Foundation Sets Up Mechanism to End Violence in 4 Volatile States, Gives Reasons

• The growing violence across communities in Nigeria have become a great concern for all and sundry
• There have been pockets of violence in several states in the country with each presenting its own peculiarity
• That is why CLEEN Foundation is setting up mechanism that to help identify the early warning signs of violence and work towards ensuring it does not snowball into something bigger

A foundation has launched a mechanism to nip violence in various communities across Nigeria in the bud.

CLEEN Foundation, a non-governmental organisation on Tuesday, November 23, launched an Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) Project in Nigeria.

The project will focus on mitigating violence across 16 communities in four volatile states - Kaduna, Plateau, Zamfara and Taraba - in the northern region of the country.

Speaking during the establishment of the EWER stakeholders' forum and community safety partners in Kaduna, Ruth Olofin, the acting director of CLEEN Foundation said the project has been designed to contribute to ending violence in the country.

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The event was streamed online and monitored by Legit.ng virtually.

Addressing violence in the northern part of Nigeria

Olofin who was represented by Chigozirim Okoro, an assistant program manager with CLEEN, said the northern region of the country has recently seen an increase in the rate of violent conflicts with different underpinnings. 

She said these growing incidents across the region calls for review of strategy of operation by duty bearers especially the government.

She said the violence across the north and Nigeria as a whole has raised several queries on human security in the country. 

Factors contributing to violence in Nigeria

According to her, several of these incidents are being driven by the effects of climate change; ethnic, religious and cultural tensions; weak response by security agencies. 

She said human security entails a comprehensive, people-orientated, context specific responses that can strengthen the protection and empowerment of all persons. 

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She said:

"We have seen governments at different levels come up with several strategies and policies intended to address the multiple layers of insecurity in the country."

"It is against this backdrop that CLEEN Foundation has established EWER Stakeholders Forum and Community Safety Partners."

Olofin added that the workshop is also aimed at intimating stakeholders on the project goals, objectives and expected outcomes.

She said

"We are convinced that a successful implementation of this project will help to mitigate violent conflicts in Kaduna state."

"We, therefore, solicit for the cooperation of everyone, including, traditional, religious youth, community and women leaders, formal and informal policing groups, the public, Kaduna Peace Commission and other relevant stakeholders in the State to contribute to the realization of the project objectives."

Nigeria partners British Council to end sexual and gender-based violnce

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the British Council in partnership with the ministry of justice, the FCT judicial council and NAPTIP are on the path to end gender-based violence in Nigeria.

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The partnership would focus on ensuring that survivors of SGBV are adequately protected from further harm.

Some of the activities line up by the team in commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence 2021 include a mock Sexual and Gender-Based Violent Court.

Young activists set to make social change in Nigeria

In other news, 20 young Nigerians have been selected to drive policy changes, support interventions and promote collective responsibility that could bring about social change across the country.

The young activists selected for the Speak Up Stand Out (SUSO) program were drawn from various parts of the country to pilot the drive to make a change in communities across three Nigerian states.

The three states selected for a pilot test of the initiative are Abuja, Lagos and Enugu as the project would run for 12 months.

Source: Legit.ng