D-ABILITY INITIATIVE PARTICIPATES IN A WORKSHOP ON STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT ON SEXUAL EXPLOITATION ABUSE/SEXUAL HARASSMENT (SEA/SH).

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D-Ability Initiative participated in a one-day workshop on stakeholder engagement and Familiarization of the Safeguards team and GBV (Gender-Based Violence) Service providers’ roles towards cases of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH). The workshop was held in Port Harcourt, and was facilitated by the Rivers State Ministry of Health. Various stakeholders, including NGOs, Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Rivers State Ministry of Women Affairs, and Gender focal persons from Health Centres, as well as security agencies, were also in attendance.

This workshop fostered collaboration, knowledge sharing, and the development of strategies to better safeguard individuals and provide support to victims. It is hoped that the knowledge gained from this workshop will contribute to more effective efforts in combating SEA/SH in our society.

The primary objective of the workshop was to enhance stakeholders’ understanding of the roles they play in addressing cases of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Sexual Harassment (SEA/SH). It aimed to create awareness and sensitize participants on the importance of safeguarding individuals from such acts and providing support to victims.

Key Highlights:

  • A comprehensive presentation on the need for collaboration and coordination among stakeholders to effectively tackle SEA/SH cases.
  • GBV Service Providers and Safeguards Teams familiarization:
  • The roles of GBV service providers and safeguards teams.
  • The protocols and procedures to be followed in handling and investigating SEA/SH cases.
  • Types of support services available for victims.

Key Recommendations:

  • Need for improvement on the effectiveness of stakeholders in addressing SEA/SH cases.
  • Need for regular reports to line Ministries for data capturing and onward reporting to Federal Ministries,
  • Regular training and capacity-building programs,
  • Enhanced coordination between stakeholders, and the
  • Establishment of a resource centre for victims.

D-ABILITY INITIATIVE SUPPORTS FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH’S SYSTEM-STRENGTHENING ACTIVITIES IN RIVERS STATE

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Team with the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health

Workshop in progress

Workshop in progress

The Rivers State Technical Working Group on Adolescents and Young Persons (TWGAYP) held workshops and associated activities with the Federal Ministry of Health, Rivers State Ministry of Health, selected Civil Society Organizations (including D-Ability Initiative), international organizations, and media partners. The aim was to provide technical support to the State TWGAYP and review the implementation of the State’s work plan. The 5-day events included an Advocacy visit, facilities visitation, and workshops which were held at Visa Karena Hotels, Port Harcourt from 28th August to 2nd September 2022.

The events started with an Advocacy Visit by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH), State Ministry of Health (SMoH), and some Partners to the State Permanent Secretary, and Policymakers.  Objectives of the week’s activities and Goodwill messages were presented. The representatives of the Federal Ministry of Health were Mrs. Francisca Osibe (Team Lead), Ms. Olabanji Damilola, and Dr. Esther Envuladu.

A welcome address, meeting objectives, and workshop methodology were presented by Mrs. Mbreba Wokoma, the Desk Officer, Adolescent and Young People’s Health, State Ministry of Health.

The following presentations were made:

  • Implementation Status of State Plan (Mrs. Mbreba Wokoma).
  • Presentation of Data for Services Provided for Adolescents and Young People in the state from January to June 2022, using the agreed template (Mrs. Mbreba Wokoma).
  • The Review of International Adolescent Health Week (IAHW 2022) Implementation. (Dr. Uloma Okere, and Mrs. Mbreba Wokoma).
  • Sensitization on U-Test/Self-test (Mr. Stanley Wowo, RIVSACA)
  • Feedback on Facilities visitation

From the presentations, it was evident that the activities in the work plan on the three thematic areas: Teenage Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion; Alcoholism and Drug Abuse; and Violence/ Cultism in the State were not completed. As a result, groups were created to identify key issues that weren’t captured in the work plan, identify challenges that prevented achievements, and make recommendations.

Editorial Team at workThe House went into group work and plenary sessions according to the outlined thematic areas. D-Ability Initiative led the group works on Violence and Cultism. The outputs of the group work were presented by Dr. Nwanyanwu Kingdom, the Founder and President, D-Ability Initiative.

After due deliberations, participants agreed on the following observations and recommendations.

OBSERVATIONS

  1. At present, the few Adolescent and Young Persons-friendly facilities available are not up to the required standards.
  2. A high rate of sexual assault cases was recorded.
  3. We observed a lack of Water Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) facilities in schools.
  4. Lack of Life Planning/HIV/STIs services for in and out-of-school adolescents in the State was observed.
  5. There was some adolescents’ ante-natal care recorded but zero delivery.
  6. Lack of adolescents’ Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) materials in all the visited facilities.
  7. Inadequate training, poor knowledge, and skills of adolescent health care providers were evident.
  8. Most facilities concentrated mainly on Maternal Neo-natal and Child Health issues.
  9. A lack of database entry for the adolescents was observed.
  10. Available Life Planning commodities were inadequate.
  11. Cultural and religious beliefs were also found to be militating factors against the Life Planning Education/ Programming for adolescents in the State.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

  • 1 There should be awareness creation, education, and implementation of Life Planning/HIV/STIs services for in and out-of-school adolescents in the State.
  • 2    More research should be done on the repackaging of adolescents’ information for easy acceptability by partners and Faith-Based Organizations.
  • 3 IEC materials, Life Planning commodities, and catalog (hotlines) should be provided adolescent friendly centers.
  • 4 There should be training and retraining of adolescent healthcare providers followed by supportive supervision to make them adolescent friendly.
  • 5 There should be provisions of database and open data kits, especially concerning adolescents’ issues of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), sexual assaults, and other forms of violence.
    • Media houses in the State should endeavor to bring adolescent-related issues to the forefront.
    • 6 The State Ministry of Health (SMoH) should reach out to CSOs and other interested local partners to mainstream some of the adolescents’ health care activities into their programme with the TWGAYP and SMoH as partners.
    • 7 Government should create and upgrade adolescent spaces in all the facilities across 23 LGAs to reflect adolescent-friendliness so that they can serve the intended purpose.
    • 8 Perpetrators of GBV, sexual assaults, and other forms of violence against adolescents must be punished and rehabilitated.
    • 9 There should be public awareness and training of adolescents on self-defense against GBV and other forms of violence.
    • 10 Provision of Life Management Education and skills for families, schools, and Faith-based Organizations is necessary.
    • 11 There needs be registers, training guides, checklists, and baseline survey tools (starting with manuals) in the facilities for monitoring of all adolescents-friendly services and processes.
  • The FMoH Team expressed deep gratitude to the Rivers State Technical Working Group for their hard work and dedication to the well-being of the adolescents and young people in the State. Mrs. Mbreba Wokoma and Dr. Uloma Okere were greatly commended for their selfless service and relentless efforts. A Communique was drafted by the Communique Team and presented to the general house by the Communique Team Lead, Dr. Nwanyanwu, Kingdom President of D-Ability Initiative.

Participant Organizations include:

Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH)

Rivers State Ministry of Health (RSMoH)

Rivers State Ministry of Youth Development (RSMoH)

Rivers State Ministry of Education (MoE)

Rivers State Primary Health Care Management Board (RSPHCMB)

Adolescents and Young Persons’ Technical Working Group (AYTWG)

UNICEF

World Health Organization (WHO)

D-Ability Initiative (Dehat Ability Support Initiative)

National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ)

National Orientation Agency (NOA)

Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH)

University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH)

Centre for Gender Development Studies

Healthy Life Development Initiative (HELDi)

Rivers Media

Society for Family Health

Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)

CWHAD

LACA

CISHAN

YOHAD

MBEP

The Tide newspaper

FIDA, Rivers State

RIVSACA

Adok

Rhema Care

SBCC

SASCP

Sunbeam Life Reformation Initiative

Centre for Creative Development Strategies

 

 

 

 

D-ABILITY INITIATIVE SUPPORTS THE REVIEW AND DOMESTICATION OF THE NATIONAL ADOLESCENTS HEALTH POLICY DOCUMENT IN RIVERS STATE

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AFTER THE REVIEW AND DOMESTICATION SESSION

AFTER THE REVIEW AND DOMESTICATION SESSION

In the process of Policy Development, we cannot develop policies without consultation and people who design programmes for Adolescents are key. Adolescence is a critical stage- a transformational stage where a Child begins to take decisions. It is pertinent to have a document and invest in our Adolescents for them to have direction. Citizens of Nigeria, Adolescents occupy 1/3 (one-third) of the Nigerian population. The essence of the Policy Development gives us a priority needs/investment in Adolescents. The National Policy was developed in 1995, 2007 – 2010 – 2019. Target Population: In 2007 National Policy. Age 10-24 years determine a young person according to the United Nations, while age 10 – 29 years determines a young person (local content-Nigerian perspectives).

• Major Stages of Policy Development:

Situation Analysis.

National Stakeholders Policy Workshop.

Engagement of an experienced National Consultant and Production of an Initial Draft of the Policy Document.

Stakeholder’s review of the Initial Draft of the Policy and Revision of the Initial Draft.

Finalization and National Adoption of the Draft Policy Document.

Final Approval Processes.

• The Policy process started in 2019 and because of the covid-19 in 2020, it was not adopted but has been adopted in 2021 at a Conference in Abuja. Adolescents are diverse, based on differences in sex, age, wealth, education, ethnicity, etc. Tomorrow’s Agenda will be to discuss “The Situation Analysis” and Attendees will be divided into groups for focused discussion.

• Issues identified by Attendees/participants include:

Teenage Pregnancy and Unsafe Abortion

Drug and Substance Abuse

Cultism and Violence among Adolescents and young people.

Establishment of Adolescent Friendly Centres and people that should manage the facilities are Psychological Clinical Person and Social Workers.

During the Consultative Global Health Conference, GBV, Inequality, and Empowerment issues were addressed.

Policy declaration and guiding principles: strategic targets; roles of stakeholders in the Adoption and Implementation process

Young people as a vital resource for a sustainable future and national development.

Right Based Approach.

Diversity of Adolescents and young people’s needs and situation.

Gender equity and responsiveness

Cultural sensitivity

Participatory and Consultative Integration of Services.

Life-Course Approach

Evidence-Based and Innovation Driven.

Quality-Focused and result oriented.

Policy Declaration: The Government (FGN);

Investment in the health and development of Adolescents and other young people shall be prioritized in the National Agenda.

This Policy shall be complementary to other National Policy Documents.

Young people, themselves have the right and duty to lead as well as to participate individually and collectively referred in the planning implementation, and evaluation of health and development programmes for young people.

All Stakeholders and development partners, including Government and its Institutions, Civil Society Organizations, and the Private Sector as well as international development and Organizations.

THE REVIEW AND DOMESTICATION SESSION

THE REVIEW AND DOMESTICATION SESSION

An enabling environment will be created and relevant implementation frameworks, including a Strategic framework, an action plan, and costed monitoring.

Vision: A Healthy Life and Optimal Development for all Adolescents and Young people in Nigeria and Successful transition towards a healthy, active, productive, successful, and fulfilled Adulthood.

Strategic Objectives:

Reduce morbidity, disability, and preventable mortality rates.

Strengthen the capacity of the health systems and their linkage with the health sector.

Roles of Stakeholders in the Adoption and Implementation of the Policy:

For Media: Role of Stakeholders-involves informing, and educating the Adolescents on the policy. Example: Sex Education, etc via Radio and other channels.

Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning to ensure a budget line/allocation for the Adolescents programmes flies.

Ensure Teachers give correct information for Adolescent care- (Education Sector).

Ensure we have a workable Policy that is implementable and ensures the Adolescents in Rural areas will also have access to these.

Religious Leaders should be engaged; a lot of Adolescents are influenced through Spiritual growth; The Churches/Mosques matters.

Faith-Based Organizations help Adolescents meet their needs.

To design informed programmes for Adolescents.,

Start designing Employability Skills for Young People to take them out of Poverty.

D-Ability Initiative’s Executive Director, Dr. Kingdom Nwanyanwu gave a presentation on behalf of group 3.

Organizers: Rivers State Ministry of Health and Partners.

Participants:

D-Ability Initiative (Dehat Ability Support Initiative)

RSMOH-Rivers State Ministry of Health

MYD-Ministry of Youth Development

MSWR-Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation,

Civic Society Organization (CSOs)

Community-Based Organisation (CBOs)

RIVSACA-Rivers State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDs

RIV-CISHAN-Civil Society on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

IHVN-Institute of Human Virology, Nigeria

NOA- National Orientation Agency

FIDA- International Federation of Women Lawyers

NPF- Nigeria Police Force (Police Medicals)

UPTH- University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital

RSUTH-Rivers State University Teaching Hospital

Rivers media for health and Family Planning

RIV-NYNETHA-Youth Network on HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, Rivers State Chapter

RSPHCMB-River State Primary Health Care Management Board.

Rivers State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning.

Nigerian Police Force (Medicals) NPF.

 

D-ABILITY INITIATIVE PARTICIPATES IN STRENGTHENING AND LAUNCHING OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS’ LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW MECHANISM.

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Local Government Review

Local Government Review

This 2 day programme was held at Adgate Hotel, Port Harcourt, Rivers State on October 18-19,2021.

This project was funded by United Nations Democracy fund (UNDEF) and implemented by Women United for Economic Empowerment (WUEE). D-Ability Initiative, along with some selected Civil Society Organization (CSOs) participated in the project. The goal of the project was to strengthen the capacity of CSOs to serve as trainers to local citizens on civic education for the promotion of democracy and good governance in Rivers and Akwa/Ibom States.

This would translate to an increase in the citizens participation in democracy and ensuring good governance in the target state.

The specific objectives were.

(I) To awake the CSOs community -based organization (CBOs), Faith-Based Organizations (FBOs), and others to demand accountability and from the operators of the system.

(II) To raise critical mass of citizens at the Local government level who would be constantly demanding accountability from duty-bearers at the local government level.

(III) To keep the duty -bearers alert to the fact that they are being watched hence should behave in line with democratic tenets among other.

(IV) This project was key because local people have superior capacity to conduct their affairs better than anyone else service delivery would be efficient when conducted through the local government system that are hearer to the people.

Dr. Kingdom Nwanyanwu, President, D-Ability gave a presentation o behalf of group 3. The gap analysis exposed considerable lapses in the nature operations, and processes in the local government in Nigeria.

D-ABILITY INITIATIVE PARTICIPATES IN THE FEDERAL MINISTRY OF HEALTH WORKSHOP ON THE IMPLEMENTATION PHASE OF THE ADOLESCENT RESPONSIVE HEALTH SYSTEM STRENGTHENING IN RIVERS STATE.

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IMPLEMENTATION SESSION IN PROGRESS

IMPLEMENTATION SESSION IN PROGRESS

This project, a five-day programme started with an advocacy visit to the honourable commissioner of health. The Programme was moderated by Mr. Nwankwo Steven (Chief Health Assistant/FGM Focal Person, Gender Branch/GASHE Division, Family Health Department, F.M.O.H). He was very instrumental in ensuring that the event runs smoothly all through the five days.

Welcome, Address by the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Health, ably represented by Dr. Iroro Smith. She said: “We are charting on a cause into making history for the Health of the Adolescent during and after the meeting/capacity training; as we make a quality contribution to the end of the Programme”. Mrs. Mbrema Wokoma (Desk Officer, For the Adolescent (SMOH); shared an action plan on way forward for the Adolescent. Partners present, promise to support as much as they can for the growth and betterment of the Adolescent group. Dr. Anslem Audu (Health Specialist/Officer in charge of UNICEF Port Harcourt, emphasized that they will continue to sponsor the activities of the Technical Working Group for Adolescents.

The objectives included 

To conduct State-level needs assessment, landscape analysis, and prioritization of Adolescent Health problems in Rivers State.

To develop State level of Political support and commitment.

To provide five days of capacity building for health care providers at State and Local government levels for Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents (AA-HA!).

To secure the engagement of key Adolescent Health and development Stakeholders on AHD programmes.

The outline for the introduction is as follows:

Who are Adolescents?

What is their relevance in National Development?

What challenges do adolescents face?

How global, regional, and national targets the adolescents.

Introduction:

Adolescents belong to the period of transition from Childhood to Adulthood. This period offers the opportunity for consolidation of the earlier health investment in the childhood years and for laying the critical foundation. Who are Adolescents? 2007 National Policy on the Health and Development of Adolescent and young people adopted by UN definition of “Adolescents”; as individuals between the ages of 10 –19 years. “Youth” as a person aged 15 – 24 years. Looking at the Statistics of the Population of Nigeria; 22% are the Adolescent Population and 78% as the rest of the population. We have 64 million people as young people. Adolescents and young people are a major demographic force as they constitute more than a fifth of the world’s population. Ensuring quality health care services for Adolescents and other young people is also critical to the Universal Health Coverage Agenda.

Efforts at National Level

Policy formulation and Dialogues.

Resource Mobilization

Capacity Building

Monitoring of Adolescents Programmes

Sharing Experience at Global Commitment

Adolescent Health Programmes

Adolescent Technical Working Group (TWG)

Monitoring and Evaluation Framework (M&E).

Expectations from Rivers State Government (RSG):

Provide support at the State level and help secure L.G.A level political support.

Enhance the process of revamping State level Multi-Sectoral Working Group.

Facilitation of Participation of Partners.

Expected Outputs:

SMTWG revamped.

Built competencies of the SMTWG

State priorities were identified and State Level Implementation Plan was Developed.

Necessary Capacity built.

Proposing For Adolescent Friendly Clinic:

We want the Government to understand what Adolescent friendly Clinic is. Also, for people to understand Adolescents.

Development Partners

They assist the Government to achieve results.

Status of AHD Programming in the State and L.G.A’s:

Why a focus on Adolescent Statistics shows that 10-19years constitute 22.1% of the population.

Global Accelerated Action for the Health of Adolescents (AA-HA):

It helps countries to plan, implement and evaluate the Adolescents health programmes’ interventions in each country.

D-Ability Initiative’s Executive Director, Dr. Kingdom Nwanyanwu made four presentations on the landscape analysis of responsive health system strengthening in Rivers State. 

On day 4, Dr. Kingdom Nwanyanwu presented the recap. and at the end of the presentation, he was applauded. The Group session resumed immediately on Work Plan.