By Ukpa Ewa
Gender Perspective and Social Development Centre
(GPSDC), with support from the Women Aid Collective (WACOL) has trained Umuada
women from Nkpor in Idemili North and Nibo in Awka South Local Government Areas
of Anambra State on preventing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and promoting
community reforms.
The two-day residential training held on
September 23 and 24, 2026, in Awka, brought together Umuada women under the
project, “Empowering Christian Women and Women Leaders of Culture for
Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria Through the
Strengthening of Grassroots Organizations.”
Addressing the participants on “Umuada,
Community Leadership and Institutional Change,” the Executive Director of
GPSDC, Mrs. Eucharia Anekwe, charged the women to deliberately develop themselves
for leadership, stressing that leadership skills, like management skills, can
be learned. She outlined honesty, commitment, effective communication and
confidence among the qualities required of a good leader.
She stressed that Umuada must understand their
roles, coordinate their structures and work collectively to address GBV and
other harmful practices at the community level, noting that the essence of
strengthening Umuada was to equip them to take action within their communities.
Highlighting the need for institutional reforms,
Anekwe called for changes that would promote accountability, women's
participation and effective leadership. Citing Nkpor, she disclosed that Umuada
in the community had successfully advocated for a change in its leadership
structure after a president remained in office for more than 30 years.
She however called for rotational leadership,
constitutional reforms and other measures to strengthen women's participation
in community governance and enhance the capacity of Umuada to influence
positive change.
Earlier in his remarks, the Monitoring and
Evaluation Officer of GPSDC Mr. Mmadubueze Christian explained that the
organisation's previous phase focused largely on responding to GBV cases,
including interventions in Nibo and Nkpor.
He noted that the current phase places greater
emphasis on prevention and community level action.
Speaking on “Culture, Faith and Gender-Based
Violence Prevention,” the Coordinator, Umuada Igbo Nigeria and in Diaspora, Dr.
Winnie Arinze, described women as custodians of culture and faith with
significant influence over practices and attitudes within their communities.
Quoting author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Arinze
said, “Culture does not make people, people make culture.”
Describing Umuada as sisters and daughters of
the lineage regardless of their marital status, she charged them to use their
cultural influence to protect women and girls rather than shame victims.
Arinze also advocated the involvement of men and
boys in GBV prevention and urged women to challenge jokes, proverbs and social
norms that normalise abuse.
“Gender-based violence is not women's issue, it
is a community issue,” she stressed.
Speaking on “Christian Faith, Women's Dignity
and Gender-Based Violence Prevention,” a representative of the Women's Wing of
the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Mrs. Nonye Okpeze, cautioned
churches against responses that encourage women to endure abuse in silence.
She warned against treating GBV as a family
matter or asking survivors to simply pray about abuse, advocating instead for
responses based on love, justice, responsibility, restoration and protection.
Also addressing the participants on
“Understanding GBV and its Root Causes,” the Programme Manager of GPSDC, Mrs.
Ozoemena Ogochukwu, identified gender inequality, unequal power relations and
harmful social norms as major factors driving GBV.
She explained that the training was designed to
equip women leaders with practical knowledge and skills to move from responding
to GBV cases to preventing violence before it occurs.
Participants were also taken through advocacy for
institutional and community-level reforms, identifying issues requiring change,
developing advocacy messages and engaging traditional, religious and community
leaders.
Facilitating a session on women's rights, gender
equality and accountability, Mrs. Oluchi Chikwunie of GPSDC highlighted the
importance of promoting accountability within families, communities and
institutions.
Sharing their experiences, the participating
Umuada leaders spoke about GBV and harmful practices in their communities and
committed to taking the lessons from the training back home.
They also pledged to speak against practices and
policies that perpetuate violence and create safe and confidential pathways
through which survivors can seek help.
High point of the training was the presentation
of the Umuada Advocacy and Institutional Reform Action Plan, which outlined
practical steps the women leaders would take to promote GBV prevention and
community-level change.
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