Educating gatekeepers is a vital step in preventing sexual assault and creating a safer society for all. By equipping parents, teachers and community leaders with the knowledge and tools to recognize, intervene, and support survivors, we can actively work towards eradicating sexual assault.
WARIF, with the support of ACT Foundation successfully trained 1,300 Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) in 18 Local Government Areas (LGAs) within Lagos. This training equipped TBAs to act as first responders at the community level to cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV). The TBAs utilize a comprehensive toolkit to identify GBV cases among girls and women in their communities, accurately record and document incidents of rape and sexual violence and provide initial support and counselling to survivors. As part of the project, survivors are referred to the WARIF Rape Crisis Centre, where they receive free post-incident medical care. Through this initiative, 684 survivors have already benefited from medical services at the WARIF Rape Crisis Centre, thanks to referrals made by TBAs from rural communities in the previous ACT Foundation x WARIF Gatekeepers project.
Building on the success of the project, ACT Foundation aims to expand its impact by training an additional 200 TBAs from Ogun State. These TBAs will receive comprehensive training and resources to raise awareness, support survivors of rape and other forms of GBV, and continue providing essential first responder care and services to survivors in their respective rural communities. With the continued support of ACT Foundation, this project seeks to make a tangible and positive difference in the lives of GBV survivors and contribute to the prevention and eradication of GBV in the region.
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