Project Overview
The Centre for Gender, Women and Children in Sustainable Development (CGWCSD), in collaboration with the Osun State component of the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP), an initiative of the Federal Government of Nigeria with support from the World Bank and the French Development Agency, is implemented across 19 states to improve rural access and agricultural marketing systems. Within the Osun RAAMP implementation, CGWCSD is leading the integration of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention and Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment (SEAH) mitigation measures to ensure safe, inclusive, and socially responsible project delivery.
The intervention addresses the risk that infrastructure and rural development projects may unintentionally increase vulnerability to GBV/SEAH in project-affected communities. It therefore strengthens prevention, response systems, and community awareness mechanisms while promoting safe reporting and referral pathways.
Objectives
The project aims to prevent and respond to GBV/SEAH risks within RAAMP communities in Osun State, strengthen community awareness and reporting systems, build the capacity of local actors to identify and respond to GBV cases, and establish functional referral pathways for survivors. It also seeks to mainstream safeguarding principles into project implementation structures.
Approach
CGWCSD applies a community-based, participatory, and risk-informed approach that combines baseline assessments, stakeholder engagement, capacity building, and systems strengthening. The intervention integrates GBV prevention into development programming through evidence-based tools, community engagement, and collaboration with project implementers and local structures.
Partners
- Federal Government of Nigeria (RAAMP implementation)
- World Bank
- French Development Agency
- Osun State RAAMP Project Implementation Units
- Community stakeholders and local response structures
- Centre for Gender, Women and Children in Sustainable Development (CGWCSD)
Key Activities
CGWCSD is conducting baseline and GBV risk assessments in project communities, implementing sensitisation and awareness campaigns, and developing GBV prevention and response protocols. The Centre is also designing and deploying reporting tools, training peer educators and community response teams, supporting media and communication outreach, and identifying gaps within existing referral pathways to strengthen survivor support systems.
Expected Outcomes
The intervention is expected to improve community awareness of GBV/SEAH risks, strengthen prevention and response capacity at the community level, enhance reporting and referral mechanisms for survivors, and promote safer implementation of rural infrastructure and agricultural development projects in Osun State.
Impact
By integrating GBV/SEAH safeguards into the Osun RAAMP implementation, CGWCSD is contributing to safer development programming that protects vulnerable populations, strengthens community resilience, and ensures that rural development investments are inclusive, gender-responsive, and socially responsible.
