LUX TERRA TRAINS OSUN STATE WOMEN LEADERS  ON ELIMINATING SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (SGBV)

LUX TERRA TRAINS OSUN STATE WOMEN LEADERS ON ELIMINATING SEXUAL AND GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (SGBV)

In a strategic move by the Lux Terra Leadership Foundation to intensify its campaign on the elimination of sexual and gender-based violence through training of community stakeholders in Nigeria, 29 women leaders, comprising the First Lady of Osun State, Chief Mrs Titilola Adeleke, and First Ladies of Local Government Chairmen in the State, participated in a training workshop that explored the use of Christian and Islamic religious texts and teachings as powerful tools to combat the problem of SGBV.  

The workshop which held from the 21st to 26th of October, 2024 explored topics such as Religious and Cultural Beliefs and Practices as they Relate to SGBV, Preventing SGBV through Strategic Communication and Advocacy, and Introduction to Psychological First Aid, among others. These topics set the tone for affirming the equality and dignity of the human person, regardless of gender, by drawing from Christian and Islamic teachings to condemn all forms and manifestations of gender-based violence. 

Speaking on behalf of the Osun women after the intensive training, Yeye Monisade Awotunde thanked Lux Terra for the comprehensive training workshop which, according to her, has enhanced their understanding of the complexities of SGBV, equipped them with effective response and prevention strategies, and fostered a supportive network of advocates. 

The participants joined a growing list of Lux Terra-trained Advocates who are well equipped to combat the menace of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Nigeria. The 29 women leaders formed the 10th cohort trained by Lux Terra on eradicating SGBV with the support of Ford Foundation. 

Lux Terra is on a mission to eliminate SGBV in Nigeria through the direct training of community and religious stakeholders across the country. The trained stakeholders are in turn expected to become community advocates for the elimination of SGBV. Under the project, Lux Terra has a goal of educating 20,000 Nigerians to combat, denounce, renounce, reject, and report practices and acts, whether cultural, social, or religious, that amount to the crime of sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria.