Pulse.ng : NGO launches research report on closing civic space for women-led organisations

By Sani Idris

An NGO, Gender Awareness Trust (GAT), has launched a research report on closing the civic space for women-led organisations in North West zone of Nigeria.

The title of the report is “Closing civic space: The experience of women-led civil society organisations in North West Nigeria.”

The report was under the GAT’s project tittled: “Women expanding the civic space and responding to Gender-Based Violence in North West zone, Nigeria.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the project is supported by Open Society Foundations (OSF).

During the launching on Thursday in Kaduna, the Executive Director of the NGO, Dr Lydia Umar, said across the world, hostility towards CSOs had been on the increase.

She said this was because governments intensified restrictions on the civic space, under general concerns about insecurity.

She added that in Nigeria, and specifically the North West zone, the hostility had been accentuated by anti gender moverments, religious and cultural practices, rising insecurity and the nature of some CSOs.

According to her, the CSOs
lack the needed funding and operational envronments to effectively address
gender related issues, including Geder Based Violence (GBV), lack of sexual heath and reproductive rights and absence of gender inclusivity.

Umar explained that the NGO used a set of qualitative and quantitative data generated through a dual methodology of desk review and field research, including Focus Group Discussions
(FGDS) and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs).

She, therefore, said they conducted a study on the factors that caused closing civic space in North West region and the impact on women organisations.

“Participants were purposely selected from among women-led and women’s rights organisations in the region,” she said.

Umar said the study aimed at stimulating wider discussions among women CSOs on closing civic space in the region, to address the challenges of closing civic space for wormen CSOs.

She added that the study also meant to create enabling platform for building the capacity and resilience of women-led CSOs in the region, to strengthen their resilience to engage in the civic space.

Umar, who doubles as the Project Coordinator, said the study was conducted in the seven states of the North West, mainly Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara.

She said findings indicated, among others, that there was robust presence of women-led and women’s rights CSOs in
the region.

She said the findings also revealed that the CSOs engaged in service delivery, social welfare and charitable activities, as well as supporting development projects, especially in the absence of strong government coordinated response to GBV.

“Closing civic space in North West region manifest in restrictive legislations and
overbroad application of existing laws, non-legal restrictions such as shaming
and negative labelling, outright proscription of activities of targeted CSOs.

“Closing civic Space in the region is driven by factors such as actions of state
authorities under security concerns, religious and cultural practices, as well as the nature and character of some CSOs within the civil society space.

The Executive Director, therefore, recommended increased awareness of key stakeholders, including donors and citizens on the peculiar CSOs operational environment in the zone.

She also recommended strengthening the capacity of women organisations in the region to effectively respond to gender-based challenges and build the resilience of women-led CSOs for sustainability.

“GAT is also recommended to mobilise women-led organizations in the region for advocacy campaigns and visits to state authorities to deliberate on collaborations and partnerships,” she added.(NAN)