The Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF) has expanded its Educational School Programme (WESP) to four secondary schools in Ogun and Oyo states to empower girls and protect them from sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV).
WARIF said this in a statement on Thursday in Lagos, noting that the initiative was supported by the Girls Opportunity Alliance (GOA).
The foundation said the programme was designed to equip adolescent girls with life skills, leadership abilities and practical knowledge needed to prevent and respond to abuse.
According to WARIF, the participating schools are Remo Secondary School and Shagamu High School in Ogun State, as well as Fiditi Grammar School and Ilora Baptist Grammar School in Oyo State.
It stated that the intervention trained 5,500 girls, comprising 500 direct beneficiaries and 5,000 indirect beneficiaries.
The organisation added that 500 parents and caregivers, as well as 20 members of school management teams, also benefited from the programme.
WARIF said the programme focused on strengthening girls’ knowledge and practical skills to prevent and respond effectively to sexual and gender-based violence.
It added that the initiative also sought to build peer-led protection and support systems within schools to encourage safe reporting and collective responsibility.
The foundation said the programme further aimed to increase the capacity of caregivers and school leadership to prevent and respond appropriately to abuse, while also equipping girls with leadership, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
WARIF noted that over the years, WESP had recorded measurable improvements in students’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviours related to gender-based violence, as well as increased help-seeking behaviour and reduced cases of abuse in intervention schools across Lagos, Ogun and Oyo states.
The Director of International Programmes, Girls Opportunity Alliance, Mrs Tsehaitu “Tubi” Retta, said investing in girls meant investing in safer and stronger communities.
“At the Girls Opportunity Alliance, we believe that investing in girls means investing in safer, stronger communities.
“When girls feel safe, supported and informed, everything changes for them, their families and their communities.
“WARIF’s work is a powerful example of what happens when girls are equipped with the confidence, skills and support systems to protect themselves and lead,” she said.
WARIF said it remained committed to reducing the incidence of rape and sexual assault through advocacy, survivor-centred services and preventive interventions.
It said the Educational School Programme was a scalable and evidence-based model addressing gaps in life skills education, school safety and gender-sensitive mentorship.
The foundation added that through continued collaboration with partners, schools and communities, it would sustain efforts to ensure that adolescent girls were empowered, protected and able to achieve their full potential.
WARIF is a non-profit organisation founded in 2016 by Dr Kemi DaSilva Ibru in response to the high incidence of sexual violence, rape and human trafficking affecting girls and women in Nigeria.
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