INTRODUCTION:
The Stop-VAWIP campaign is an initiative that seeks to establish the link between gender-based electoral violence and the low level of participation of women in politics.
Ahead of the gubernatorial election in Edo state on September 19, Girls Power Initiative (GPI) raised awareness on violence targeted at women during elections and conducted advocacy initiatives to relevant stakeholders on the need to mitigate violence against women in politics. From September 18 to 20, 2020, GPI and the Stop VAWIP Response Committee established a Survivor Service Centre to document and respond to incidences of violence against women around the gubernatorial election in Edo state.
Citizens were able to report incidences of violence against women through a hotline, which was widely publicized by Stop-VAWIP partners ahead of the election. By raising awareness of the hotline and the Stop-VAWIP campaign’s mission, the confidence to participate in the election increased, knowing the concerns of women were being monitored and supported.
The “Vote Not to Fight”: Election No Be War Campaign is a youth-focused non-violence voter education campaign that seeks to promote peaceful participation by Nigerian youth in elections. Connected Advocacy for Empowerment and Youth Development Initiative, implemented the campaign in Edo State, using peer to peer engagements, traditional and social media messages, community sensitization, VNF Hour on Speed FM 96.9, jingles, billboards, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement (with youth, INEC, security agencies, traditional and religious leaders, political parties, candidates, etc.) to seek commitments to peaceful participation in elections. The campaign began in 2014 and has been implemented over two national elections (2015 and 2019) and nine off-cycle governorship elections.
The Survivor Service Centre serves as a central location for all operations, including where incidences of violence against women from the hotline are tracked and crucial support and response were provided to victims of gender-based electoral violence. In this election cycle, the center received no fewer than 150 calls before, during, and after the conduct of elections and recorded incidents of violence targeted against women. The Centre tracked cases via partners like Yiaga Africa WTV, Nigeria Electoral Violence, Ministry of Justice, citizens observer and Stop-VAWIP Community mobilizers, and citizens.
Through well thought out community-based sensitization, media publicity, and advocacy to opinion leaders and other stakeholders, the women in various groups and strata were well mobilized and assured that the election will be violence-free so they turned out en masse to cast their votes for the candidate of their choice. See the appendix below for data of women mobilised through sensitization.
However, following the conduct of the September 19th gubernatorial election in Edo State, the Survivors Service Centre raised concern on how women, who constitute over 48% of voters, were disenfranchised and intimidated to vote for a particular candidate during the elections.
The Centre notes that women were not allowed to participate fully in this election due to various forms of gender-based electoral violence; due to hijacking and destruction of election materials in some polling units, sporadic shooting, assault by party activists on female voters, election officials, and observers, others are high cases of coercion by party activists to vote for a particular party or candidate. We, therefore, condemn any act that hinders women's political participation.
We urge voters, men, and women to identify the hotline as an effective medium of tracking and reporting the incidence of gender-based violence in this post-election era.
KEY OBSERVATION:
The Stop-VAWIP Survivors Service Centre noted with great concern the following incidents of violence against women.
1. An elderly woman was assaulted and sustained an injury, while she was preventing party activists from carting away election material from her Polling Unit. Her Unit is located at Tipper Garage in Egor LGA. The center has since reached out to her and provided counseling services from professionals working with Vivian Sexual Assault Referral Centre.
2. A woman late Mrs. Yado Odogbo, of Tolota village, was shot dead and killed in Polling Unit 6 in, Ikoro Ward, Ovia South-West.
3. A female observer deployed by YIAGA Africa to Polling Unit 7, Ward 3 Ewatto, was attacked, matcheted was almost killed, due to her participation in the elections.
4. According to the YIAGA WTV observation report for the Edo Governorship Election, females faced violence, intimidation, and harassment in at least 11% of the total polling unit representing about 299 PU’s in Edo State.
Analysis of Violence Against Women
Physical violence constitutes about 32% of the entire incidents, female voters were affected by bodily harm, assault, attacks and were beaten during the election
Threat and Coercion constitute about 50% of the total number of recorded incidents of violence, notably south-Ibie in Etsako West LGA. Female voters were threatened mostly to vote for a particular candidate and threats to bodily harm Economic Violence constituted about 18% of the total number of recorded incidents of violence against women, this could be seen through reported cases of vote-buying and selling that took place during the polls.
RECOMMENDATION:
1. That voters, men, and women should continue to reject vote-buying during elections. We commend voters, especially women in Unit 6, Ward 4 Okpuje in Owan West LGA who resisted the abuse of voters' choices by party activists.
2. The National Assembly is also called upon to expedite action in the review of the electoral act and constitution, in order to reform Nigeria's electoral process to be more inclusive, secure, and transparent.
3. We call on the Edo State House of Assembly to, quickly review and enact the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill, to provide protection for women and ensure punishment for perpetrators of gender-based violence in the state.
4. Political parties should desist from carrying out ‘do or die politics’ which deters the full participation of women in politics.
5. Security agents are urged to put measures in place for the protection of the Electorate especially women and ensure that all perpetrators of violence are apprehended. The Ministry of Justice to ensure the duly prosecution of offenders to deter further occurrence.
6. Civil Society organizations, Media, National Orientation Agencies, and other stakeholders should continue their awareness of eradicating all forms of gender-based violence in the state.
CONCLUSION:
The Stop-VAWIP Response Committee is committed to awareness-raising, advocating for behavioral change, sensitizing citizens on gender-based violence (GBV), tracking and responding to cases of GBV, and improving women’s political participation in the state. The Committee will also continue to encourage women’s participation in electoral and political processes. We urge voters, men, and women to identify the hotline as an effective medium of tracking and reporting the incidence of gender-based violence in this post-election era and to as well visit the Vivian Sexual Assault and Referral Centre for assistance.
Long live the people of Edo state. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Thank you
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