Our Achievement
The year 2023 has seen the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum expand the scope of our interventions, amplify our advocacies and deepen our engagements, collaborations and partnerships.
While some members were welcomed in to the fold in the second quarter of the year, this did not hamper the progress of the work of the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum in the affected States as the new first ladies came in eager and committed to continuing where their predecessors left off.
This was given a light foot however, through the induction and training session held for the new first ladies and the publications of the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum designed to guide the conduct of members presented to them during the induction exercise and other such trainings that were held in this regard.
Being the flagship programme of the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum, advocacies on the mitigation of Sexual and Gender Based Violence were amplified and sustained during the year in collaboration with development partners and active participation of members of the Forum with laudable interventions by members of the Forum in their respective states. Activities of the Forum in this regard include;
⦿ Increased number of Sexual Assault Referral Centers and Shelters across the States and improved support mechanisms for the care of survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
⦿ Summits and training workshops in collaboration with our partners to improve our capacities in mitigating Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
⦿ Continued advocacies on the implementation of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and other protective laws in the States.
⦿ We have also deepened collaborations with organizations and individuals to build a strong network of support in our quest to rid our communities of the effects of Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
Following the endorsement for the calls to action at the maiden Women in Power for Nutrition conference in May 2023, we remain committed to providing adequate support through effective advocacy for improved nutrition in the country.
In the light of this, the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum has been;
⦿ Creating awareness on the importance and benefit of exclusive breast feeding in the first six months of life for the mother child and our Nation at large.
⦿ Leading advocacy for the implementation of six months paid maternity leave.
⦿ Advocating for the establishment of crèches in offices both Government and private organizations.
⦿ Encouraging home and school gardening as part of the operation feed yourself initiative of the Federal Government.
⦿ Advocating for realistic budgeting, timely release of funds for nutrition and accountability of the funds released.
Also our interventions in the elimination of drug abuse enjoyed remarkable boost during the year as members of the forum engaged in;
⦿ Skilling and equipping rehabilitated drug users in our states.
⦿ Amplified awareness and sensitization on the eradication of drug abuse.
⦿ Engagement with the leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency.
The economic empowerment initiative of the forum also thrived well and the girl child education, women digital upskilling, awareness and sensitization on the availability of HPV vaccine, menstrual hygiene and hand washing for hygienic living interventions of the Nigeria Governors Spouses Forum were all undertaken in all our respective States. Details of these highlights are contained in the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum 2023 Progress Report.
Since its inception, the NGSF has achieved the following:
1. Mitigation of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence
⦿ Advocacy for a State of Emergency against Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Nigeria which was passed by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum on June 20th 2020. HE President Muhammad Buhari also supported the calls for urgent action through the establishment of an inter-ministerial Presidential Task Force on Sexual and Gender Based Violence.
⦿ Expedited action for passage of the VAPP Law. In June 2020, only fourteen States had domesticated the VAPP Act. As of April 2024, 36 States (including the FCT) have passed the VAPP law. This is an indication that the local advocacy of Governors’ Spouses has been effective.
⦿ Convening High-Level Policy conferences with State Governors to assess progress made in the implementation of the State of Emergency on GBV. This conference holds every year in December, during the Global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence.
⦿ Development and implementation of a GBV Mitigation Action Plan for use by all State First Ladies. This Action Plan was launched at the December 2020 conference.
⦿ Providing leadership for State GBV Coordinating Mechanisms, hereby facilitating the implementation of the VAPP Act. Several First Ladies chair the State GBV Coordinating bodies.
⦿ Increase in the number of Sexual Assault Referral Centers (SARCs) as well as shelters for women and their children, mostly due to the efforts of First Ladies. As of June 2022, there were 28 SARCs in 17 States. With the support of MacArthur Foundation, NGSF is in the process of establishing SARCS in Osun, Imo, Benue & Cross River.
⦿ Establishment of a GBV Survivors’ Fund that enables Governors’ Spouses respond to GBV cases as a way of providing solidarity and raising awareness. GBV Fund disbursements have been made in March 2021, November 2021 and June 2022.
⦿ In February 2021, The Ford Foundation started a pilot project called Pathways to addressing Sexual and Gender Based Violence with four States – Abia, Edo, Ekiti and Niger States. This initiative has enabled the participating States to strengthen their GBV responses and implement the VAPP Act effectively. Examples of some of the project outputs include Development of Standard Operating Procedures for GBV interventions, adoption of comprehensive referral pathways for GBV interventions, a GBV Training manual, community Town Hall meetings, Anti-GBV clubs in schools, radio and film production and more.
⦿ In December 2021, the MacArthur Foundation supported NGSF with a grant to enable the organisation build on its advocacy efforts. With the help of this grant, NGSF has been able to put together a Directory of Sexual and Gender Based Violence Service Providers in all 36 States, develop Standard Operating Procedures for the States that do not have them as well as support the establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centers.
2. Capacity Building, Learning and Information Sharing
We organise regular Webinars for ourselves and our staff teams. Since June 2020 the following webinars have been organised:
⦿ September 2020: Webinar on creating effective GBV responses at State level.
⦿ March 2021: Webinar on State GBV Coordinating Mechanisms, in order to understand how such mechanisms are established and modes of operation.
⦿ May 2021: Webinar with a partner Westminster Foundation for Democracy, to review research into the implementation of the VAPP in a number of States and discuss lessons learnt for future action.
⦿ June 2021: Webinar with stars in the entertainment industry, drawn from the film, music and stage sectors. The main objective was to examine how the entertainment industry can aid in campaigns against GBV and Drug Abuse.
⦿ July 2021: Webinar with Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) to discuss accessibility of Menstrual Hygiene Products. As a result of this webinar, the NGSF set up a working group on menstrual hygiene to continue the advocacy to end period poverty in Nigeria. The Menstrual Hygiene Working Group is chaired by HE Dr Zainab Shinkafi-Bagudu, Former First Lady of Kebbi State.
⦿ December 2021: Advocacy webinar with Council of traditional Rulers in Africa (COTLA) in collaboration with UN Women. Traditional rulers are key stakeholders in the work that needs to be done at community level.
⦿ June 2022: Webinar on Sexual Assault Referral Centers. Experts in the area provided NGSF members with insights on best practices in the establishment and monitoring of SARCs.
⦿ From June 2020- June 2022, NGSF has produced and disseminated eight short GBV advocacy videos and radio programs in various Nigerian languages.
⦿ NGSF produced a GBV Resource Manual to support the work of First Ladies and their teams in May 2021.
3. Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Advocacy
Nigerian Governors Spouses have been deeply concerned about the drug abuse situation in the country for some time. The Northern Governors Spouses Forum started work on this some years ago, raising awareness and running prevention campaigns and establishing rehabilitation centers in their respective States.
In 2021, the Southern Governors Wives Forum also adopted Drug Abuse as a flagship program. In September 2021, after reviewing progress made by the two regional groups, it was agreed that the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum would collectively adopt Drug Abuse as a joint project. To start this off, a Task Force was put together under the leadership of HE Mrs Betsy Obaseki, First Lady of Edo State and HE Dr Amina Abubakar Bello, Former First Lady of Niger State. The Task Force came up with a Drug Abuse Advocacy Strategy which NGSF is currently implementing.
In February 2022, a team from NGSF met with the Brigadier General Buba Mohammed Marwa (Rd) Chairman, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency. It was agreed that NDLEA would work with State First Ladies as important allies in furtherance of the objectives of the agency and involve State First Ladies in the fight against drugs as champions in their respective States. The NDLEA also promised to help build the capacity of State First Ladies and their teams to be effective partners in the war against drug abuse. In furtherance of this, in June 2022, there was a two-day capacity-building workshop for NGSF members in Abuja organised byNDLEA in collaboration with UNODC and the European Union.
4. First Ladies Against Canser (FLAC)
Cancer is no respecter of status, gender, religion, age or ethnicity. Active engagement as policy advocates on all forms of cancer, through First Ladies Against Cancer, a network of former and serving First Ladies committed to working on cancer issues. FLAC has been actively involved in pushing for a more proactive response to cancer prevention, treatment and care at National and State levels.
5. General Advocacy Initiatives
In addition to all the above thematic areas, Nigeria Governors’ Spouses have been involved in provision of economic empowerment opportunities for women in grassroots communities to reduce theirvulnerability, as well as advocacy for Girl-Child education. We all work with grassroots communities and local stakeholders such as traditional rulers and religious leaders to seek their active support. We also organise regular prayer programs to intercede for peace and security in the country. NGSF held a one-week national prayer program in June 2021, organised organised in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs. Governors’ Spouses are also State Tuberculosis Ambassadors as well as Reproductive Health Ambassadors, on the directives of HE DR Aisha Buhari, Former First Lady of Nigeria
NGSF collectively marks international observances for advocacy and awareness raising. Examples include International Women’s Day, Female Genital Mutilation Day, Cancer Awareness days, Day of the Girl Child, 16 Days of Activism against GBV, Menstrual Hygiene Day, and many others. These observances were carried out using a combination of Town Hall meetings, advocacy visits, policy dialogues, marches, empowerment programs and the use of radio and popular culture.
6. Institutional Strengthening
Prior to June 2020, Nigerian Governors’ Spouses have worked mainly through regional platforms or as a loose coalition. Recently, steps have been taken to strengthen the organisation so that the collective achievements that have been recorded do not get lost as we go through periods of transition in our respective States. The following steps have been taken to ensure sustainability of the NGSF.
⦿ Registration of the Nigeria Governors Spouses’ Forum with the Corporate Affairs Commission, with a Board of Trustees charged with oversightof the body.
⦿ Developmentof a Constitution for NGSF.
⦿ Establishment of a permanent secretariat in Abuja, Nigeria.
⦿ Production of a Members’ Handbook for NGSF. This comprehensive document serves as a guide for current and future State First Ladies and can be used as a training and capacity building tool. The Handbook contains a Code of Conduct for NGSF, sections on Protocol, Security, Etiquette and Communications, as well as strategies for managing a State First Lady’s office amongst others.
⦿ The NGSF Secretariat consists of professional staff that have the responsibility of day-to-day operations.
⦿ Formal meetings of NGSF members every quarter (in person or online), an Annual Retreat for members and an Annual Conference every December.