The Federal Government (FG), United Nations (UN) Women, and development partners have identified traditional, religious, and community leaders as critical drivers of efforts to prevent Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and transform harmful social norms across Nigeria and West Africa.

The position was reaffirmed yesterday at the close-out of the Leadership, Engagement, Advocacy and Prevention (LEAP) Project, a Ford Foundation-supported initiative implemented by UN Women from 2023 to 2026, which focused on mobilising male leaders as champions of GBV prevention and gender equality.

In her keynote address, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said traditional and cultural leaders remain indispensable in mentoring boys and redefining masculinity in ways that reject violence and promote respect for women and girls.

Represented by the Director of Women Development, Mrs Blessing Anunike, the minister noted that many incidents of violence against women and girls remain hidden within families and communities, making the intervention of trusted male leaders essential to changing attitudes and breaking the cycle of abuse.

The minister said: “This is precisely why your role as traditional and cultural leaders is completely indispensable as the primary mentors of positive masculinity.

“By actively redefining what it means to be a man, shifting the narrative from dominance to protection and from aggression to emotional intelligence, you provide a vital roadmap for young men to become champions of peace rather than perpetrators of harm.”

MEANWHILE, the Anglican Church in Enugu State has declared that henceforth any member of the clergy or laity found guilty of abuse would face severe sanctions, including suspension and, where necessary, prosecution by civil authorities.

Bishop of the Diocese, Rt. Rev. Samuel Ike, stated this while delivering his address at the Third Session of the 19th Synod of the Diocese held at St. Peter’s Anglican Church, Ogbete, Enugu State.

Ike, who presented the Diocese’s new Gender-Based Violence Policy Framework, stated that the Church had a sacred responsibility to protect the vulnerable and ensure that its churches and institutions remain safe environments for everyone.

“The Anglican Diocese of Enugu declares zero tolerance for GBV. Any leader or person, whether clergy or laity, found liable for GBV shall face immediate canonical discipline, including counselling, suspension or defrocking, and referral to civil authorities where appropriate,” he declared.

He explained that the policy was rooted in the Christian belief that every human being is created in God’s image and therefore deserves dignity, safety and respect.

“We affirm that every human being is created in the image of God and deserves dignity, safety and respect. GBV is a violation of this eternal, Godly precept,” he said.

The policy defines GBV to include physical, sexual, emotional, economic and spiritual abuse, harmful widowhood practices, property inheritance violence, abuse of power by clergy and church leaders, as well as digital offences such as cyberbullying and revenge pornography.

To strengthen prevention, Bishop Ike directed all churches in the Diocese to devote quality time every Sunday to the Church of Nigeria Bible Study outline, noting that the national study guide already integrates teachings on GBV.