LESSONS LEARNED

Justice Research Institute October 2021 1

AND BEST PRACTICES FROM

SEXUAL AND

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (SGBV) INTERVENTIONS IN NIGERIA

A GUIDELINE FOR FUTURE SGBV ENGAGEMENTS

Justice Research Institute

October 2021

TABLE OF CONTENT

List Of Acronyms 3

Section 1: Introduction 4

Section 2: Methodology 6

Section 3: Findings And Discussions 7

1. The Nigeria Police Force (NPF)

(Officer In Charge Of Gender) 7

1. The Nigeria Police Force (NPF)

(Officer In Charge Of Community Policing) 11

1. The Federal Capital Territory Sexual And

Gender-Based Violence Response Team (FCT SGBV-RT) 13

1. Lagos State – Domestic And Sexual Violence

Response Team (DSVRT) 17

1. Partner West Africa Nigeria (PWAN) 20
2. Cleen Foundation 24
3. Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation (AAAF) 28
4. Partnership To Engage, Reform and Learn (PERL) 31
5. Desk Review On Lessons Learnt 34
6. Desk Review On Best Practices 35

Section 4: How Current Projects Can Generate Lessons Learned And Best Practices To Disseminate

During The Implementation Phase 36

Section 5: Conclusion 39

LIST OF ACRONYMS

AAAF Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation

CS Civil Society

CSO Civil Society Organisation

FCT SGBV-RT Federal Capital Territory Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Response Team

JRI Justice Research Institute

KII Key Informant Interview

LASHMA Lagos State Health Management Agency

LSDSVRT Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team

MoWA Ministry of Women Affairs

NGO Non-Governmental Organisation

NPF Nigeria Police Force

NSCDC Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)

PERL Partnership To Engage, Reform and Learn

PWAN Partners West Africa Nigeria

ROLAC Rule of Law and Anti-corruption

SARC Sexual Assault Referral Centre

SGBV Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

UN United Nations

VAPP Violence Against Persons Probation Act

VAWG Violence Against Women and Girls

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

The issue of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) remains one of the major predominant and persistent challenges confronting women and girls all over the world, including Nigeria. Heise et al. (2008)1 estimated that 1 in every 3 women would experience some form of SGBV in their lifetime. One of the major side effects of the SGBV is that the survivor never remains the same as the trauma continues to linger in her memory, which may trigger other psychological and emotional challenges in the survivor. An essential feature of SGBV is that it has no economic or social boundaries and affects women and girls of all socio-economic backgrounds. Thus, tackling SGBV cases in Nigeria requires strategic and targeted interventions.

Several interventions in the past and currently focused on managing and reducing the instances of SGBV, and these interventions have recorded a good number of achievements. For example, the Nigeria Police Force has been able to prosecute 2,900 SGBV cases; 85 cases got judgement, while 2,100 cases are pending in court. The Federal Capital Territory Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Team secured justice for a six-year-old girl in September 2018. The perpetrator was sentenced to 14 years in prison for rape. Governmental agencies like the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (LSDSVRT) and the Federal Capital Territory Sexual Gender-Based Violence Response Team (FCT SGBV-RT); and non-government organisations (NGOs) like Justice Research Institute (JRI), CLEEN Foundation, and Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN) among others, are working tirelessly to eradicate SGBV in Nigeria.

These organisations have employed several strategies centred on education, care, support, and justice for the survivors. The past strategies have included advocacy, sensitisation, awareness-raising on SGBV and its adverse impact. Other strategies implemented are capacity-building workshops for first responder agencies on handling SGBV cases and life skills and financial literacy training for SGBV survivors. Also, the organisations have enhanced the survivor’s access to essential care services, which include psycho-social and medical services. And finally, and most critical, access to

1 Heise L., Ellsberg M. and Gottemoeller M., “Ending Violence Against Women.” Population Reports, Series L, No. 11., cited by International Women’s Health Coalition, “Triple Jeopardy: Female Adolescence, Sexual Violence and HIV/AIDS.” June 2008.

justice through the persecution of perpetrators in the Court of Law.

Undoubtedly, these organisations have implemented a range of successful strategies to improve SGBV case management, producing lessons learned and best practices. However, there are still widespread SGBV cases in Nigeria, which highlights that there is still much to be done to ensure SGBV cases are brought to the minimal level. Consequently, this report seeks to document the lessons learned and best practices from past and current SGBV interventions to inform an improved SGBV strategy that will enhance the capacity and capabilities of first responder agencies, particularly the Police, to receive, record, and respond to SGBV cases.

The lessons learned and best practices will continuously improve and manage current and future SGBV interventions.

SECTION 2: METHODOLOGY

A Key Informant Interview (KII) questionnaire with structured and semi-structured questions was designed to capture data to draft the lessons learned and best practices document on SGBV interventions in Nigeria. The KIIs elicited information on SGBV engagement, which included describing their approach, sharing the success stories, what worked well and not so well in the engagement. Also, what should have been done differently; suggestions on how to avoid any setback in future SGBV engagement; what is seen as best practice within SGBV engagement; what best practices, experiences, or learning lessons to expect or like to see in future SGBV programs. The consultant conducted the interview virtually or physically depending on the preference of the organisations/partners; both methods were highly interactive. The consultant gave room for quality contribution from the organisations/partners to achieve the set objective. The organisations/partners responded by sharing their experiences and discussing the implications for SGBV’s future engagement. At the same time, the facilitator (the consultant) doubled as a notetaker to capture all the relevant information that emanated during the discussion as evidence and facilitated the process of collation, synthesis, and analysis of the data. The organisations/partners interviewed include; NPF (DPC in Charge of Gender), NPF (OC community policing). FCT SGBV-RT Desk Officer, PWAN Program Manager, LSDSVRT Coordinator, CLEEN Foundation Coordinator, Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation (AAAF), Executive Director, and PERL Gender Focal Person. The consultant also conducted a desk review of existing project documents on SGBV to extract lessons learned and best practices to complement the in-depth interviews.

SECTION 3:

FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

This section presents the findings and discussions from the interviews. To elicit information on lessons learned and best practices from the organisations/partners, some leading preliminary questions that show the trajectory of travel from engagement activities to the lessons learned and best practices were asked. These questions are; what worked well in their SGBV engagements? What did not work well? What should have been done differently? These questions set the tone for identifying lessons learned and best practices. Also, the partners/organisations were asked what they would expect and like to see in future SGBV engagements and suggestions on avoiding setbacks in future SGBV engagements. The information generated will guide future engagements in terms of learning in real-time from the inception of SGBV engagement to adjust, adapt and replicate where possible. For instance, current and future SGBV projects need to consider what worked and what did not work, what should have been done differently, and the suggestions on avoiding setbacks in future SGBV engagement. The responses from each organisation/ partner are presented below;

THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE (NPF) (OFFICER IN CHARGE OF GENDER)

The Officer in Charge of Gender, the Nigeria Police Force, was interviewed to gather information on what worked well in past SGBV engagements, what did not work well, what should have been done differently? Also, questions were asked on lessons learned and best practices, what is expected and what will be ideal in future SGBV engagements, and suggestions on how to avoid setbacks in future engagements. The responses are captured below.

What Worked Well?

1. The collaborative effort between UNICEF and Nigeria Police Force to develop a training manual and Standard Operating Procedure on SGBV.
2. Training and retraining of police officers handling SGBV cases.
3. Provision of shelter for SGBV survivors, particularly children.

What Did Not Work Well?

1. The Gender Desk Offices set up in higher institutions to promote effective SGBV management are non-functional due to lack of training for officers and funding.
2. The Gender Lab set up to promote analysis and diagnosis of SGBV cases due to

funding challenges.

What Should Have Been Done Differently?

1. More effort should have been put into the management of the Gender Lab.
2. There should have been more sensitisation and awareness campaigns to change the public’s perception of the Police handling of SGBV cases.
3. Routine monitoring and evaluation visits by the gender desk officers and funding partners to some of the target states would have improved SGBV engagements.
4. A dedicated budget for SGBV management should have been put in place to reduce occasional out-of-pocket financing made by gender desk officers.

Lessons Learned

The lessons learned identified by the Nigeria Police Force (Officer in Charge of Gender) in SGBV engagements are briefly discussed below.

Lesson Learned 1:

Effective Partnership With Other Governmental Agencies And Non-Governmental Organisations Promotes Effective SGBV Case Management.

This lesson implies that a multisectoral approach to SGBV case management is most effective, allowing for enhanced coordination, less overlapping, and duplication of efforts by stakeholders/partners handling SGBV cases. Another benefit of the multisectoral approach is the improved understanding of the roles and responsibilities of each partner in the referral chain of SGBV case management. Also, the partnership fosters learning through reflection sessions among the partners/organisations.

Lesson Learned 2:

Police Are Trainable And Institutional Changes Occur When Police Are Trained.

This lesson indicates that training police officers on SGBV case management is possible and can lead to a positive change of attitude and behaviour towards SGBV survivors. The attitudinal change could subsequently lead to an improvement in SGBV case management in Nigeria. Some police officers currently have the requisite skills, knowledge, abilities, and competencies to manage SGBV cases successfully. Others may require extensive training to acquire these prerequisite skills to understand the dynamism and complexity involved in managing SGBV cases and contribute significantly to the Nigeria Police Force’s effort in managing SGBV in Nigeria. Thus, providing specialised training for police officers on SGBV cases management could improve the Police’s handling of SGBV cases.

Lesson Learned 3:

Sensitisation Is Capable Of Reducing The Issue Of Non-Reporting Cases Of SGBV.

Survivors, mainly in the local communities, may not report SGBV cases to the appropriate authority because they lack awareness of the processes for reporting SGBV cases and the short and long-term benefits of doing so. Conducting sensitisation campaigns, particularly in the local communities, would go a long way in empowering the locals to understand what they should know about SGBV, like the access points for support and care and reporting channels available to survivors, and how they can access such services. If all rightsholders are aware of the above-mentioned services, this will empower survivors to report SGBV cases to appropriate authorities.

Lesson Learned 4:

Sensitisation Is Required To Change Perceptions Informed By Cultural And Reli- gious Beliefs In Certain Parts Of The Country.

SGBV affects women and girls irrespective of religion and cultural affiliation; however, culture and religion could influence how SGBV is addressed. Sometimes, cultural and religious norms and practices justify SGBV and how women and girls (survivors) are treated. Some cultural beliefs negate females’ rights, which promote violence against women, while others relegate females to the background in the scheme of things within the society. In other words, some local communities’ culture and religious beliefs can hinder access to services such as support, care and justice. Therefore, there is a need for partners/organisations to be sensitive to the religion and culture of the people in the local communities when managing SGBV cases, and they should do more awareness raising to change the public’s perception of SGBV.

Lesson Learned 5:

Involvement Of Traditional Leaders And Other Influencers Promotes The Participation Of The Communities.

The traditional leaders, women leaders, wives of religious leaders, market heads, men and youths need to be engaged before the commencement of any SGBV engagement because their awareness and buy-in could place them as SGBV activists. By involving these categories of people, SGBV issues could gain more visibility within the local communities. On the other hand, it could help gain legitimacy and local ownership of the SGBV engagement in the communities. For example, the religious leaders could use their various platforms to campaign against SGBV issues based on scriptures and teachings to their congregations and advocate enacting and enforcing laws to protect community members, especially women and girls.

Best Practices In SGBV Engagement.

The key best practice identified by NPF (Officer in Charge of Gender) in their SGBV engagements is briefly discussed below.

Best Practice:

UNICEF Model Of Step-Down Training

This entails training selected police officers by consultants as master trainers, who sub- sequently train other officers. The benefit of the step-down training model is that it en- courages learning, increases the pool of police officers trained on SGBV management, and promotes sustainability of the training within the Nigeria Police Force.

Suggestions On How To Avoid Set Back In Future SGBV Engagements.

1. Funding partners need to consult the Police Force at the point of SGBV program

design.

1. For SGBV engagements to be successful in states and local communities, program managers should get buy-in from the Police Headquarters.
2. Sensitisation campaigns at the grassroot through churches, mosques, traditional leaders, and other influencers need to be done.

What NPF (Officer in Charge of Gender) Expect To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. A functional Gender Lab.
2. Dedicated budget for SGBV management to reduce the complaint about the Police asking money for logistics from survivors.

What The NPF (Officer in Charge of Gender) Will Like To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. Additional training workshops for police officers, particularly, gender desk officers on handling SGBV.
2. Change in the public’s perception towards the Police through sensitisation and awareness campaigns for the public.

2. THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE (NPF)

(OFFICER IN CHARGE OF COMMUNITY POLICING)

The Officer in Charge of Community Policing, the Nigeria Police, was interviewed to gather information on what worked well in past SGBV engagements, what did not work well, what they should have done differently? Also, questions were asked on lessons learned and best practices, what is expected and what will be ideal in future SGBV engagements, and suggestions on how to avoid setbacks in future SGBV engagements. The responses are captured below.

What Worked Well?

The NPF (OC Community Policing) identified one fundamental approach that worked well in past SGBV engagements: frequent consultation with survivors on support and services rendered to create trust and confidence in the Police’s management of SGBV cases.

What Did Not Work Well?

1. Lack of funding to train additional police officers hinders the professional handling of SGBV cases, especially in rural areas.
2. The Police Force has resource challenges in engaging and creating awareness within communities about the threats of SGBV.
3. Cultural issues mostly hamper investigations and prevent getting justice for survivors, particularly in local communities.
4. Officers who are trained do not stay long enough to impact their knowledge before being transferred. This hamper continuity and transfer of knowledge to other police officers.

Lessons Learned By NPF (Officer In Charge Community Policing) In SGBV Engagements.

The Nigeria Police Force (Officer in Charge of Community Policing) identified one key lesson learned, which is presented below.

Lesson Learned:

Effective Partnership And Engagement With Other Agencies And NGOs.

No one sector, organisation, or agency can bring an end to the issue of SGBV, which makes it imperative to partner with different organisations and agencies to achieve results in SGBV management. An effective partnership among partners/organisations working on SGBV issues can add value and maximise resources for successful SGBV program implementation. Partners/organisations could leverage each other’s strengths and resources like expertise and network in SGBV engagement to achieve results.

Best Practices identified by NPF (Officer in Charge of Community Policing) in SGBV Engagements.

The NPF (Officer in Charge of Community Policing) identified one key best practice in SGBV engagement, which is stated below.

Best Practice:

Effective Partnership

The importance of effective partnership cannot be overemphasised. The Nigeria Police Force, collaborating with the Ministry of Women Affairs and the Government hospitals in Gombe state, enhanced the successful handling of SGBV cases. This sort of partner- ship promotes the efficient use of resources and technical skills since no agency has all the resources and technical skills to handle with SGBV issues. Resource leveraging is one of the significant benefits of effective partnership.

NPF (Officer in Charge of Community Policing) Suggestions On Avoiding Setbacks in Future SGBV Engagements.

1. Government should enact a policy that integrates all Government Agencies working on SGBV together instead of working in silos.
2. All agencies working together should develop one strategic approach to handling SGBV.
3. The Police should professionalise training for officers in SGBV case

management.

1. Officers trained should remain in their posts for at least 10 years.
2. Government should create a particular budget line for SGBV case management.

What NPF (Officer in Charge of Community Policing) expect to see in Future SGBV Engagements?

1. More coordinated and focused partnership. Every agency must recognise that SGBV issues require a multi-agency approach and that no agency on its own can deal with all the ramifications or implications of the problems. The expertise required is spread across several agencies.

3. THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY SEXUAL AND

GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE RESPONSE TEAM (FCT SGBV-RT).

The Desk officer from the FCT SGBV-RT was interviewed to gather information on what worked well in past SGBV engagements, what did not work well, what they should have done differently? Also, questions were asked on lessons learned and best practices, what is expected and what will be ideal in future SGBV engagements, and suggestions on how to avoid setbacks in future SGBV engagements. The responses are captured below.

What Worked Well In FCT SGBV-RT’s SGBV Engagements?

1. The multisectoral approach used in handling SGBV cases. This involves coordinating the activities of responder agencies with an explicit mandate to perform their a specific role and refer the survivors to the next responder agency.
2. Provision of financial support to settle the medical bills of survivors.
3. Provision of transportation support for survivors and parents, (who accompany survivors) for court appearances.
4. Caseworkers assigned to accompany survivors to access services from other responder agencies so they don’t feel demoralised and stop the process of seeking care, support, or justice.
5. The volunteers who provide pro-bono services at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).

What Did Not Work Well In FCT SGBV-RT’s SGBV Engagements?

1. Police’s attitude in the community and rural areas does not promote the work of FCT SGBV-RT.
2. There is usually a lack of designated vehicle to transport survivors to service providers.
3. The unavailability of free medical services for survivors.

What Should FCT SGBV-RT Have Done Differently?

1. The Police should have received more training sessions on SGBV case

management.

1. There should have been provision for financial support to cover survivors’ medical bills to reduce their financial burden.
2. There should have been a budget line for police officers handling SGBV cases so that survivors do not bear administrative cost such as police movement to the crime scene.
3. Caseworkers require additional training sessions on handling SGBV cases especially managing and interviewing children who have suffered violence.

Lessons Learned By FCT SGBV-RT In SGBV Engagements.

The FCT SGVB-RT identified two (2) key lessons learned, which are briefly discussed below.

Lesson Learned 1:

Use Of The Multisectoral Approach

The multisectoral approach is a deliberate collaboration among various actors in SGBV engagement ranging from security agencies, legal services, NGOs, health facilities, and counsellors, among others, to jointly achieve the common goal as individual actors de- liver on their specific mandates. A collaboration of actors working on SGBV issues en- able them to leverage on knowledge, expertise, and resources, thereby, benefiting from their combined and varied strengths as they work toward the common objective of curbing the menace of SGBV in Nigeria.

Lesson Learned 2:

Holistic Referral Approach

The holistic referral approach enables service providers to understand and meet the requirements of survivors, as they consider all services the survivors would need to recover from the trauma caused by the violence. The holistic referral approach ensures that survivors get all required services like counselling, financial support, legal services, among others. Once a referral has taken place, the responsibility of providing care moves to the service provider, and the referral process continues until the survivors get to the final point of the service needed.

Best Practices Identified By FCT SGBV-RT In SGBV Engagements.

The FCT SGBV-RT identified some best practices in SGBV engagement, which are briefly discussed below.

Best Practice 1:

Establishment Of Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) In Buhari

Picking up the best practice from Lagos, ROLAC supported Federal Capital Territory SGBV-Response Team to establish the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in the Buhari Area Council. SGBV survivors have access to all services required like free emergency medical treatment, emotional support, support making a police report, referral services for legal aid, counselling, and follow-up support services at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre. The establishment of more of such centre would go a long way in improving SGBV case management in Nigeria, especially as many disadvantaged persons don’t come forward to report when they experience any form of violence.

Best Practice 2:

Partnership With Spotlight Initiative Led To The Launching Of The National Dashboard For Data Reporting.

The Federal Capital Territory SGBV-Response Team is a partner of the Spotlight Initiative, a global, multi-year partnership between the European Union and the United Nations to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030. The Spotlight Initiative launched the National Dashboard for data reporting. The National Dashboard supports the monitoring of the SGBV cases and helps the FCT SGBV- Response Team better understand the nature and prevalence of SGBV. It also enables the FCT SGBV-Response Team to take decisive action to improve the management of the SGBV cases in Abuja. This is a clear example of the benefit of a partnership. Both partners were able to leverage on their core competence and experience to co-create and assume ownership of the National Dashboard.

Best Practice 3:

Establishment Of A Special Mobile Court For SGBV Cases In Lagos.

One of the significant challenges confronting the management of SGBV cases in Nigeria is the delay in the justice system. For example, since the inauguration of the SGBV Response Team in 2018, the Nigeria Police Force has charged 2,900 SGBV cases to court; so far, judgment has been delivered only on 85 cases, while 2,100 cases are pending in court. The prolonged delay and frequent adjournment of SGBV cases in the Court of Law is one factor that usually discourages survivors from seeking justice because the survivors and their parents, who accompany them to court have to bear the burden of transportation. The establishment of a special mobile court would accelerate the speedy delivery of judgment on SGBV cases and facilitate the conclusion of the SGBV cases within record time.

Best Practice 4:

Use Of Virtual Call Centre For Instant Referral

In pursuit of justice, survivors sometimes are unwilling to progress the process of actualising justice either due to the complex procedure required or their lack of knowledge on how to go about it. With the virtual call centre in place, survivors can quickly contact the centre and get the necessary information and referral to responder agencies.

Best Practice 5:

Use Of Virtual Call Centre To Train 40 Persons On SGBV Management

The Covid-19 movement restriction in April 2020 provided an opportunity to use the virtual call centre to train 40 resources persons on SGBV management. The virtual call centre training sessions are ideal for sharing knowledge and information related to prerequisite skills. The benefit of this training method is that it is cost-effective as it saves resources (time and money) that would have been spent on logistics. It allows for quick and efficient dissemination of essential information to a group of agents at once. However, it may not be suitable in local areas with network challenges.

FCT SGBV-RT Suggestions On How To Avoid Set Back In Future SGBV Engagements.

1. For effective service delivery, necessary equipment required to function should be provided for Nigeria Police Force.
2. There should be a less bureaucratic process for rapid response to SGBV cases.

What FCT SGBV-RT Expects To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. There should be a standard referral pathway to other service providers with a document/form known to all service providers carrying details of the case.
2. Establishment of more SARC in FCT for easy accessibility for people that are far from the only SARC in the FCT.
3. Supporting the centre financially to reduce out-of-pocket financing by survivors

and their families.

1. Capacity building for caseworkers in the SARC.

What FCT SGBV-RT Will Like To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. Establishment of more SARC in common places for easy accessibility for Abuja

residents.

1. Establishment of a central case management system.
2. Establishment of a special mobile court for SGBV cases.
3. Establishment of shelter for temporary accommodation for SGBV survivors in FCT.
4. Direct provision of equipment and resources to the Response Team rather than through NGOs.

4. LAGOS STATE- DOMESTIC AND SEXUAL VIOLENCE

RESPONSE TEAM (DSVRT)

The Director-General of DSVRT was interviewed to gather information on what worked well in past SGBV engagements, what did not work well, what they should have done differently? Also, questions were asked on lessons learned and best practices, what is expected and what will be ideal in future SGBV engagements, and suggestions on how to avoid setbacks in future SGBV engagements. The responses are captured below.

What Worked Well In Lagos State DSVRT’s SGBV Engagements?

1. The political will of the Government.
2. Collaboration between the three (3) arms of Government to address SGBV in the

state.

1. Support of CSOs, who are working tirelessly in the local communities to address SGBV.
2. Effective partnership between NGOs and Government.

What Did Not Work Well In Lagos State DSVRT’s SGBV Engagements?

Working with some Federal institutions like the Nigeria Police Force did not work well because of the frequent posting of officers trained on handling SGBV cases.

What Should Lagos State DSVRT Have Done Differently?

An MOU should have been signed with the Lagos State police command to get their commitment to allow police officers trained on SGBV to stay at least 3 years before posting.

Lessons Learned By Lagos State DSVRT In SGBV Engagements.

The Lagos State DSVRT identified a key lesson learned in their SGBV engagement, which is briefly discussed below.

Lesson Learned: Political Will.

Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team identified significant lesson learned in SGBV engagement in Lagos as ‘the political will’. The political will of the Lagos State Government enabled the release of appropriate designated funds for SGBV engagement, which was used for professional and institutional strengthening, and capacity building of relevant agencies to handle on SGBV cases.

Best Practices Identified By Lagos State DSVRT In SGBV Engagements.

The Lagos State DSVRT identified some best practices in SGBV engagement, which are briefly discussed below.

Best Practice 1:

Good Partnership Between Non-Governmental Organisations And Government.

Successful partnerships bring to the frontline each partner’s core competence and experience to build synergies for co-creation and sustainable engagement. A partnership is necessary to succeed in SGBV management in Nigeria because as the number of SGBV cases increases, so is the services needed by the survivors increasing; hence the management should not be left to the Government or CSOs alone. For example, while the Government strengthen the agencies working on SGBV for effective response to SGBV management and put in place laws, policies, and programmes directed at addressing and eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls; the CSOs with experience in community mobilisation can voice the concerns of the vulnerable ones in the community through awareness creation and sensitisation on SGBV.

Best Practice 2:

Effective Coordination Of Services Among The Relevant Agencies.

Government projects usually involve many agencies that require coordination and cooperation. However, in most cases, that coordination is lacking. The success recorded by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) is a result of effective coordination among all the agencies such as; The Nigeria Police, Directorate of Public Prosecutions, Office of the Public Defender, the Directorate of Citizens’ Rights, Office of Youth and Social Development, Ministries of Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Health and Education, Civil Society Organizations. The media is also involved in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence crimes. Effective coordination leads to a clear understanding of the goals and objectives of projects and harmonisation of the agencies’ efforts towards the successful implementation of such projects. One of the key factors that have led to the success of SGBV case management in Lagos is the coordination among the relevant agencies working on SGBV in Lagos. The agencies were able to coordinate their services with one another under the assumption that collaborative activity can facilitate access to services, reduce unnecessary duplication of effort, and produce a more effective response to SGBV cases.

Best Practice 3:

Government Institutions Taking Ownership Of The SGBV Project.

It is imperative to identify and engage relevant stakeholders in implementing SGBV interventions to help the stakeholders fulfil their specific stakeholder responsibilities. Engaging the pertinent stakeholders in SGBV intervention will promote local ownership and institutionalisation of that project. The engagement between the Lagos State DSVRT

and the Ministry of Youths and Social Development, and the State Primary Health Care Board led to both institutions taking ownership and institutionalising the project. For example, a particular line for responding to sexual violence was created in the health facilities. A sexual intervention fund was also made available for the Lagos State Health Management Agency (LASHMA).

Lagos State DSVRT Suggestions On How To Avoid Set Back In SGBV Future Engagements.

1. Creation of State police to empower police in the community to enforce the law.
2. Intensive partnership with Lagos State Police Command to ensure that before officers are deployed from the police college, they undergo a course in handling SGBV cases.

What Lagos State DSVRT Expects To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. More collaboration and coordination to discourage working in silos.
2. Enhanced coordination of services since many agencies are working on SGBV.

What Lagos State DSVRT Would Like To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. A one-stop shop where survivors can access all the required services in a

building.

5. PARTNER WEST AFRICA NIGERIA (PWAN)

The Program Manager of PWAN was interviewed to gather information on what worked well in past SGBV engagements, what did not work well, what they should have done differently? Also, questions were asked on lessons learned and best practices, what is expected and what will be ideal in future SGBV engagements, and suggestions on how to avoid setbacks in future SGBV engagements. The responses are captured below.

What Worked Well In PWAN’s SGBV Engagements?

1. The three-dimension approach to addressing SGBV (Legal service, Capacity building, and Awareness creation).
2. A locally-led process where the team engaged the communities to understand their context and challenges before engagement.

What Did Not Work Well In PWAN’s SGBV Engagements?

1. Frequent transfer of trained officers disrupts engagement and hamper continuity and transfer of SGBV knowledge and experience to other police officers.
2. Resistance from some local communities in the North due to cultural and

religious beliefs.

What PWAN Should Have Done Differently?

The Partner West Africa Nigeria mentioned what they would have done differently in SGBV engagement. There should have been more targeted engagement with men, religious and traditional leaders in the communities rather than the general engagement. This would have helped gather the honest opinion of men, religious and traditional leaders regarding SGBV issues and change their orientation.

Lessons Learned by PWAN in SGBV Engagements.

The following are the lessons learned identified by PWAN in their SGBV engagements.

Lesson Learned 1:

Engagement With Persons Of Influence Before SGBV Engagements.

Persons with influence can provide an immense boost to SGBV engagements in the communities. Meeting with persons of influence within the security agencies and local communities like women leaders, wife of a religious leader, market head, religious leaders, traditional leaders before the commencement of SGBV engagements in the local communities. These influential persons may support gathering, participation in, acceptance and support for SGBV engagement in the community and convince people who might feel apathy for SGBV engagements.

Lesson Learned 2:

Engage Force Headquarters To Get Buy-in Before Engaging In The States.

It is appropriate to get the buy-in of the management of Nigeria Police Force headquarters to ensure the commitment of police officers in the states and local communities. For example, getting the buy-in from the relevant Nigeria Police Force

hierarchy like IG, DIGs, and AIGs in SGBV would improve the participation of the states and local community police towards achieving success in SGBV management in the states and local communities. This is because buy-in from the senior police officers can trigger a sense of belonging and attachment.

Lesson 3:

Understanding Different Local Contexts And Adapting Engagement To Suit Them.

There is a need to understand the different local contexts and adapt engagement to suit the local context, bearing in mind that Gender-Based Violence is structural and contextual. This is an important lesson learned because it applies the Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approach, where the locals identify some of the root causes of SGBV incidents and proffer possible solutions to them.

Best Practices Identified By PWAN In SGBV Engagements.

PWAN identified some key best practices in their SGBV engagement, which are briefly discussed below.

Best Practice 1:

Capacity Building For Security Agencies On How To Collect Evidence.

The rate of SGBV incidents in Nigeria will not reduce if perpetrators are not being convicted. To get justice for the SGBV survivors in Nigerian law court requires substantial evidence by the prosecutors. It has been observed that several SGBV cases were thrown out by the Court on the declaration that those cases lack substantial evidence for prosecution, even when there is glaring evidence to that effect. Sometimes the police are often reasonably sure that an individual is responsible for rape but may remain unable to establish guilt by legally permissible evidence. Thus, it is imperative to build the capacity of the security agencies on how to collect sufficient legally admissible evidence to convince the judge that an individual charged with rape is guilty.

Best Practice 2:

Training Personnel In The Ministry Of Justice.

The justice system is the last hope for survivors; an ineffective system cannot promote SGBV management in Nigeria. Therefore, training for the Ministry of Justice is also paramount to challenging and changing behaviours, practices, or procedures that create obstacles to equal access to justice for women and girls, and promote those that ensure better access. Such training would provide a better understanding of the justice system that ignores the differences between women and men, girls and boys, and how

they can access justice may prevent them from being treated fairly and achieving justice in SGBV cases.

Best Practice 3:

Recognition Of Mental Health Effect Of SGBV On Survivors.

There is a need for the implementers of SGBV projects to recognise the mental health effects of SGBV on survivors, such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depres- sion, anxiety, substance misuse, self-harm, and suicidal behaviour, and sleep distur- bances. Also, SGBV survivors may face stigma and rejection from their community and family. Thus, such survivors need psychosocial support to overcome the SGBV effects and reintegrate back into their families and community. For example, counselling the survivors would make them feel safe, reduce anxiety, and feel that their needs have been met and ready to integrate back into their society.

PWAN Suggestions On How To Avoid Set Back In Future SGBV Engagements.

1. There should be a more concerted effort from Civil Society Organisations around SGBV engagement.
2. There should be collective and coordination effort around SGBV engagement for complementarity and avoidance of duplicated effort.
3. Personality with influence in local communities should be engaged to avoid

rejection by the community.

What PWAN Expects To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. More coordination among Civil Society Organisations.
2. More documentation on SGBV engagement so other actors can learn and understand what has already been done on SGBV.

What PWAN Would Like To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. Every SGBV case is prosecuted to a logical conclusion.
2. More convictions of perpetrators to deter others.
3. Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) act should be used effectively and more states should adopt it.
4. The level of evidence required for an adult and child should not be the same. Children should be required to provide less evidence because they may express themselves like adults.

6. CLEEN FOUNDATION.

A project team member from CLEEN Foundation was interviewed to gather information on what worked well in past SGBV engagements, what did not work well, what they should have done differently? Also, questions were asked on lessons learned and best practices, what is expected and what will be ideal in future SGBV engagements, and suggestions on how to avoid setbacks in future SGBV engagements. The responses are captured below.

What Worked Well In CLEEN Foundation’s SGBV Engagements?

1. Quality planning and implementation of SGBV interventions.
2. Working with Nigeria Police Force to coach and guide them on using ICT in the Gender Lab set-up.
3. Use of professionals to train the gender desk officers on SGBV management.
4. Interaction sessions with the Nigeria Police Force on SGBV case management.

What Did Not Work Well In CLEEN Foundation’s SGBV Engagements?

1. The assumption that police officers to be trained to manage Gender Labs were computer literate.
2. The inability of some of the gender desk officers to utilise computers effectively.
3. The unfamiliarity of some police offers with the Internet distorted the training

schedule.

What Should CLEEN Foundation Have Done Differently?

1. Training and sensitisation campaigns should have been done in the local

communities.

1. Training of police officers should have been extended to zonal commands and zones instead of training Abuja-based officers alone.
2. Database on SGBV case management should have been used to engage the local police.

Lessons Learned By CLEEN Foundation In Past SGBV Engagements.

The CLEEN Foundation identified some key lessons learned in their SGBV engagements, which are briefly discussed below.

Lesson Learned 1:

Wrong Assumption That Everyone Knows About SGBV.

There is a false assumption that most Nigerians know about SGBV issues, whereas many people do not. Thus, partners/organisations need to be aware of this fact when preparing to engage communities. Before any engagement, there should be an assessment of the public’s knowledge of SGBV issues to know the extent of their understanding.

Lesson Learned 2:

Out-dated Cultural Practices Impact The Suffering Of Women

Out-dated cultural practices impact the suffering of women, which programs need to understand and pay attention to when engaging the local communities on SGBV issues. For example, in certain parts of the country, a man cannot be accused of raping his wife because of cultural belief and practices, while some women see whatever their husband do to them as his entitlement and cannot be challenged. Projects and pro- grammes on SGBV need to recognise this and devise strategies to overcome it; one of such strategies is continuous sensitisation for communities.

Lesson Learned 3:

Taking Awareness Creation For Granted

There is a need to create awareness among local communities before engaging them on SGBV issues. Awareness creation, particularly in the local communities, will go a long way in empowering the locals to understand what SGBV is all about, reducing the men- ace in those communities. This is because community awareness is vital to increase enthusiasm and mobilise support for SGBV engagement in the community.

Lesson Learned 4:

Involvement Of Men In SGBV Engagements.

Men have an important role to play in preventing SGBV. This is because SGBV involves men and women, but women are usually the victims. There is a consensus that gender-based violence is related to issues of power and control. There is a need to create awareness among men on the negative consequences of sexual violence; this should be an essential first step towards developing a safer community. Men can be involved in SGBV engagement as supportive partners. This is because men usually hold more power and influence in a home or society; they can be more effective social change agents. Their involvement would support the social reintegration of SGBV survivors who are often ostracised by their husbands/families, for example, in conflict situations where women have endured rape. Thus, engaging with men on SGBV issues could provide an opportunity for behavioural and attitudes change within the community.

Best Practices Identified By CLEEN Foundation In SGBV Engagements.

The CLEEN Foundation identified some best practices in their SGBV engagement, which are briefly discussed below.

Best Practice 1:

Good Data Management By Gender Unit Of The Nigeria Police Force.

Good data management entails how the data is collected, stored, organised, protected, verified, and processed, and importantly making the data available for use within the organisation. The importance of data management is that the information stays secured and does not end up in the wrong hands. The Nigeria Police Force has demonstrated good data management attributes in SGBV information management, which is worthy of replication by other SGBV’s initiatives. Good data management enables seamless weekly data collation and transmission to Abuja with no fear of data loss or tampers.

Best Practice 2:

Use Of Empirical Data For Advocacy On SGBV.

Using existing data on SGBV on what has worked and what does not work would inform evidence-based advocacy. This is because the current project does not need to repeat what has failed in previous SGBV programmes. Such data could influence projects and programmes implementers’ opinions, identify strategies/approaches that require revi- sion and develop adaptation strategies.

Best Practice 3:

Data Management And Data Protection And Privacy Of The Complaints.

The demand and use for data have increased concerns on preventing data misuse and abuse so that individuals and communities, particularly SGBV survivors, are not harmed. Data related to sexual abuse are sensitive and must be treated with extra security when collecting, processing, using, and disseminating it. In addition, protecting data related to sexual life upholds one’s right to privacy to determine who has information about their life. When such data is collected and used, safeguards must be applied to maintain this privacy. The Nigeria Police Force has demonstrated a high level of professionalism and confidentiality in SGBV data management in Nigeria.

CLEEN Foundation Suggestions On How To Avoid Set Back In Future SGBV Engagements.

1. Training users on how to use ICT Resources.
2. Get the buy-in of men in SGBV engagements.
3. Awareness creation on SGBV should be done at the local level.
4. There is a need to train police officers in the local communities on handling SGBV

cases.

What CLEEN Foundation Expects To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. The synergy of purpose by leading and upcoming organisations.
2. Synergy among the traditional rulers in the communities and the Police.
3. The inter-agency synergy between police and other security outfits like NSCDC.
4. Strategy/operational plan developed to guide SGBV engagement to avoid duplication of effort.
5. Monitoring and evaluation should be put in place.

What CLEEN Foundation Will Like To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. Increased number of SGBV perpetrators jailed.
2. Laws should be strengthened to act as a punitive measure to serve as a

deterrent.

7. AJOKE AYISAT AFOLABI FOUNDATION (AAAF).

The Executive Director of AAAF was interviewed to gather information on what worked well in past SGBV engagements, what did not work well, what they should have done differently? Also, questions were asked on lessons learned and best practices, what is expected and what will be ideal in future SGBV engagements, and suggestions on how to avoid setbacks in future SGBV engagements. The responses are captured below.

What Worked Well In AAAF’s SGBV Engagements?

1. The use of local lingua and pidgin helps to make communication meaningful and accessible to a broad range of participants.
2. Comprehensive community support for addressing SGBV issues.
3. The involvement of men in the discussion engenders collaborative and inclusive

engagement.

What Did Not Work Well In AAAF’s SGBV Engagement?

1. In linkage to justice, witnesses are usually unwilling to complete the process of actualising justice due to pressure or/and fear.
2. Due to the cost of financing experience-sharing workshops on SGBV issues, the duration of the workshops is usually too short for comprehensive learning.

What AAAF Should Have Done Differently?

1. To have ensured survivors lead the conversation on seeking justice.
2. Prioritise experience-sharing workshop for further engagement on SGBV issues.

Lessons Learned By AAAF in SGBV Engagements.

Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation identified some key lessons learned in their SGBV engagements, which is presented below.

Lesson Learned 1:

Partnership Between Different Arms Of Government And CS Promotes Quick Resolution Of SGBV Issues In Lagos.

The working partnership among the different arms of government and civil society organisations in Lagos State cannot be overemphasised as it promotes effective management of SGBV cases in Lagos. For example, the working partnership has led to The Office of the Public Defender, Lagos Public Interest Law Partnership (LPILP) as well as the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) to provide free legal representation to 188 survivors of Domestic Violence . In contrast, the Ministry of Youth & Social Development, and strategic partner Non-Governmental Organisations, including God’s Home for Women, Day Spring, Project Alert, and Cee Hope, have supported the evacuation of survivors to a safer environment of shelter homes.

Lesson Learned 2:

The Launch Of The Sex Offender’s Register.

One of the major challenges in SGBV management in Nigeria is that many perpetrators of SGBV believe they would escape prosecution because of the failings in the justice system, particularly when courts have no record or file of the perpetrators. Some of the perpetrators may have committed the act more than once. The importance of having a sex offender registry containing the biodata of all SGBV perpetrators under prosecution and those prosecuted is that the register will assist the justice departments, law enforcement agencies, and society in keeping track of the perpetrators, thereby preventing recidivism. There won’t be any hideout for perpetrators; the sex offender register could promote a ‘name and shame policy’ since the public can access the record and identify perpetrators.

Lesson Learned 3:

Awareness Creation On SGBV.

Awareness creation is an essential means to highlight the need to prevent SGBV menace in the community. Many people, particularly in the local communities, are not aware of SGBV. Those aware either have apathy towards the SGBV or prefer to hold on to their traditionally held opposing views on SGBV. Awareness creation for local communities is important to increase enthusiasm, support, and knowledge of SGBV.

Best Practices Identified By AAAF In SGBV Engagements.

Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation identified two key lessons learned in their SGBV en- gagements, which are presented below.

Best Practice 1:

The Practice Of Peer Review On SGBV.

Effective peer review between partners working on SGBV intervention can increase the likelihood of successful SGBV interventions. It is also a valuable means of increasing the technical quality of SGBV interventions. The Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation found the peer review practice as an important best practice that improves their SGBV intervention.

Best Practice 2:

The Domestication Of The Violence Against Persons Probation Act In Over 20 States Of Nigeria.

Awareness creating on its own may not be sufficient to bring about sustained be- havioural change in SGBV without an appropriate law to punish perpetrators. The Vi- olence Against Persons Probation Act (VAPP) was passed into law in May 2015 to elim- inate violence in private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence against persons, and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims and punishment of offenders. The domestication of the Violence Against Persons Probation Act (VAPP) in more states would increase access to justice by SGBV survivors and reduce the SGBV menace in the country.

AAAF Suggestions On How To Avoid Set Back In Future SGBV Engagements.

1. Reinforcing peer review among stakeholders working on SGBV cases.
2. Encouraging collaboration through data sharing is essential.

What AAAF Expects To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. Data sharing for use as evidence.
2. Specialised training for different actors in the space to encourage best practices in workplaces.
3. Simplification of Violence Against Persons Probation Act with local translations shared widely.
4. Sex offender registers are popularised.
5. Engagement with state and local Government.

8. PARTNERSHIP TO ENGAGE, REFORM AND LEARN (PERL)

A project team member was interviewed to gather information on what worked well in past SGBV engagements, what did not work well, what they should have done differently? Also, questions were asked on lessons learned and best practices, what is expected and what will be ideal in future SGBV engagements, and suggestions on how to avoid setbacks in future SGBV engagements. The responses are captured below.

What Worked Well In PERL’s SGBV Engagements?

1. Apart from community inclusion and ownership, there was extensive engagement with key stakeholders (community structures, the Police, NGOs, Government Institutions).
2. Community and police town hall meetings were instrumental in providing community feedback on the management of SGBV cases to the Government.

What Did Not Work Well In PERL’s SGBV Engagements?

1. There is usually not enough space to accommodate survivors in Lagos when there is a need to separate survivors from the perpetrators.
2. Lack of accountability from the government institutions to take on their statutory responsibility, especially the Police Force.
3. Resources to accelerate response and persecution are usually hard to come by.

What PERL Should Have Done Differently?

1. There should have been more and improved capacity building programmes for police officers on the policies and laws that address SGBV management.
2. There should have been specialised training for the media on reporting of SGBV

cases.

Lessons Learned By PERL In SGBV Engagements?

PERL identified two key lessons learned in their SGBV engagements, which are present- ed below.

Lesson Learned 1:

Psycho-Social Support To Complement Other Services For Survivors.

Some of the mental health effects of SGBV on survivors are; Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, substance misuse, self-harm, and suicidal behaviour, and sleep disturbances. In addition, SGBV survivors may also face stigma and rejection from their community and family. Hence, SGBV project implementers need to recognise the need to provide psychosocial support to the survivors.

Lesson Learned 2:

Training And Retraining Improved The Nigeria Police Force And Media Understanding Of SGBV Case Management.

The importance of training cannot be overemphasised as it promotes behavioural change. Training and retraining improved the technical skills of the Nigeria Police Force in gender mainstreaming and the handling of SGBV cases. For example, before the training, the police were found to abuse and blame the survivors for dressing sexually provocatively to attract the sexual assault. During the training, there was a change of attitude of police officer handling SGBV cases. Similarly, the media was initially not sensitive to the plight of the survivors by showing the face of the survivor instead of the perpetrator. After the training, the media perception of reporting SGBV cases changed.

Best Practices Identified By PERL in SGBV Engagements?

PERL identified some best practices in their SGBV engagement, which are presented below.

Best Practice 1:

Community Engagement And Inclusion In Designing Intervention Strategies.

Community participation and inclusion in the design of intervention strategies on SGBV is vital as it promotes the ownership and sustainability of SGBV interventions. This approach follows the Problem Driven Iterative Adaptation (PDIA) approach. The local community identifies some of the root causes of SGBV incidents and proffer possible solutions that will guide the design of implementation strategies to address them.

Best Practice 2:

Leveraging On Media (Social & Traditional) Platform For Sensitisation Of Citizens On Various Laws And Policies On SGBV

Laws and policies are made to tackle the menace of SGBV in Nigeria. One of such law is the Violence Against Persons Probation Act. However, many people are not yet aware

of the laws provided for SGBV. Hence, there is a need to leverage on media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, among others, to create awareness and sensitisation on the provision of various laws and policies on SGBV issues to the masses. The traditional media such as radio, television, newspaper print, and others can also create awareness and sensitisation to the masses on the various laws and policies available for SGBV.

Best Practice 3:

Partnership With Corporate Organisations And International NGOs.

One of the identified challenges confronting partners/organisations working on SGBV in Nigeria is the lack of funds to meet certain financial obligations, particularly among the first responder agencies handling SGBV cases like the Nigeria Police Force and the Federal Capital Territory SGBV-RT. Partnering with corporate organisations and International NGOs would improve the resource base of the first responder agencies to successfully respond to the overwhelming demand for effective management of SGBV issues in Nigeria.

PERL Suggestions On How To Avoid Set Back In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. Continuous support for SGBV case management by providing direct support to survivors to address the economic barriers of access.
2. There is a need for training and empowerment programmes for survivors, particularly in the local communities.

What PERL Expects To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. Coordinated and holistic approach in addressing and management of SGBV

issues

What PERL will Like To See In Future SGBV Engagements?

1. More partnership between the Government, CSOs, and the Media in the prevention and management of SGBV.
2. Experience sharing between Lagos and other neighbouring states and cross-regional sharing lessons learnt events.

Desk Review On Lessons Learned

Some lessons learned on SGBV interventions were identified during the desk review, and they are presented below;

• 1. Appropriate preparation and consultation mechanisms involving all relevant actors, including women’s rights NGOs working in the field, are important instruments for adopting quality legislative and policy measures that are more likely to be effective in practice.
  2. The engagement of government actors is critical to obtain buy-in and access to pursue joint initiatives on SGBV.
  3. Engaging women and girls as change agents, and partners in policy and culturally appropriate programme development, implementation, and evaluation are important in addressing their specific SGBV related needs.
  4. Engaging men and boys as allies, advocates, role models, change agents, partners, and survivors in policy and culturally appropriate programme development, implementation, and evaluation are important in the prevention and mitigation of SGBV.
  5. Effective coordination and partnerships include engaging religious organisations, the community, the business sector, local civil society, and local government leaders and service providers to prevent and respond to SGBV in all of its forms in their communities.
  6. Understanding the causes and socio-cultural dynamics that perpetuate violence is key to designing relevant, targeted, and effective interventions.
  7. The comprehensive response includes ensuring attention to vulnerable and underserved populations, including women and girls living in poverty or rural areas, women and girls with disabilities, conflict and refugee situations, and indigenous women.
  8. An integrated approach is needed, working with a wide range of actors, including the government, parliament, decision-making authorities, the judiciary, civil society, health authorities and partners providing healthcare and psychosocial care, the media, and women and girls themselves. It is important to identify how societal structural inequalities based on gender can be reproduced in an institution.
  9. A policy that addresses sexual harassment recognises the importance of an inclusive, safe and positive institutional culture.
  10. Engaging local and national governments in bilateral and multilateral partnerships to remove structural barriers to gender inequality to prevent gender-based violence.
  11. Engage faith-based communities, local civil society, education, and health care providers to prevent and respond to gender-based violence in their communities.
  12. Engage private sector, partners, and donors to empower local community efforts on prevention and response to gender-based violence

Desk Review On Best Practices

Some best practices on SGBV interventions were identified during the desk review, and they are presented below;

1. Appropriate legislation, policy measures, and coordination mechanisms establish a fundamental framework for additional tools, instruments, and measures ensuring a de facto response to all forms of violence against women.
2. Integrated multisectoral responses- the approach combines the health, judiciary, prosecution, and police sector.
3. Inclusive prevention strategies- awareness/behavioural change programmes targeting men, women, boys, and girls together are essential for tackling GBV.
4. Engaging the private sector in GBV prevention and response.

SECTION 4:

HOW CURRENT PROJECTS CAN GENERATE LESSONS LEARNT AND BEST PRACTICES TO BE DISSEMINATED DURING PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.

1. Lessons learned is both positive and negative experience derived from project implementation. It is one of the essential value-added aspects of project implementation; however, it is often ignored. A project is doomed to repeat the same mistakes by not learning from past failures. A miss is not maximising success opportunities to implement best practices (engagement methods or strategies) that have consistently produced results over time. The current project would harness lessons learned and best practices through reflection sessions with the project delivery team. The reflections sessions would provide an opportunity for the project team to reflect on strategic engagement pathways to identify areas of learning that indicate a new understanding of a particular context. The reflection sessions could be monthly or quarterly. The duration may depend on the technical team working in a thematic area to allow interactive and significant contributions.
2. Regular face-to-face meetings, technical meetings, and informal sessions, which bring most staff together, would also be an avenue for reflection. What is required during the sessions is to first identify comments and recommendations that could be valuable for future engagement from current daily engagement activities. Secondly, detailed documentation of lessons learned and best practices in a template that every team member can easily relate to would be done during the reflections. Thirdly, analysis and organisation of the lessons learned and best practices would be done to identify major lessons learned and best practices worthy of sharing. Fourthly, the identified lessons learned and best practices would be stored in a repository where team members can easily access for reference purposes for future sharing and dissemination. Lastly, the lessons learned and best practices collated would be disseminated to other partners/organisations and relevant stakeholders in SGBV engagement through experience sharing sessions. The lessons learned and best practices would also be uploaded on the project portal and the Justice Research Institute intranet site for public access.

The following Steps Would Guide Lessons Learned And Best Practices Capturing And Dissemination.

Step 1:

Develop lessons learned and best practices capturing plan which will inform the gener- ation, compilation, and dissemination of the information collated.

Step 2:

Team develop a set of structure questions to reflect on like;

1. What did we do well?
2. What could be improved?
3. Mistake to avoid
4. Problems we could have avoided
5. What positive and negative experiences during the engagement?
6. Identify best practices seen in the engagement. (Anything that went so well and seems consistent in achieving results).

Step 3:

Choose a facilitator and notetaker to facilitate and document key points from the reflection.

Step 4:

Notetaker shares notes with the team to analyse information and consensus on lessons learned and best practices worthy of sharing.

Step 5:

Map out partners/organisations, including stakeholders, to disseminate the lessons learned and best practices.

Step 6:

Organise experience-sharing sessions with partners/organisations, including other stakeholders, to disseminate the lessons learned and best practices.

Step 7:

Upload the lessons learned and best practices on the Justice Research Institute website.

SECTION 5: CONCLUSION

The report provides valuable lessons learned and best practices from previous and current SGBV interventions that could serve as a resource for programmes in SGBV engagement. The essence of documenting the lessons learned and best practices is to share and use knowledge derived from an experience to promote the recurrence of desirable outcomes or to preclude the recurrence of undesirable outcomes in SGBV engagement. Hence, it allows for improved practices, policies, programmes, and engagement. Lessons learned and best practices from past, and current SGBV projects would help increase the success of future SGBV projects.

More specifically, generating actionable learning from past and current SGBV interventions through the collation of lessons learned and best practices from the first responder agencies- Nigeria Police Force, and Governmental agencies like the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (LSDSVRT) and the Federal Capital Territory Sexual Gender-Based Violence Response Team (FCT SGBV-RT) to mention a few. Also, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) like Justice Research Institute (JRI), CLEEN Foundation, Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), among others, could inform SGBV future programmes and improve engagement. It also provides valuable insight into what works well, what did not work, and how this varied with context and across organisations/partners in SGBV engagement. The utmost aim is to inform an improved SGBV strategy that will enhance the capacity and capabilities of first responder agencies, particularly the Police, to receive, record, and respond to SGBV cases. The lessons learned, awareness-raising, effective partnership, capacity building for first responder agencies, use of community-based approach, multisectoral approach, engagement with influential persons, and sustained engagement with multiple stakeholders came out strongly as a requirement for effective management of SGBV in Nigeria. From the best practices’ perspective, effective working partnership, coordination of services among the relevant agencies, sensitisation, capacity building for security agencies, and community inclusion in designing intervention strategies on SGBV came out strongly as best practices for improving SGBV management in Nigeria.

ANNEX 1

List of Partners/Organisation Interviewed

S/N	NAMES	ORGANISATION	STATE	PARTNER CATEGORY	EXTENT OF PARTICIPATION
1.	AIG Austin Iwar RTD	NPF (OC Community Policing	FCT	Security Agent	Physical
2.	DCP Margaret Ocalla	NPF (OC Gender)	FCT	Security Agent	Physical
3.	Ngozi Ike	FCT SGBV-RT	FCT	First Responder Agency	Virtual
4.	Titilola Vivour Adeniyi	Lagos State DSVRT	Lagos	First Responder Agency	Virtual
5.	Toluwalase Ojeshina	PWAN	FCT	NGO	Physical
6.	Chigozie & Gabriel	CLEEN Foundation	FCT	NGO	Virtual
7.	Foluke Ademokun	Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation	Lagos	NGO	Virtual
8.	Olabisi Ogorgor	PERL	Lagos	NGO	Virtual