Kwara backs community-based gender-based violence reporting system

The Kwara State Government on Monday threw its weight behind emerging community-based reporting systems for gender-based violence, as stakeholders highlighted growing evidence of impact across several communities in the state.

The endorsement came at the second GBV Prevention Statewide Event held at the Kwara State Banquet Hall in Ilorin, where over 200 participants, including 17 traditional rulers, gathered to review progress made under a two-year prevention programme implemented by Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative with support from the Ford Foundation.

At the centre of the discussions was the Alalubosa community, where a gender-based violence reporting desk established less than two years ago has recorded 12 formal cases, with 10 already resolved through community-led mechanisms.

The desk, chaired by the community’s Mogaji, is one of several grassroots structures developed to strengthen early reporting, response, and accountability around GBV cases.

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Social Development, Mariam Imam, said the initiative aligns with ongoing efforts to improve access to justice and protection for vulnerable groups.

“The dtate government is happy to partner with BBYDI on this initiative which aligns with the state government efforts to ensure victims get justice and also initiate mechanism to protect vulnerable groups,” she said.

The stakeholders noted that similar structures have been replicated in other communities, including Agbarere in Ilorin West local government area and Ganmo in Ifelodun local government area where locally developed social charters and marriage agreements are now being used to address domestic violence and promote behavioural change.

In Alalubosa, newly married couples are required to sign a community-wide agreement outlining consequences for spousal abuse, while trained community ambassadors continue to lead awareness campaigns.

According to the organisers, these measures are the result of sustained engagement with traditional institutions and grassroots actors across the state’s three senatorial districts.

The Executive Director of Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative, Nurah Jimoh-Sanni, said the programme has moved beyond awareness to measurable community action.

She cited a recent case of sexual violence in one of the participating communities where, contrary to past practices of informal settlements, residents insisted on formal reporting, leading to the arrest and prosecution of the suspect.

“That moment was not just about justice for one survivor, but a reflection of a deeper shift in community attitudes towards accountability and protection,” she said.

Also speaking, Ahmad Adebowale, the organisation’s Community Engagement Officer, said traditional leaders have taken increasing ownership of the initiative.

“Traditional rulers are no longer just being consulted; they are actively convening stakeholders, enforcing community charters, and ensuring compliance with agreed standards,” he said.

The programme has, over the past two years, conducted multiple engagements with first-class traditional rulers and facilitated workshops that led to the development of 20 GBV prevention messages in local languages, including Yoruba and Nupe.

The Emir of Ilorin, who had earlier endorsed the initiative as a “cultural and moral necessity,” was represented at the event by Usman Atolagbe Abubakar Jos, the Balogun Alanamu of Ilorin Emirate, who participated in a panel session on the role of traditional institutions in addressing GBV.

As part of efforts to deepen community engagement, a Yoruba-language version of the GBV Prevention Advocacy Toolkit was formally launched at the event, following requests from stakeholders at the inaugural edition last year.

Delivering a keynote address, a communication scholar at the University of Ilorin, Prof. Saudat Salah Abdulbaqi, emphasised the influence of traditional leaders in shaping social norms.

She noted that survivors often seek help within their communities before approaching formal institutions, stressing that leadership at the grassroots level remains critical to changing attitudes.

“What leaders tolerate becomes culture, and what they condemn begins to change,” she said.

The Ford Foundation also reaffirmed its support for preventive approaches to GBV, with its Programme Officer for Gender, Racial and Ethnic Justice, Izeduwa Derex-Briggs, stating that the focus remains on stopping violence before it occurs.

“At Ford Foundation, we do not wait for violence to happen. We are invested in ensuring that GBV does not happen,” she said.

Organisers described the event as a transition point from pilot interventions to broader expansion, with plans to scale the model across more communities in the state.

Jimoh-Sanni said the progress recorded so far demonstrates that community-led approaches can complement formal systems in addressing GBV.

“The question is no longer whether change is possible, but how far we are willing to take it,” she said.

The initiative also highlighted emerging threats, including technology-facilitated gender-based violence, with the introduction of an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot designed to provide real-time support to victims.

In addition, a 21-member multi-stakeholder committee has been inaugurated to coordinate responses between government agencies, traditional institutions, and civil society groups.

The event concluded with participants signing a public commitment board and recording video pledges aimed at strengthening advocacy and sustaining momentum against gender-based violence across Kwara communities.