Emily DeVivo
At the conclusion of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence (GBV), we celebrate our grantee partners’ work to keep girls safe in and outside of school.
While this week marks the end of 16 Days of Activism against GBV, the prevalence of GBV continues to harm women and girls worldwide. Threats of violence at home, in the community, on the way to school and in school remain some of the biggest barriers to girls’ education.
Girls’ experience with GBV can look very different depending on the environment they live in. In Tanzania, harmful cultural norms and a lack of understanding of gender-based issues perpetuate acts of violence and early marriage. In Nigeria, high levels of poverty and marginalisation of girls perpetuate the cycle of violence that prevents girls from taking control of their futures. Our partners work in environments with unique factors and challenges. That’s why Malala Fund supports and funds local advocates who know their communities best to develop effective solutions to improve girls’ safety.
Safe spaces in schools
Many of our partners work to reduce GBV by creating safe spaces in schools such as girls’ clubs. These clubs allow girls to feel physically and emotionally safe at school or in a community space after school hours, keeping them from experiencing potential violence in their neighbourhoods or at home. In Tanzania’s Manyara region, KINNAPA sets up programmes where girls can share stories, art or just connect with their fellow classmates. These spaces provide an outlet for girls’ voices and a place free from the threat of violence.
The Pink Box Initiative, a partner also working in Tanzania, provides school clubs as a place for girls to discuss their specific experiences with GBV. Through simulated discussions, games and open conversations, girls learn how to identify instances of GBV, what to do when they occur and how to safely report them. These trainings increase girls’ sense of awareness and preparedness should they encounter GBV in their daily lives. Pink Box has also installed “GBV boxes” where girls can report cases to welfare officers, even if they are afraid of speaking out publicly.
Gender-sensitive curriculums and staff
Gender sensitivity respects and acknowledges the impact that gender has on people’s lives and how cultural beliefs and social norms contribute to gender discrimination and inequality. Training teachers to be gender-sensitive allows them to better understand issues like GBV and its impact on girls. Teachers trained in gender sensitivity identify instances or signs of GBV much more easily than those who are not. Partners like Jami Al Hakeem Foundation in Nigeria include gender sensitivity training in their workshops with teachers and community leaders in Adamawa state, preparing school staff and the wider community to spot issues such as GBV.
Schools can also design curriculums with gender sensitivity in mind. Many of our partners advocate for gender-sensitive curriculums at the local and national level, introducing students to how gender impacts their own lives and the lives of their classmates. With students having greater awareness and consideration of gender, the classroom can become a much safer place for girls.
Creative interventions
Reducing GBV requires a multitude of different solutions for a variety of environments, and many organisations are thinking of creative ways to keep girls safe. For girls who have long school commutes, violence they encounter on their journey can greatly deter them from completing their education. In Tanzania, Msichana Initiative provides bicycles for girls who have to travel far to get to school. Girls who are part of this programme get to school safely, progress further in their education and perform better academically.
Creative initiatives tackling GBV also go beyond the classroom. Media for Development and Advocacy (MEDEA) Tanzania uses film to raise awareness of violence against girls. For example, they produced the film Ndoano to tell the fictional story of a young girl forced into early marriage despite her desires to study. Through film, MEDEA’s messages can reach communities across the country and highlight the dangers for girls who are often forgotten.
These are just some of our grantee partners who are working to reduce GBV and increase girls’ access to education around the world. They fight to protect girls from violence through initiatives that educate communities, create safe spaces for girls and spread awareness of the lifelong impacts of GBV on women and girls. Our partners’ activism will continue beyond the 16 days dedicated to highlighting activism against GBV every year, ensuring that girls can go to school and complete their education safely.