BBYDI, Ford Foundation Renew Commitment to End Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria 

 Hammed Shittu in Illorin 

A non-governmental organisation, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI) and Ford Foundation have renewed their commitment to collective action at ending the reported cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) among women in the various communities of the country.

Already, the two stakeholders had worked intentionally to move GBV prevention from policy conversations into community structures. 

The Executive Director, BBYDI, Dr. Nurah Jimoh-Sanni stated this at the weekend in Ilorin while speaking at the statewide event on Strengthening Traditional Leadership in Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Response.

According to her, “Today is not simply a convening, it is a milestone as it represents the culmination of a significant phase of work, and more importantly, a transition from commitment to sustained community action”.

She said, “Last year, we gathered with a shared resolve to confront gender-based violence through stronger collaboration with traditional institutions. 

“At that time, we asked a critical question: Can tradition become a force for protection rather than silence? Today, we are no longer asking that question, rather, we are witnessing the answer.

“Over the past two years, with the support of the Ford Foundation, Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative has worked intentionally to move GBV prevention from policy conversations into community structures. 

“This work has been guided by a principle that lasting change must be locally owned, culturally grounded, and collectively sustained.

“And as part of this approach, we conducted 16 targeted engagements with First Class Traditional Leaders and convened workshops across the three senatorial districts of Kwara State.

 “This was deliberate, as it is to ensure that our interventions were not centralized, but reflective of the diverse cultural contexts, realities, and needs of communities across Kwara North, Kwara Central, and Kwara South. 

“And from these engagements, we co-created 20 culturally grounded GBV prevention messages in Yoruba, Nupe, and English that are now being used within communities. Clips from these engagements will be displayed later”

She added, “One of the defining moments for us in this journey was the endorsement of this work by His Royal Highness, the Emir of Ilorin, who not only supported the initiative but described it as a “cultural and moral necessity” and lent his voice by writing the foreword to our GBV Prevention Advocacy Toolkit. 

“For us, that endorsement was not just symbolic, but also helped catalyze action across traditional institutions.

“Last year, we convened over 400 stakeholders at a historic statewide event, securing 33 public commitments from Traditional Leaders to take action against gender-based violence. 

“But more importantly, we have seen these commitments translate into action. Across communities, Traditional Leaders have now established GBV reporting desks, community charters, and marriage agreements which are practical systems that are redefining how violence is addressed at the grassroots”

She therefore assured various communities that the BBYDI and Ford Foundation would continue to join hands together in the efforts at putting an end to the various kinds of gender-based violence among women in the various towns and villages of the state and Nigeria in general.