In a continued effort to end all forms of violence against girls and women and in commemoration of year 2021 day of the Girl, the Initiative for Women and Girls Right Advancement (IWOGRA) a non-governmental, non-profit women and girls’ right organization that works towards the promotion and protection of human rights in Nigeria established the End Violence Against Girls’ (E-VAG) School Club in Catherina International Academy, Dutse Alhaji, Abuja. The establishment of the E-VAG club was done within the school premises and had pupils and students from the different classes in the school. Also in attendance was the Director and the management of the school, to show their support for the establishment of the new E-VAG school club which according to the school director, is her long term desire for the school girls.
Executive Director of IWOGRA, Nkechi Obiagbaoso-Udegbunam reiterated the fact that the establishment of the school club is supported by ActionAid Nigeria through the ‘Strengthening the Capacities of Women’s Right Organizations to Combat Violence Against Women and Girls’ (SLOC VAWG) project and is in continuance of IWOGRA’s commitment to start up a school club in the school and give the school the necessary support to keep the club running for the betterment of girls.
According to Obiagbaoso-Udegbunam, IWOGRA has been engaging the school for a while and has on different occasions trained the students, teachers and the school management on understanding violence against women and girls in schools and how to prevent same with emphasis on the individual and collective roles of the students, teachers and school management. She stated that the purpose of the school club is for female students to have a platform where they can be innovative to lend their voices in addressing violence in the school, educate other students and the club will serve as a safe space for girls to discuss issues affecting them without being judged.
Director of the school encouraged all the girls to be members of the E-VAG club saying that girls are powerful and should not allow anybody make them feel vulnerable or oppressed, that as girls their voices must be heard. She added that all the female teachers in the school will belong to the club and thereon appointed two teachers to be the Matron and Assistant Matron of the E-VAG club. She also declared that the club meeting will hold at least once a week. To support the commencement of the school club, the Executive Director of IWOGRA presented to the school the official club banner for their meetings. She also presented a customized Meeting Attendance Register for entry of names of students who attend the club meetings and a customized Report Book for documentation of the Minutes of the club meeting. She assured the school of the continued support of IWOGRA and that the organisation will be visiting to see how the school club functions and to provide necessary support for its sustainability.
Available at https://www.newdawnngr.com/2021/10/18/iwogra-establishes-e-vag-club