A training method to prepare students and teachers for responding to school-related gender-based violence in Nigeria

Child sexual abuse has particularly harmful short- and long-term effects on their mental, physical, sexual and reproductive health (Cashmore and Shackel, 2013).

Studies have shown that, each year, 246 million children and adolescents experience school-related gender-based violence, which includes “physical violence, verbal or sexual harassment, non-consensual touching, sexual coercion and assault, and rape,” (UNESCO, 2016). Furthermore, it can lead to increased absenteeism rates among young victims (Lee and Rudolf, 2022), poorer academic performance (Kibriya et al., 2016; Fry et al.,2018) and higher school dropout rates (Fry et al., 2018; Ellery et al., 2010).

In Nigeria, the law is gradually being adapted to tackle sexual violence. In 2015, legislation was introduced prohibiting violence against individuals, which recognized gender-based violence as a form of discrimination and established a sex offender registry. However, despite this progress, not all school authorities in Nigeria are equipped to identify and manage cases of gender-based violence (Ekine, 2020).

In 2020, project researchers conducted field work in 30 schools in six states across Nigeria. The results revealed that 47.1% of the children surveyed had already been victims of school-related gender-based violence (Ekine, 2020).

Subsequently, in 2021, the NGO Youthcare decided to tackle this problem and launched a training program in elementary schools.

The project aims to teach young students how to recognize and report school-related gender-based violence, and to train teachers to respond appropriately. This two-tier training program is focused on developing knowledge and skills, and is delivered using two manuals approved by experts in early childhood development and education.

• The student’s manual: This manual includes five modules based on sexual education, to provide students with essential information about their bodies and sexual practices, school-related gender-based violence, harassment, student rights, so that they are aware of their personal freedoms and options, and finally, assertiveness, which is defined as being able to defend their point of view while showing respect for others.

• The teacher’s manual: This deliverable is a resource for teachers, but can also be used by other stakeholders (adults only) who can learn alongside the children. The manual covers five modules on school-related gender-based violence the Child’s Rights Act, case management for sexual violence, stakeholder responsibilities in combating gender-based violence, and violence and power dynamics.

This project aims to improve the learning conditions and academic performance of students by increasing reporting of gender-based violence and improving schools’ capacity to manage reported cases. The project team plans to achieve this goal by focusing on:

• Raising awareness of school-related gender-based violence and its impact
• Improving academic performance, and transition rates from primary to secondary school
• Reducing the number of out-of-school children
• Increasing school retention rates
• Introducing reporting systems