Martawa Zuromaye

Background

Protracted armed conflict in northeast Nigeria has increased violence against women and girls and reduced survivors’ access to services. To support the enhancement of survivor-centered efforts to address the root causes of GBV, especially early and forced marriages (EFM) and female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C), CARE led comprehensive, coordinated efforts in targeted communities in the region. Using CARE’s innovative social change tools and community engagement processes, the Martawa Zuromaye (MZ) (‘Dignity and Security’ in the Kanuri language) project is a five-year project, funded by the Department of State, Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI), United States Government.

The project addresses the root causes of GBV through building individuals’ capacity to address GBV, mobilizing community action to challenge negative gender norms that perpetuate violence, and working at the state level to strengthen and facilitate implementation of supportive legislations. The project works with two partners: Trauma Healing Support Initiative (THSI) and African Youth for Peace Development and Empowerment Foundation (AFRYDEV).

Intervention

The project adopted the ecological approach to address GBV.

Individual level: The project trained adolescent girls and women on CARE’s Social Analysis and Action (SAA) approach, to support them understand the root causes of GBV, be able to identify and reject GBV, and strengthen their capacities to build networks and lead advocacy and change. The project also set up two Women and Girls’ safe spaces (WGSS) and several survivors of GBV were supported through psychosocial counselling, case management and multisectoral referrals.

Community level: The project addressed negative social and gender norms that perpetuate GBV by establishing Protection Committees for community-based, survivor-centered prevention and response. GBV protection committees are comprised of men and women from the community, who help to drive social change through community awareness raising and sensitization and directing survivors to services as appropriate and safe.

Systems level: To strengthen sustainability, maximize impact and promote local ownership, the project leveraged existing local partnerships in the target areas, strengthening the capacities of partners to prevent and respond to incidences of GBV, particularly of FGM/C and EFM. Further, through intensive advocacy and collaboration with other local organizations and stakeholders, MZ worked with the Yobe state government to advocate for the passage of supportive legislations.

Program achievements

Participants that interacted with the Martawa Zuromaye project had various positive shifts, Attitudes and impact:

By September 2024, 210 GBV cases were reported and comprehensively supported with GBV services such as health, legal, psycho-social counseling, and referrals

The Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act was implemented in the Yobe State in 2022. This led to local authorities committing funds to establish 6 secondary schools for girls and providing scholarship quotas for girls in tertiary colleges.

More than 40 CSOs have been supported by the project to participate in legislative proceedings and engage with advocacy with the state level legislative committees.
By September 2024, 265 GBV awareness sessions were held in the community where these issues were discussed.
By September 2024 there were 67 instances of Protection Committees responding to cases of GBV at the community level.

Resources

Martawa Zuromaye SAA Post Training Evaluation Report

In conflict-affected Northeast (NE) Nigeria, the destructive influence of Boko Haram has left GBV-focused civil society organizations (CSOs) struggling to effectively prevent and respond to violence. The Martawa Zuromaye project is employing the principles of its globally recognized Gender Equality Framework to empower survivor-centered, women-led civil CSOs and local communities to more effectively fight GBV. This report assesses the impact of training local partners.

Learnings from Martawa Zuromaye: Changing the lives of women and girls

Martawa Zuromaye (‘Dignity and Security’ in the Kanuri language), is a five year project implemented in Yobe state northeast Nigeria, focused on addressing and reducing these different forms of GBV in the region. Each brief details the different stakeholders including girls, and community leaders that have been positively impacted by the project, and becoming active changemakers within their community.

Martawa Zuromaye Mid-Term Review

The Martawa Zuromaye project in northeast Nigeria supports the enhancement of survivor-centered efforts to prevent, mitigate, and respond to all forms of gender-based violence (GBV), early and forced marriage (EFM) and female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C). After two years of implementation, the project team and partners met in Nigeria to take stock of the project implementation thus far, re-energized efforts towards achieving the goals, and strategized for more effective implementation in the years ahead.

Martawa Zuromaye Advocacy Brief: Passage of a Law on Violence Against Women in Yobe State

In April 2022, CARE helped pass the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act in Yobe State, Nigeria through intensive advocacy and collaboration with partners working to address gender-based violence (GBV). This advocacy brief explores the journey towards the VAPP Act, challenges, lessons learnt and next steps.

Gender-Based Violence

The Martawa Zuromaye (‘Dignity and Security’) project in northeast Nigeria supports the enhancement of survivor-centered efforts to prevent, mitigate, and respond to all forms of gender-based violence (GBV), early and forced marriage (EFM) and female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C).