VIRGIN HEART FOUNDATION MARCH 2022 NEWSLETTER.

MONITORING VISIT TO WOMEN PEER EDUCATORS DURING SESSION (OBIWURUOTU UMUOMA WOMEN WING OGBE)

Virgin heart foundation team on a monitoring visit to women peer educators visited Obiwuruotu Umuoma Women Wing during peer session. This is recorded as the third monitoring visit to the group.           The women were  on sexual violence (marital rape, incest), physical violence, child abuse, harmful widowhood practices, and FGM which are prevalence in the community.           VHF team who were on a monitoring visit,  informed the women about the VAPP law which is a working document against GBV/VAWG. The women were charged to always speak out in cases of violence and to always access help to others. The following were noted as the major concerns of the women during the meeting. Harmful widowhood practices, expressing regrets that most of the practices are been imposed by their fellow women.Sexual violence in public places, especially the markets areas.Insecurity especially in the bushes during farming seasons.Several cases of sexual violence (incest and child defilement) in the community, but there are still culture of silence as a result of threats of speaking out.Female Genital Mutilation.   VHF team called on the women   to disregard any widowhood practices that are not favorable to them, urged them to take immediate actions on women assuming leadership positions, engage in market sensitization to adjust certain attitudes in the market. They were also told to stop all forms of FGM and seek for medical advices in cases of abnormal/outrageous growths. CONCLUSION/OUTCOME:   The meeting was concluded with the development of action plans. Umuoma Obiwuruotu Women Wing agreed on meeting the traditional leader for constituting and formation of task force committee who will take care of all cases of violence. This committee will work with the law enforcement agencies, security officers and Virgin Heart Foundation to kick against GBV/VAWG in the community.They will also meet with the Eze to take actions on sexual harassment and spousal battery prevalent in the community.Women to organized through persuading the Eze and His council to punish perpetrators  of  Sexual violence in public places, especially the markets areas and reoccurring Insecurity during farming season, were women are most targets.  A Participant(woman) indicated keen interest in contesting for the position of a  Counselor in Ahiazu Mbaise LGA, 2023. On the cause of doing this, VHF advised them not to constitute issues but rather defend and seek for their rights peacefully.

ONE DAY FOCAL DISCUSSION ON CONSTITUTING AND FORMATION OF COMMUNITY COMMITTEE.

On Wednesday, 2nd march 2022, virgin heart foundation Women Peer Educators team with support from actionaid gathered together, Traditional ruler of Ogbe Autonomous Community  and His 14 Cabinets, to dialogue on the appointment of persons with passion and character as VAWG response team in the community, which would be at the leadership of the Eze in-council. This is in-line with women peer educators action plans towards ending VAWG and most importantly ensuring sustainability of SLOC-VAWG project in the community. This committee will work in partnership with the law enforcement agencies, national human right commission, Community stakeholders and Virgin Heart Foundation to challenge harmful socio-cultural norms, transform attitudes towards harmful practices, tackle, monitor and speak about violence and also render psychological first aid to victims.               The Director, National Human Rights Commission,  Imo state chapter (Mrs ukah Ukachi) in her speech, stated that NHRC  is mandated to deal with matters relating to the promotion and protection of human right, including vetting of legislation at all levels to ensure their compliance with human right norms. She therefore, pleaded with the traditional ruler to allow the women to get the identified socio norm that shrinks their safe spaces. She called on the members of the cabinet to abhor what is evil and always speak out in cases of violence.  CONCLUSION:            The outcome of the meeting was overwhelmingly impressive, the traditional ruler and his cabinet gave their maximized supports about the idea and declared interest in having an office in Ogbe where cases of violence can be treated and cases reports properly documented. OUTCOME: Drafting of the names of Committee members as response team to VAWG.Sustaining the committee through having a physical office in ogbe and in charge of hearing and handling matters relating to VAWG

FIRST QUARTERLY MONITORING VISIT TO WOMEN PEER EDUCATORS DURING SESSION (CWO OGBE)

Virgin Heart foundation with support from Action-Aid Nigeria went for their quarterly monitoring visit to women peer educators during session on Saturday,  5th of March 2022.                  Using the Action-Aid manual (module 2, unit 3, Nutrition) , The  facilitator stated the importance of good diet, reflecting to pregnant and lactating  mothers for healthy growth of their babies.             The Director,  National Human Right Commission, NHRC Imo state chapter, Ukah Ukachi reminded the peer educators of their duties of monitoring violence in the community. She also charged the women to stand up in the discharge of their responsibilities and to uphold their rights in the community.          Some of the issues, she noted include, Insecurity in the community during farming season, male dominance and threat of speaking out.     CONCLUSION/OUTCOMES:    The women agreed to rise and tackle issues restricting their safe spaces, which includes; sexual harassment, denial from accessing certain opportunities and privileges, issues of high taxes or levies in the community market.  Women constituted an internal committee appointed within interested members of the CWO to demand for an end to insensitive charges in the market.Women demand that the traditional ruler should make pronouncement and order against sexual violence and  harassment of women in public places.              There was high rate of sensitization and exposure among the women. They were also empowered to speak out in cases of violence.     MORE REPORT ON CWO SUB-COMMITTEE

On Monday 21st March 2022, Women Peer Educators, especially CWO Ogbe, Facilitator, Mrs. Charity Ugwuibe inaugurated the CWO sub-committee of SLOCVAWG at the CWO hall, Holy Trinity Catholic Church Ogbe.

Terms of reference were highlighted to the members, most importantly the harassment by members of a taskforce and daily taxes,  mothers have to pay daily while carrying out their businesses.

Others including sexual harassment of women by men peeping on them while going to convenience. The abolishment of the culture of silence, reporting cases of VAWG of any type, including FGM to relevant persons. Eze is expected to include women in his cabinet. Other things were said too.

The inauguration follows a meeting with the Traditional Ruler of Ogbe Autonomous Community, Ahiazu Mbaise, Eze Ihuoma who promised to ensure that all the request are granted.The women made demands to regulate insensitive collection of market levies and for market task force to checkmate reports on sexual harassment in public places/markets and for the traditional ruler to empower town-crier send warning to perpetrators who harass women and girls in market places.

FIRST QUARTERLY SLOC-VAWG RADIO APPEARANCE PROGRAM     On the 7th of  March 2022, Virgin Heart foundation with support from Action-Aid Nigeria went for their quarterly radio program at Gold 89.3 fm Owerri on breaking the bias of socio-cultural norms that exacerbates VAWG, in commemoration of the International Women’s day celebration 2022.                   The issues affecting women cannot be properly addressed unless there is gender balance/equality.  Women have bias and stereotype already within them due to already existing norms. There is need for more sensitization and advocacy to bring women together for firm, changing the perception that women duties are limited to domestic duties.              NHRC representative and Senior Lawyer, Ihunaanyachukwu Okoroji in her contribution, pointed that women accessing equal opportunity is not a plea or a request  but issue of law as seen in section 42 of the 1999 constitution(as amended).  She noted that there are sanctions that follows violation of the law and maintained that illegality is not gender specific. She highlighted the need for mass awareness and sensitization, as she averred that ignorance is not an excuse in the Nigerian law.           While Peace Dike, ED Virgin heart foundation, spoke in details, the socio-cultural norms that shrinks women safe spaces. She noted that most of these norms are stipulated in the culture made by men, and the women implement them, stating that these norms are deep-rooted in the culture, the changes may not be an immediate one but a gradual process. CONCLUSION:          Women have equal right, women should not be seen as inferior, Virgin Heart Foundation has contributed through the SLOC-VAWG in promotion of women’s right, sensitizing, advocating and empowering women / girls and the community at large towards changing harmful socio cultural that exacerbates VAWG.  Virgin Heart Foundation interaction on air, is to reach out to more people towards breaking gender bias that mitigates women’s safe spaces.

COMMEMORATION OF INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY   Every year, march 8 is celebrated as international women’s day. This year, the goal was to create a gender equal world. It is about celebrating women’s success and raising awareness against bias. A grand celebration was organized by Virgin Heart Foundation team to mark the international women’s day on Tuesday, 8th of march 2022 with the Student of Saint Patrick’s secondary school  Ogbe.               The program grew exhilarating as the students performed an awareness road match down to Ahiara junction speaking on the history of international women’s day and what it entails, women challenging harmful socio norms that powers violence against women and girls, harmful widowhood practices, baby factory/trafficking, incestous violence  and their consequences which they received thunders of applause from the audience. The theme of the year, breaking the bias was displayed as students sensitized the community during their market day . CONCLUSION;  Virgin Heart foundation is working earnestly with no effort reservation towards achieving gender equality and addressing stereotype. On this international women’s day Celebration, VHF is joining individuals and groups around the world by networking young people to create public awareness against cultural biases.   OUTCOME: Peer clubs activity outside the school, impacted in the communitySolidarity match to mark IWD2022Students displayed boldness by speaking on issues towards addressing socio norms and biases that powers VAWG in communities.The awareness created visibility of the ongoing SLOC Project in Ogbe Community.               INTERNATIONAL WOMEN CONVENED BY WOMEN PEER EDUCATORS

VHF Peer educators Ogbe, held a meeting today 11/03/22, to mark the international women’s Day celebration.

Ezinne Charity Ugwuibe addressed the women, she highlights the origin, aims, and objectives of the IWD.

The program also revealed the need for the women to speak out any violence against them and know their rights.

A Facilitator , Mrs Ogadi also speak on harmful traditional practice, and urged the women to stop being the perpetrators, and try to abolish these norms.

Amb Mrs Nkem Nwosu advise the women to support their fellow women when they are being attacked by men, support them in leadership, in the society and in every social ramifications.

Mrs Chinyere Ndulaka also contributed by appealing to the women to stop” mbetu akwa”(crying to the maiden home of a woman when she dies) she emphasised that a lot of humiliation and ill treatment are given to the daughters in-law.

OUTCOME

Women agreed to campaign against mbetu akwa and warn other women who are still practicing it to desist from it.

The women also agreed to stop FGM, pressing the clitoris with thumb, which is the common method here.

Quarterly monitoring visits to the 5 women groups during peer sessions

MONITORING VISIT TO WOMEN PEER EDUCATORS DURING SESSION AMORJI WOMEN WING OGBENNEISII)

VHF with support from ActionAid Nigeria was at Amorji, Ogbenneisii Ahiazu Mbaise for a Monitoring Exercise of our Women Peer Educators during peer session .

The session was facilitated by Perpetual Amadi using the ActionAid  Manual to teach on “Rest and Recreation, Module 2 of AAN Peer Education Manual.

During the session, Women also discussed on certain socio-cultural norms confronting women and girls in the area.

The women resolved to work together towards confronting the harmful norms that support Violence Against Women and Girls.

OUTCOME

The group identified spousal battery or physical violence as the common violence perpetuated against women in their ward and resolved that women would organize themselves to protest against any man or group that assaults women in the community.

Part of their resolution ]of the women group, was working with the traditional Ruler and His Council to punish perpetrators violating the rights of women and girls in their ward.

Virgin Heart Foundation Board held her first meeting for the year, 2022.

This follows by Deliberation and Resolution taken by the Board to move the Organization to an enviable height. We also had the beautiful presence of the Immediate Past National President, National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) Mrs. Ifenyinwa Omowome, who visited VHF Office in company of Dr. Dorothy Okafor, VHF Board Chairperson.@virginheartfoundation

25th March, 2022, Virgin Heart Foundation received ActionAid Nigeria team in her owerri office.The team came for monitoring support visit to strengthen capacity of the Organization in keeping up with the core values of accountability and transparency.Virgin Heart Foundation keeps getting commendations from Ruth Chinke of ActionAid Nigeria for the good job we do.

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