDDOC Secretary, called on community leaders to bring up a by-law to enforce #end the practice adding that dialogue and more sensitization could help to stop the practice which may still be taking place in a few of the communities in the hinterland.
CIRDDOC decried that lack of sustainability on the government side is affecting the implementation of campaigns against FGM and other gender-based violence but urged the communities not to relent rather continue monitoring and community sensitization as it is for their good.
“On the sustainability plan, we are encouraging the community leaders to support those that are willing to work because if those that are working have the support of the community leaders they will achieve a good result.
She emphasized that sustainability was very important for achieving good results.
In a remarks, UNFPA Program Support Officer,  Mr. Benedict Essong on behalf of UNFPA,  appreciated the community leaders and members for their participation, commitment, and efforts towards ending FGM in the communitiesand assured of UNFPA support to ending the harmful practices.
“At UNFPA, we continue to set our sights upon three ambitious aims for 2030, as elaborated in our vision for our forthcoming Strategic Plan 2022-2025:

Picture; the community members in the community dialogue to end FGM

“Zero unmet need for family planning,Zero preventable maternal deaths, andZero violence and harmful practices against women and girls, including an end to child marriage and female genital mutilation”.
The representative of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Barr. (Mrs.) Virginia  Nweze commended CIRDDOC and UNFPA for their relentless efforts in ensuring the eradication of FGM in Ebonyi State. 
Mrs. Nweze added that Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) does not have any health benefit but has left many families in pain. She shared her personal experience as an FGM survivor and stated that she is still living with the health complications as a result of the mutilation.
she urged stakeholders to join hands to end the barbaric act and save women and girls. 
The traditional ruler of Nkaleke Echara Ndiebo autonomous community, HRH Eze Pius Akam-Alo welcomed participants and regretted that people still indulge in the practice of FGM secretly.
Eze Akam-Alo appealed to the community members to intensify sensitization and educate people on the existing laws.
Participants in the program, Mr. Okah Paulinus, a village leader from the Onuenyim community, and Mrs. Omogo Chinedu said the government should reintroduce a community surveillance team on FGM as it was done during the previous government under the MCCI program of Mrs. Josephine Elechi. Mobilize them with motorcycles for community sensitization.
To the perpetrators, they advocated that communities should raise and provide solutions to the practice by engaging, empowering the FGM perpetrators in what they will be doing to earn a living. “In my community, the PTA employed them as cleaners in our community school and the community is paying them. You can’t just push them away empower them as we did through PTA”.

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FGM contravenes right to freedom from torture, inhuman treatment- UNFPA

By Abah Nnanna

The Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC) with support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) under a joint program on female genital mutilation (FGM) has organized a Consensus Building Meeting on the Abandonment of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Imo State southeast Nigeria.

Participants were drawn from thirteen communities in Ohaji/Egbema LGA of the state.

The meeting was organized amidst the Covid 19 protocol.

The consensus-building meeting was aimed at engaging community leaders and religious leaders to voluntarily accept to publicly declare the abandonment of FGM.

The Executive Secretary of CIRDDOC Onyinye Okaah while addressing participants at the meeting, condemned the barbaric act which endangers the lives of women and girls.

According to her, FGM contravenes the right to freedom from torture and inhuman treatment. She highlighted the dangers associated with the practice and enjoined stakeholders to desist from the act.

The representative of the Imo State Ministry of Health Mr. Ikechukwu Amagwula thanked CIRDDOC and UNFPA for their collaborative efforts to end the practice of FGM in Imo State.

And commended the stakeholders for embracing the opportunity to gather more knowledge on harmful practices against women and girls and stop it.

Mr. Amagwula acknowledged the consequences of FGM including causing women to bleed to death, depriving t&em, sexual urge thereby bring problems to the family, exposure to infectious diseases, and advised participants to ensure the elimination of all forms of Gender-Based Violence including FGM Is embraced in the area.

Mr. George Amakihe of Imo state Ministry of Finance and Economic Development on his part commended the organizers for the timely intervention which aims at enhancing the well-being of the people of Imo state and Ohaji Egbema to be precise.

Correspondent reports that with the development, CIRDDOC with support from UNFPA will organize a public declaration on the elimination of FGM for the thirteen communities.

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