The Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) has expanded its impactful initiative, the WARIF Educational School Programme (WESP) for girls, aimed at combating cases of rape and sexual violence while empowering young girls in secondary schools. The programme has substantially impacted over 4,500 girls across three geopolitical zones.
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WESP’s primary objective is to equip female adolescents in senior secondary schools with the necessary knowledge and tools to identify, prevent, and respond appropriately to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). This innovative curriculum, specially designed and implemented by WARIF, provides adolescent girls with insights into recognising signs of sexual assault and rape, self-protection strategies, and measures to prevent such occurrences.

With an alarming surge in rape and sexual violence cases across Nigeria, this issue demands urgent attention and collective action. In collaboration with Sony Music, WARIF is extending the WESP initiative to encompass two senior secondary schools in Oyo State and two in Ogun State. The project’s key activities included stakeholder engagement, baseline surveys, in-class training sessions, peer-to-peer activities, parent-teacher forums, and comprehensive closeout activities.

The in-class sessions, which will be conducted for four days in each participating school, employ the structured WESP curriculum, divided into four modules: My Body and I, what is Abuse, Unmasking the abuser, and Steps to Reporting Abuse.

The programme which is on-going till November 2025 across all participating schools in Oyo and Ogun states, will be reaching a total of 360 students. The project evaluation upon completion will report significant positive changes in the students’ attitudes, including: increased discipline among students, heightened awareness and consciousness about appropriate dressing, improved hygiene practices and consciousness of personal cleanliness, heightened awareness of bodily changes, particularly menstrual flow, and a more composed demeanor among students.

WARIF remains dedicated to its mission of eradicating gender-based violence by empowering and educating the youth to foster a safer and more inclusive society.
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