Prevention and Response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Conflict North-Eastern Nigeria: A Critical Review of the Engagement Mechanisms of Communities Based Protection Committees (Published)
The Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria rages on unabated, with no end in sight (Amodu, 2024). Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), has been the bane of the over 13 years’ conflict. UN-OCHA (2022), posits that, there have been worrying incidence of violence against women, especially sexually since the onslaught of the Boko haram insurgency in North-eastern Nigeria. Among the most widely used community mechanisms for preventing and responding to survivors in conflict situations are community-based protection groups, often because governments fail in their duty to protect the most vulnerable, women and children. This study thus conducted a critical examination of their engagement mechanism in preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence concerns. Data was elicited from 6 study participant who are actively responding to the humanitarian crisis in the region. The research design adopted is phenomenology. Data was analysed using thematic framework. Findings reveal that the while community-based protection groups in the region are effective, there is concern regarding their sustainability. The study recommended that community-based groups should be focused on community resources not external funding for sustainability.
Keywords: Boko Haram, North Eastern Nigeria, Sexual and gender-based violence, community based protection committees