Exploring the power of art to end violence against women and girls in Nigeria
ABUJA, Nigeria - “My mates and I used to play under the shade of the big trees at the village arena," recalls artist Ukie Ogbonnia. "While others playfully ran around chasing one another, I would sit in a corner, doodling in the sand.”
The winner of the Sheroes art competition has fond memories of his village, but understands that the young girls in his community often had a very different experience of childhood. He was raised in the southeast region, which has the country's third highest rate of female genital mutilation (FGM), according to National Orientation Agency (NOA). His award-winning artwork is a depiction of this act.
Ukie’s work ‘Never Again’ has won first prize in the Spotlight Initiative Nigeria art competition and shows a woman holding a girl down on banana leaves in preparation for FGM. The girl is shouting for help and struggling to break free. "It was always painful for me to watch parents offer their female children for genital mutilation in the name of circumcision because it was regarded as culture,” says Ukie.
Ukie received his award in tandem with the launch of the Spotlight Initiative Virtual Barometer to mark International Women’s Day 2021. The Virtual Barometer will be used to track sexual and gender-based violence (GBV) response across Nigeria.
The event brought together government representatives, including the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Ms. Aisha Buhari, The Honorable Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation Mr. Abubakar Malami, The Honorable Minister of Women Affairs Dame Pauline Tallen, Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, National Assembly, Nigerian Governors' Wives against GBV, Civil Society Representatives, the EU Ambassador in Nigeria Mr. Ketil Karlsen and the UN Nigeria Resident Coordinator Mr. Edward Kallon.
Mr. Karlsen expressed his happiness about the launch of the Barometer saying, “it will be instrumental in tracking the implementation at the state level of the legislation”. The Honorable Minister for Justice and Attorney General also reaffirmed the mission of the Nigerian government to build a nation where no one is left behind.
As a universal language of communication, art is an important tool for awareness and education around gender-based violence, as well as a means of expression for survivors to share their stories. Breaking the culture of silence through art is one way of building an environment where women and girls can talk freely about their experiences and speak out against GBV.
Ukie hopes to use art to support the elimination of violence against women and girls in Nigeria and describes GBV as a “pervasive humanitarian crisis”.
Spotlight Initiative is dedicating more than US$43 million towards ending violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
By Judith Owoicho
