STRENGHTENING GENDER INCLUSION AND COMMUNITY COHESION THROUGH GBV/GRM ADVOCACY AND SENSITIZATION.
In a bid to increase the awareness & knowledge of communities on Gender and social inclusion, under the ACReSAL PROJECT across 20 target communities in Benue State, Nigeria, through our Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) efforts, we are working to create safer spaces especially for women, girls, and vulnerable groups within project implementing communities.
Key Activities Implemented so far;
- Community Sensitization & Awareness:
Targeted sensitization campaigns across project communities, engaging men, women, youth, and traditional leaders on gender equality, GBV prevention, and the importance of speaking up have been conducted. These sessions have sparked powerful conversations and started to shift deeply rooted social norms.
- Training Local Actors:
To build sustainability from within, local actors—including women leaders, youth leaders, and traditional rulers— have been trained on GBV response and grievance redress processes. These individuals are now helping to detect, prevent, and escalate cases appropriately.
- Strengthening the GRM System:
In a bid to support the development and roll-out of safe, confidential, and accessible feedback mechanisms across communities, the community member has been sensitized and provided with channels for addressing grievance that may arise during the implementation of the project. From toll-free lines to trusted focal persons, the community now have multiple channels to report issues, including GBV-related concerns.
- Gender-Responsive Engagement:
In all our community dialogues and project engagements, the inclusion of women, youth, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and pregnant women were ensured. This intentional approach helps amplify diverse voices and ensures the project leaves no one behind.
Our Impact So Far:
- Increased awareness of GBV and gender rights among over 3,000 community members.
- Enhanced community-level response capacity through trained local actors.
- Improved trust and accountability, with more individuals using grievance channels to report concerns and seek redress.
- Strengthened community cohesion and safety, as discussions around respect, dignity, and inclusion gain momentum.
For CLHEI, GBV/GRM work is more than a checkbox, it’s about dignity, safety, and justice. As we continue, we remain committed to deepening impact, empowering voices, and ensuring that every community member, especially the most vulnerable during and after the ACReSAL Project can live free from violence and be part of the development process.
