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GenderAssessmentofNortheastNigeriaconductedforManagingConflictinNorthEastNigeria(MCN)

ChitraNagarajan,June2017

TableofContents

AcronymsIntroductionTrendsacrossAdamawa,BornoandYobeAdamawa• Context• Legalframeworks• Involvementinconflict• Physicalharmcausedbyarmedactors• Displacement• Economicimpacts• Psychologicalimpacts• Women’sparticipationandvoiceingovernanceandpeacebuilding• ViolenceagainstwomenandgirlsBorno• Context• Legalframeworks• Involvementinconflict• Physicalharmcausedbyarmedactors• Displacement• Economicimpacts• Psychologicalimpacts• Women’sparticipationandvoiceingovernanceandpeacebuilding• ViolenceagainstwomenandgirlsYobe• Context• Legalframeworks• Involvementinconflict• Physicalharmcausedbyarmedactors• Displacement• Economicimpacts• Psychologicalimpacts• Women’sparticipationandvoiceingovernanceandpeacebuilding• Violenceagainstwomenandgirls

OpportunitiesforEngagement• Involvingwomeninrebuildingcommunities• Addingvalueonviolenceagainstwomenandgirls’preventionandresponseBibliography

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AcronymsACF ActionContreLaFaim(ActionAgainstHunger)

AOG armedoppositiongroup

CJTF CivilianJointTaskForce

CID CriminalInvestigationDepartment

CRA ChildRightsAct

CBOs communitybasedorganisations

COOPI CooperazioneInternazionale

CPP communitypeacepartnership

CSOs civilsocietyorganisations

DDRR disarmament,demobilisation,rehabilitationandreintegration

DRC DanishRefugeeCouncil

ECR EducationCrisisResponse

FGM/C femalegenitalmutilation/cutting

FIDA Federación International de Abogadas (International Federation of Women

Lawyers)

FOMWAN FederationofMuslimWomen’sAssociationsofNigeria

GBV genderbasedviolence

GBVIMS GenderBasedViolenceInformationManagementSystem

GEOBill GenderandEqualOpportunitiesBill

HIV HumanImmunodeficiencyVirus

HRW HumanRightsWatch

IDP internallydisplacedperson

IEDs improvisedexplosivedevice

IMC InternationalMedicalCorps

IOMDTM InternationalOrganisationforMigrationDisplacementTracingMatrix

INGOs internationalnon-governmentalorganisations

IRC InternationalRescueCommittee

ISWA IslamicStateWestAfrica(WilayatalIslamiyyaGharbAfriqiyyah)

JAS Jama’atu Ahlis Sunnah Lida’awati Wal Jihad (People Committed to the

PropagationoftheProphet’sTeachingsandJihadinEnglish)

JONAWPD JointNationalAssociationforPeoplewithDisabilities

LAC LegalAidCouncil

LGA localgovernmentarea

MCN ManagingConflictinNorthEastNigeria

MDAs ministries,departmentsandagencies

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MMC MaiduguriMetropolitanCouncil

MNJTF MultiNationalJointTaskForce

MOJ MinistryofJustice

MOH MinistryofHealth

MORRR MinistryofReconstruction,RehabilitationandResettlement

MOWASD MinistryofWomen’sAffairsandSocialDevelopment

NAPWPS NationalActionPlanonWomen,PeaceandSecurity

NAWOJ NationalAssociationofWomenJournalists

NBA NigerianBarAssociation

NCWS NationalCouncilofWomen’sSocieties

NEMA NationalEmergencyManagementAssociation

NERI NorthEastRegionalInitiative

NGOs non-governmentalorganisations

NHRC NationalHumanRightsCommission

NRC NorwegianRefugeeCouncil

NSCDC NigeriaSecurityandCivilDefenceCorps

NSRP NigeriaStabilityandReconciliationProgramme

NYSC NationalYouthServiceCorps

OCHA UnitedNationsOfficefortheCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs

PCNI PresidentialCommitteeontheNortheastInitiative

PEP postexposureprophylaxis

PSS psychosocialsupport

PSWG ProtectionSectorWorkingGroup

SAPWPS StateActionPlanonWomen,PeaceandSecurity

SARC SexualAssaultReferralCentre

SCMA StateConflictManagementAlliance

SEA sexualexploitationandabuse

SEMA StateEmergencyManagementAgency

SGBV sexualandgenderbasedviolence

SHOA StateHouseofAssembly

SRH sexualandreproductivehealth

STD sexuallytransmitteddisease

UXO unexplodedordnance

VAWG violenceagainstwomenandgirls

UN UnitedNations

UNFPA UnitedNationsPopulationFund

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UNHCR UnitedNationsHighCommissionerforRefugees

UNICEF UnitedNationsChildrenFund

VAPPAct ViolenceAgainstPersonsProhibitionAct

VSF VictimSupportFund

WOWICAN WomenWingofChristianAssociationofNigeria

WINN WomeninNewNigeria

WPSN Women,PeaceandSecurityNetwork

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IntroductionIn2005,Jama’atuAhlisSunnahLida’awatiWalJihad(JAS,translatedasPeopleCommittedtothePropagationoftheProphet’sTeachingsandJihad),commonlyknownasBokoHaram,noticeablyemerged inMaiduguri. Originally protesting the corruption and inequality produced by statestructuresandcalling for a return toa ‘purer’,more Islamicwayof life, thegroup’s ideology,tacticsandstrategyhavebeenconstantlyevolving.Overtime,itmorphedintodeclaringcontrolover territory,settingoffbombs includingthrough ‘suicide’bombers,1 forcedrecruitmentandkidnappingandviolenceagainstwomenandgirls(VAWG)includingsexualviolenceandforcedmarriage.OperationsbytheMultiNationalJointTaskForce(MNJTF)togetherwithlocalvigilantegroupsandtheCivilianJointTaskForce(CJTF)recoveredtheterritorytakenbyJASin2014and2015.Alwayswithdifferentfactions,thegroupsplitintoatleasttwodistinctgroups:JASheadedbyAbubakar Shekau andWilayat al IslamiyyaGharbAfriqiyyah (Islamic StateWestAfrica orISWA)headedbyAbuMusabal-Barnawiin2016.2Civilianharmhasbeencommittedbyallpartiestotheconflict.TheNigerianmilitaryhavefailedtoprotectcommunitiesfromviolence,committedcivilianharmduringthecourseofoperationsanddirectlytargetedcivilians,includingthroughunlawfuldetention,harassment,destructionofproperty, forced displacement, sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) againstwomen and girls,indiscriminate targeting of groups such as young men, torture and excessive use of force.3Meanwhile, theCJTF inparticularhasbeen implicated inextra-judicialkillings,harassmentofcommunities,SEA,recruitmentanduseofchildrenanddiversionofhumanitarianaid.Vigilantegroups,whichincludelocalhunters,areseenbycommunitiestohavecommittedfewerabusesbutthereisalackofempiricalresearchinthisarea.ConflictbetweentheNigerianstate,vigilantegroups/CJTFandarmedoppositiongroups(AOGs)overlays,exacerbatesandfeedsoffalreadyexistingdynamics.Aswellascreatingnewtensionswithin and between communities, it has also caused communities to come together againstcommonthreats.Inallofthese,theexperiencesofgirls,women,boysandmenhavebeenverydifferent.The overall objective of theManaging Conflict in North East Nigeria (MCN) programme is toenhancestateandcommunitylevelconflictmanagementcapabilitytopreventtheescalationofconflict into violence in selected locations in northeast Nigeria. Its geographical scope isAdamawa,BornoandYobestatesanditsspecificobjectivesareasfollows:• OS1:Tostrengthencommunitylevelconflictmanagementmechanisms• OS2:Toenhancereconciliationandstabilitywithincommunities,inparticularthoseaffected

bydisplacement• OS3:Tobothsupporttheinvolvementofwomeninpeace-buildingandaddresstheimpactof

violenceonwomenandgirls• OS4:Toenhance thereintegrationofyoungmenandwomen(affectedbyand involved in

insurgencyandcounter-insurgencyoperations)• OS5:Toinfluencekeydecision-makersandopinion-formersthroughtargetedresearch

1Astheexistenceandlevelofagencyofthosewhocarryanddetonatebombsisunknown,quotationmarkswillbeusedaroundthewordsuicideintheabsenceofanothersuccinctdescriptor.Reportsaresomepeoplearedrugged,dupedorunawareofplanswhileothersvolunteerforthetask,motivatedbycommitmenttothegroup’sideals.2Pleasenotethatintheinterestsofconflictsensitivity,theassessmentwillusetheexactnamesofthegroupsinvolvedwhererelevantandtheterm‘armedoppositiongroups’torefertoallthoseactiveinthenortheast(asopposedtousingtheblanketterm‘BokoHaram’which,ratherthanbeingthenameofthegroupsthemselves,isonegiventothembythemediaandservestosimplifytheirmessageandaims).3KDietrich,“WhenWeCan’tSeetheEnemy,CiviliansBecometheEnemy”:LivingThroughNigeria’sSixYearInsurgency,(CenterforCiviliansinConflict,2015).

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ThisgenderassessmentisoneofseveraldocumentsthatprovidesituationalanalysistoinformMCN interventions. It aims to ensure the programme has enhanced understanding of theexperiencesofwomenandgirlsinthethreestates,theopportunitiesforthemtoplayaroleinconflictmanagementandpeacebuilding,thenature,levelsandimpactofVAWGandtheexistingmechanismstopreventandrespondtoVAWG.TherearemanyissuesaffectingwomenandgirlsinnortheastNigeria.Itisnotpossibleforthisgender assessment to provide a comprehensive analysis due to limited time and the need toprioritise.Asaresult,thedocumentfocusesonareasmostrelevanttoMCN.Theassessmentalsotakes a gender relational approach, looking at the situation affecting men and boys whereappropriategiventheimpactsoftheirexperiencesonwomenandgirls.Itdrawsonadeskreviewofresearchanddocuments, interviewsconducted inAprilandMay2017inthethreestatesandtheauthor’shistoryandexperiencesworkingonandinnortheastNigeriasince2013.Theassessmentfocusesonresearchandassessmentscarriedoutinlate2016and2017asfaraspossiblegiventherateatwhichdynamicsarechangingandasthisassessmentfocusesonthecurrentsituationratherthangivingahistoricalperspective.Therearelargegapsinresearchandinsufficiencyofdata,particularlyonVAWGincidenceandtrends,thathinderstheformulationofacompleteassessment.Asaresult,theassessmentreliesheavilyoninterviewsandpreviousworkdonebytheauthorratherthanpublishedresearch,witheffortsmadetoverifyinformationgivenininterviews.Theassessmentclearlystateswherethiswasnotpossible.Afteranoverviewoftrendsacrossthethreestates,theassessmentturnstoexaminingAdamawa,BornoandYobeindetail.Foreachstate,theassessmentstartsbyprovidingcontext,highlightingkey conflictdynamics in the stateandoutlining relevant legal frameworks. It thengoeson tocover involvement in conflict, physical harm caused by armed actors, dynamics arounddisplacement,economicandpsychologicalimpacts.Thestatesectionsfinishwithexaminationofwomen’s participation and voice (or lack thereof) in governance and peacebuilding anddiscussionofVAWG4throughanoverviewofincidenceandtrendsandanalysisastopreventionandresponsemechanisms. It is important tonote that thecontentof these sectionshasbeendeterminedbyareviewofexistingresearchandotherdocumentsandinterviews.Thatonetrendisnotedinonestatebutnotanotherdoesnotnecessarilymeanthatitdoesnothappenbutratherthatnoevidenceforitwasfoundinthetimeframeavailablefortheassessment.Afteroutliningthese factors for each of the three states, the gender assessment finishes with a list ofopportunities for engagement forMCN to considerwhen it comes to 1) involvingwomen inrebuildingcommunitiesand2)addingvalueonVAWGpreventionandresponse.

4PleasenotethatthetermVAWGwillbeusedthroughoutthisassessmentasthefocusisonviolenceagainstwomenandgirlsaloneratherthanalsoexamininggenderbasedviolenceagainstmenandboys.Whereorganisationsuseothertermssuchassexualandgenderbasedviolence,theassessmentwillusethetermsorganisationsthemselvesuse.

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TrendsAcrossAdamawa,BornoandYobeThissectionoftheassessmenthighlightskeytrendsacrossthestates,drawingontheinformationpresented in the state sections as well as research that covers all 3 states but does notdisaggregatebetweenthem.• Theexperiencesofwomenandgirlsdependgreatlyontheconflict,securityandhumanitarian

dynamicsintheirlocalities.BornohasbeentheepicentreoftheJAS-relatedconflictwithitsimpactbeingfeltinall27LGAs,mostofwhicharestillexperiencinghighlevelsofinsecurityandviolence.InmanyLGAs,themilitarycontrolsonlytheLGAheadquartersandaonetofivekilometre perimeter surrounding it with varying levels of presence of AOGs outside thisradius.MeanwhileinYobeandAdamawa,althoughmanyLGAsseethepresenceofinternallydisplacedpeople(IDPs),theimpactofJAS-relatedconflicthasbeenlimitedtosomeextenttotheLGAswhichsawviolenceandcontinuetoexperiencesomelevelsofinsecurity.However,thereareothertypesofconflictpresentinthesestates,notablyconflictoverlandandwaterresourcesbetweenfarmers,pastoralists,huntersandfisherfolkandinter-communalconflictbetweenethno-linguisticandreligiousgroups,thelatterparticularlyfoundinAdamawastate.Furthermore, many areas are experiencing conflict between IDPs and host communities,conflictoverhousing,landandpropertyduetodisplacementandaroundevensuggestionsfordisarmament,demobilisation,rehabilitationandreintegration(DDRR)ofAOGfighters,aswillbeexploredbelow.AnotherpointofconcernisincreasingdissatisfactionexpressedbyvigilanteandCJTFmembersagainstthestateforlackofrecognitionandremunerationandthepotential for this conflict to escalate into violence. These conflict dynamics are takingplaceagainstabackdropofsignificanterosionintrustincommunityleaders,seenascorrupt,politicised, biased and diverting humanitarian aid, in many areas. Not only do theseperceptions mean institutions charged with performing conflict resolution tasks are nolongerwidelytrusted,butalsothatthiserosionoftrustleadstoconflictinandofitself.

• Significantgapsexistinallthreestateswhenitcomestorelevantlegislation.Yobe,wherethe

passageoftheChildProtectionLawisatitsfinalstagesandopportunitiesexistforworkontheViolenceAgainstPersonsProhibition(VAPP)Act,isthefurthestaheadofthethreestates.InAdamawaandBorno,someadvocacy isongoingarounddomesticationof theVAPPAct,ChildRightsAct(CRA)andGenderandEqualOpportunities(GEO)Billbutpassageremainschallenging.TheAttorneyGeneralofAdamawaStateseemscommittedtowardsreformsandisplanningtoconveneall36StateAttorneyGeneralsinYolatolookatreformstothePenalCode as well as discuss the VAPP Act, harmonisation with the CRA and other ways ofprotectingrights.Thisgatheringmayprovideentrypointsforworkonlegislativeandpolicyreformafterwards.

• Asformenandboys,women’sandgirls’pathwaystoassociationwithJASdefyneatcategories

of ‘voluntary’ and ‘forced’ with women and girls falling on a spectrum encompassingabductions,coercion,pressure,circumstantialmotivationandintrinsicmotivation.Whiletheabductionofwomenandgirlshasmadenationalandinternationalheadlines,theextentofabductionsofmenandboysremainsunknown.SomegenderedpathwaysforyoungwomenincludefeelingobligatedtojoinhusbandsinJAS,theuniqueopportunitiesthegroupoffersforyoungwomen,particularlytoacquirereligiousknowledgedeniedtothembypatriarchalgendernorms,andopportunitiesforhigherstatusduetocarryingouttasksforthegroup,while foryoungmen, the roleof complexbusiness relationshipsand feelingsofattendantobligation aremoremarked.5 Other reasons that JAS appealed tomany, especially youngwomen,wereMohammedYusuf’sencouragementofmarriagewithinthesectandalleviationof financial demands and social obligations as he promoted quick, simple weddings and

5MercyCorps,“MotivationsandEmptyPromises”:VoicesofFormerBokoHaramCombatantsandNigerianYouth,2016.

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ordereddowries togo to thebridenother family.6More recently, inareaswhere JASareactive, women and girls have been given to fighters by fathers under pressure and havechosentomarryfightersthemselves, includingforprotection.7Recruitmentofwomenandgirlsincertainareashashelpedattractsupporters,establishapoliticalideologyinoppositionto thestateand target institutions,particularlyaswomenandgirls,unlikemenandboys,were not viewed with suspicion and could move freely (although this is now changing).Womenandgirlsassociatedwiththegrouphavetakenpartinattacksonvillagesandtowns,beenresponsibleforrecruitingmembers,actedasbombmakers,taughtotherwomenandgirlsnewtothegroupwhatwasexpectedofthem,persuadedfamilymemberstojoinand,ofcourse,servedas‘suicide’bombers.Issuesofabductions,forcedmarriageandsexualviolencewillbeconsideredbelow.

• From8thApril2011until31stMay2017,themediareported216uniqueinstancesof‘suicide’

bombingattacksinvolving345peopleintotalintheLakeChadregion.Ofthese,174,oralmost50percent,wereidentifiedasfemale,aratemuchhigherthanthegenderdistributionseeninothersimilargroups.8Itisimportanttonotethatmany‘suicide’bombersdonothavetheirgenderreportedbythemediasotherealfiguremaybehigher.Thisstudyshowsthatwomenmore frequently went to civilian targets such as markets, bus stations and educationalinstitutionswhilemenweremorelikelytoattackgovernmentinstitutions,includingpoliceandmilitary installations.Womenare seen asmore expendableby JAS leadership.As thestudyquotesoneformerJASmemberassaying,womenare'cheapandtheyareangryforthemostpart.Usingwomenallowsyoutosaveyourmen.’

• Large-scaleDDRRprocesses are yet to start in thenortheast.However, tensions continue

betweenfamiliesofpresumedAOGmembersandthoseharmedbyviolence,withwidespreadsuspicionandmistrust insomecommunitiesas towhomaybeasympathiserormember.Women and girls associated with AOGs often face marginalisation, discrimination andrejectionbyfamilyandcommunitymembersandareviewedwithfearthattheyhavebeenradicalised.9ChildrenassociatedwithbothJASandCJTFarevieweddifferentlyaccordingtowhethertheyareseentohavejoinedwillinglyorbeenforcedtojoinbut,regardless,therearehighlevelsofreluctancetoacceptthembackintocommunities.10Whilemenarelikelytofacehigherlevelsoffearandmistrustastheyareseenasbeingmorewillinglyinvolved,evenwhilepeopleacknowledgethehighlevelsofforcedrecruitment,womenandgirlsarelikelytofacehigherlevelsofstigma,particularlyiftheyhavebecomepregnantasaresultofassociationwithAOGs.Althoughthereislessstigmaanddiscriminationrelatedtobeingassociatedwithvigilante groups and the CJTF, which continue to be active, there are fears of the futuretrajectoriesofthoseinvolvedinthesegroups,theirpropensitytobeinvolvedinviolenceandrefusaltogiveupthepowerassociatedwithfighting.Inadditiontothewaysinwhichtheyareperceivedbythecommunity,allthoseassociatedwitharmedgroupshaveexperiencedand/ortakenpartinviolence,withtheformsthatthesetakemanifestingverydifferentlyforwomen,girls,boysandmen,andarelikelytoexperiencecontinuedtraumaasaresult.

• Women and girls are also active in vigilante groups and the CJTF across the three states.

Whilesomeofthemcomefromfamiliesofhunters,agroupthathasbeenactiveindefendingcommunities from JAS, with women inheriting family positions and taking active part infighting,otherswithoutthisbackgroundalsohavetakenconsciousdecisionstojoin.Whilein

6InternationalCrisisGroup,Nigeria:WomenandtheBokoHaramInsurgency,December2016.7Ibid. 8J.WarnerandH.Matfess,ExplodingStereotypes:TheUnexpectedOperationalandDemographicCharacteristicsofBokoHaram’sSuicideBombers,(CombatingTerrorismCenteratWestPoint,2017).9InternationalAlert,‘BadBlood’:PerceptionsofChildrenBornofConflictRelatedSexualViolenceandWomenandGirlsAssociatedwithBokoHaraminNortheastNigeria,(InternationalAlert/UNICEF,2016).10P.Donli,PerceptionsandExperiencesofChildrenAssociatedwithArmedGroupsinNortheastNigeria,(NSRP/UNICEF,2017).

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manysuchgroups,leadershiptendstoconsistofmenatthehighestlevels,womencommandgroupsoffighters,takepartinactivefightingalongsidemen,areresponsibleforpatrollingtownsandvillagesandscreenwomenandgirlsatcheckpoints.WomenhavealsobeenknowntospontaneouslytakeupweaponstofightJASmemberstryingtoentertheircommunitiesalongsidethemen.

• Children,bothgirlsandboys,havebeenrecruitedandusedbyarmedgroups.Whilechildren

associatedwithJAShavebeenusedindirecthostilities,forplantinglandmines,improvisedexplosivedevices(IEDs)andunexplodedordnances(UXOs),burninghousesandschoolsandascooks,messengers,look-outsandhumanshields,childrenassociatedwiththeCJTFhavebeenusedmainlyforintelligencerelatedpurposes,searchoperations,nightpatrols,crowdcontrolandtostaffguardposts.Aswithadults,childrenfallalongaspectrumof forcedtovoluntarilyrecruitment,duetofactorsincludingpoverty,peerinfluencing, lackofparentalcare,familialtiestothegroupsandthedesiretoprotectfamiliesandcommunitiesforbothJASandtheCJTF.PathwaystorecruitmentspecificforJASaloneincludeabductions,religiousideology,charismaticleadershipandfinancialincentiveswhereaspathwaystorecruitmentspecific for the CJTF alone include associations with positive community image, to takerevengeonJASandfearofsecurityforceswhomayseeyouasaJASmemberifonedidnotjointheCJTF.Meanwhile,associationwithvigilantegroupsisofteninheritedfromparents,particularlyforhunters.Thedriversforgirlsandboysareverysimilarwithsomeimportantadditional pathways for girls. They have become associated with JAS due to forcefulconscriptionbyhusbandswhodidnotexpresstheirsupportforJASpriortomarriageandtoprotecttheirfamiliesfromviolence.ReasonsforassociationwiththeCJTFadditionaltothosementioned above are to show solidarity for those abducted, as protection against sexualviolenceorduetofearofbeingforcedtojoinJAS.Thereiswidespreadsexualviolenceagainstgirlswhileassociatedwith JAS.Stigmaanddistrust,commonforboysandgirlsassociatedwith JAS once they have left the group, is a key barrier for reintegration as is the risk ofviolence from CJTF and vigilante group members. Girls were seen as having increasedreintegrationchallengescomparedtoboysduetotheadditionalstigmaofbeingasurvivorofsexualviolence,particularlyifthisresultedinpregnancyandchildbirth,andtheuseofgirlsin‘suicide’attacks.Meanwhile,childrenassociatedwiththeCJTFandvigilantegroupswereviewed positively as having brought peace, although there was some concern aboutbehaviour,causedbytheirwitnessingofviolence,exposuretodruguseandthe increasedauthoritytheyhadexperienced.11TheNigeriangovernmentiscurrentlyreviewingaprotocolforhandoverofchildrenencounteredduringmilitaryoperationstocivilianchildprotectionactors.12

• WomenhavebeeninstrumentalinsavingthelivesofmenfromJAS.Countlesswomenand

men interviewed betweenOctober 2016 andMarch 2017 for the author’s previousworkspoke of women hiding men in their homes, dressing them in women’s clothing andsmuggling them past JAS fighters, often at great personal risk. Women have also helpedsoldiers whowere worried they would be the first to be targeted to escape JAS fighterscomingintotheareabydisguisingthemaswomensotheycanescape.Manymeninterviewedare thankful to the crucial role that women played in ensuring their safety and security,howeversomewomenspeakofadesireonthepartofmenforpeopletoforgetthishappenedandattemptstosilencethemwiththisinmind.

• AttacksstillcontinueinBornowithmajorgapsininformationastowhatishappeninginareas

thatare contested territories in thenorthof the stateandaroundLakeChadbut securitylevelshavesignificantlyimprovedinAdamawaandYobe.Thetimewhentheirvillagesand

11TheinformationinthisparagraphislargelydrawnfromP.Donli,PerceptionsandExperiencesofChildrenAssociatedwithArmedGroupsinNortheastNigeria,(NSRP/UNICEF,2017).12DiscussionswithUNICEFstaffworkingonchildprotection.

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townswerecontrolledbyAOGswasatimeoffearandmanypeopleinterviewedspokeaboutsleepinginthebushduringthistimeduetofearthatfighterswouldcometokillandabductthemiftheystayedintheirhomes,particularlyatnight.Manymenandolderboys,worriedaboutbeingtargeted(forgoodreasonaswillbeshownbelow),weresomeofthefirsttofleecommunities,leavingbehindwomen,theelderlyandchildren.ThepatternofharmseemstodifferbetweenAOGs:JASischaracterisedashavingapolicyofdeliberatelytargetingcivilianswhile ISWA ismuchmore strategic in termsof reachingout to them.This is an area thatwarrantsfurtherinvestigation.ItisimportanttonoteheretheriskofIEDsandUXOsandthelackofcomprehensiveminesurveysoractionarounddemining,particularlyaspeoplestartfarming and trading in some areas. That mine action continues not to be taken risksincreasingthenumberofdisabledpeople,alreadyheightenedasaresultofviolence.Disabledpeople, particularly women and girls, have found it very difficult to escape violence andcontinuenottobespecificallytargetedforassistance.

• Whilemost civilians feel AOGs have perpetrated themajority of harm to them and their

families,theyalsohadkeyconcernsaboutNigeriansecurityforces:Theywereworriedaboutbeing wrongly identified as a combatant, perceived security forces to be unprofessional,untrainedandunwillingtofight,didnotknowhowandwheretofilecomplaintsorreceivepostharmassistance,notedpoorrelationsandmistrustbetweencommunitiesandsecuritypersonnel and highlighted abuse, unlawful detention and intimidated. Military action orinaction has led to civilian harm in three ways: 1) failure to protect communities fromviolence; 2) failure to prevent collateral damage during operations, causing direct andindirect harm; and 3) directly targeting civilians with unlawful detention, harassment,destructionofproperty,sexualviolence, indiscriminatetargetingofcertaingroupssuchasyoungmen,tortureandexcessiveuseofforcecausinginjuryanddeath.13WomenandgirlsareparticularlydisadvantagedwhenitcomestoNigeriansecurityforces.Notonlydogendernormsactasabarrier toapproaching themwithsecurityconcernsbuthigh levelsofSEAperpetratedbysecurityforcesmakethemafraidtodoso.Asaresult,manywomenfeeltheyhavenowheretoturntowhenitcomestotheirownsafetyandsecurityaswellaspassingoninformationandintelligencetheyhave,suchasthelocationofAOGfightersorwaystheymoveintoandoutoftownsandvillages.14

• InadditiontoAOGsandsecurityforces,communityself-helpmilitiasi.e.vigilantegroupsand

theCJTFhavealsocausedseriousandsignificantharmtocivilians.ThisperpetrationofharmseemsmostmarkedbymembersoftheCJTFagainstwhomaccusationsofharassmentofallcommunitymembers,sexualharassment,violenceandabuseagainstwomenandgirls,extra-judicialkillingsandotherhumanrightsabusesaremade.Indeed,insomeareassuchasDikwathemilitary has purposefully distanced itself from the CJTF, preferring to rely instead onvigilantemembersincludinglocalhunterswhohavegoodknowledgeoftheareaandareseenas ‘moremature’thanCJTFmembers.15 However,communityperceptionsofthesegroupstendtobemixed:theyareviewedmorepositivelythatstatesecurityforcesinmanyplacesand many are thankful for their role in defending communities from AOG attack whilesimultaneously being concerned as to current abuses by and future trajectories of groupmembers.

• Menoffightingage(roughlyspanning15to60years)areoftenthefirsttofleeinsecureareas,

deliberately targeted andkilledbyAOGs, viewedwith suspicion anddetainedby securityagenciesandinvolvedinfighting(theirrecruitmentspanningaspectrumbetweencoercion

13TheaboveanalysisinthisparagraphistakenfromK.Dietrich,“WhenWeCan’tSeetheEnemy,CiviliansBecometheEnemy”:LivingThroughNigeria’sSixYearInsurgency,(CenterforCiviliansinConflict,2015).14BasedondiscussionswithwomeninAdamawaandBornobetweenFebruaryandJune2017.15DiscussionswithsoldiersinDikwainMarchandApril2017.

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andvolition).16Theyaretargeteddirectlybythemilitaryforarrestanddetention,includingthrough screening processes for IDPs. In 2015, Amnesty International estimated thatNigerianmilitary forces had extra judicially executedmore than 1,200 people, arbitrarilyarrestedatleast2,000people,mostlyyoungmenandboys,andthatmorethan7,000menand boys had died in detention since March 2011 due to starvation, thirst, severeovercrowdingleadingtospreadofdiseases,torture,lackofmedicalattentionandtheuseoffumigationchemicalsinunventilatedcells.17Attimes,theyalsobecomethefocusofsuspicionbyothers,includingtheirowncommunitiesandfamilies.Ifaparticularcommunityorlocalgovernmentarea(LGA)isseenbyotherstohavelargenumbersofrecruitstoAOGs,itisoftentheyoungmenthatareseenasfighters.

• The latest International Organisation for Migration Displacement Tracing Matrix (IOMDTM),18coveringtheperiod5Aprilto15May2017,reported1,884,331displacedindividualsand 1,234,894 returnee individuals with 56 percent of the population being children, 55percentbeing female and7percentbeingover theageof60.The largestpopulations arelocatedinBorno(79percent),Adamawa(8percent)andYobe(6percent)with87percentofdisplacedpeopleoriginatingfromBornoand97percentofdisplacementsintotalduetotheJASlinkedcrisis.Mostdisplacementsoccurredin2014(31percent),2015(30percent)and2016 (29 percent), with only 9 percent of displacement having occurred in 2017 so far.Multipledisplacementiscommonwithnearly70percentofpeoplehavingbeendisplacedatleasttwice.Bornohasthehighestpercentageofpeoplelivingincampsandcamplikesettings(42percent)whileYobehas12percentandAdamawahas8percentofpeopledoingso.Foodisthepredominantneedin70percentofIDPsitesfollowedbynon-fooditemslikeblanketsand mosquito nets (13 percent) and shelter and medical services (both at six percent).Unfortunately, the DTM does not disaggregate by sex. However, there are reports thatdisplacedsingleordivorcedwomenmaybeallocatedhousinginformalcampswiththoseinhostcommunitieshavingtofendforthemselvesandlikelytobemarginalised.19

• Thedirectionsonprotection,accessandsolutionsforIDPsandreturneesdevelopedbytheGovernmentofNigeriaandtheUnitedNationsHighCommissionerforRefugees(UNHCR)hasthree pillars: 1) opportunities for solutions ensuring voluntariness, safety and dignity; 2)criticalprotectionneeds,includingsexualandgenderbasedviolence(SGBV)preventionandresponse; and 3) empowerment and social cohesion including gender equality, inclusion,empowerment and community reconciliation.20 The Governors of Adamawa and Bornostates,bothwhohadinsistedthatallIDPcampsinstatecapitalswouldbesoonclosedandpeoplesentbacktoLGAsoforigin,haveinrecentmonthsbacktrackedduetopressurefromfederal government actors and national and international development and humanitarianactors.ThereissignificantmovementaroundtheregionaspeoplemovebacktotheirLGAswherethesecuritysituationhasimproved,movetoLGAheadquartersforsafetyandsecurityfromsurroundingtownsandvillages,experiencerefoulementfromCameroonandareforcedbackovertheborderintoNigeriaandfleetoMaiduguriduetoviolenceintheirLGA.Thisisacomplex and quickly changing areawith services insufficient or not present to assist thenumbersofpeopledisplaced.

• The conflict affected education in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe. JAS targeted educational

institutions, warning teachers not to go to school, attacking schools and killing teachers.Studentswerealsowarnednottoattendeducationalinstitutions.Forexample,ina24March

16MercyCorps,“MotivationsandEmptyPromises”:VoicesofFormerBokoHaramCombatantsandNigerianYouth,2016.17 Amnesty International, Stars on Their Shoulders. Blood on Their Hands. War Crimes Committed by the NigerianMilitary,2015.18IOM,DisplacementTrackingMatrixRoundXVIReport,May2017.19A.Rodogovsky,GenderRapidAssessment–JereLGA,BornoState,Nigeria,(CRS/CAFOD,February2017).20GovernmentofNigeriaandUNHCR,DirectionsonProtection,AccessandSolutionsforIDPsandReturneesinNorth-EasternNigeria,24February2017,Oslo,Norway.

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2014messageShekauwasseenassaying,‘Universityisforbidden,girlsyoushouldreturntoyourhomes.’21MassdisplacementalsoledtomanyschoolsbeingconvertedintoIDPcamps.ThetownofBuniYadimadenationalheadlinesinFebruary2014when59boyswerekilledand2moreboyswentmissingfromtheFederalGovernmentCollegewhilegirlswereorderedto leave school and getmarried.22 Itwas one of several attacks against schools,with thenumbers of children killed and abducted leading to the long-term closure of schoolsdisruptingprovisionofeducation.ManyparentswerescaredtosendtheirchildrentoschoolsevenwhentheyreopenedduetotheattacksonandabductionsfromChibokGirlsSecondarySchool inApril2014.Evenwhere schools reopenedafter the security situation improved,manyparentsareunabletofindthemoneytocoverthecostsofeducationastheyarejustaboutmanaging to provide food and shelter. Although school fees have beenwaived forchildrenofIDPsinsomeareas,lackofbooks,shoesanduniformshindersthisaccessinreality.Inmanycases,duetothesevereeconomichardshipfamilies findthemselves,childrenarerequiredtogoouttoworkwithgirlssenttohawkproducts,ratherthanbeingabletogotoschool.This lackofeducationisaconcerntomanyparents,particularlywomenwhohavebeenleftwiththeresponsibilityoftakingcareofchildren.Fordisabledchildren,althoughtheorganisationEducationCrisisResponse(ECR)hasassisted80physicallychallengedchildrentoaccesseducationinBorno,thisisjustasmallproportionofdisabledchildreninthestate.ECRhasnospecificmandateofworkingwithdisabledchildrenand,aswasthecasebeforetheconflict,therearenoteacherswiththerequisiteskillstoteachdeafandblindchildren.Thesedynamicsaffectingaccesstoeducationoverlaychallengespresentbeforetheconflict.Inmany rural areas of the states, regardless ofwhether they have been conflict affected,children,particularlygirls,donothaveaccesstoeducation.Evenwhereenrolmentrateshavebeengood,therehavebeenissueswithtransittodifferentstagesofeducation,completionandviolenceagainstgirlsbyteachersaswellasfellowpupils.However,itseemstherehavebeensomechangeswhenitcomestoattitudestowardseducation.Someparentshaveshiftedtheirmindsdue to the conflict, characterisingwhathashappened asbeingdue to lackofeducationandsowantingtheirchildrentobeeducated.EffortshavealsobeenmadetowardsenlightenmentinmosquesabouttheneedforgirlsinparticulartohaveaccesstoeducationandgivingtheexampleoffemalelawyersanddoctorsandmembersoftheNationalSecurityandCivilDefenceCorps(NSCDC)asrolemodels.Manywomenalsospokeabouthowmuchmore difficult their own situation of being the sole breadwinner nowwas due to lack ofeducationandtheirdeterminationnottohavethisbethesituationfortheirdaughters.Today,there are some indicationsof increased enrolment of childrenpreviously out of school incertaingeographicalareasaseducationactorsintensifyprogrammingandattitudestowardseducationstarttochange.

• Violent conflict has profoundly affected and changed gender roles in areas affected byviolence.Womeninterviewedacrossthethreestatesspokeofincreasedpovertyduetoyearsofmissedharvests,losingtheirequipmentandbusinesssites,findingitdifficulttogetbuyersfortheirgoodsaseveryone’sincomeslevelshavebeenaffectedandusingupalltheircapitalhostingfriendsandfamilieswhohadbeendisplacedorduringtheirowndisplacement.Theyspokeofbeingabletomanagebeforebutfindingthingsincreasinglydifficult,particularlyasmen,whousedtobebreadwinnersforthefamily,arenownolongerthereinmanycases.Women make up the majority of the adult population in many areas due to what hashappenedtomenoffightingage.Theyhavehadtotakeonnewtypesofeconomicactivitiesanddecision-makingrolesasaresultofthesedemographicchanges.Evenifhusbandsandfathersarepresent,menarenolongerabletoprovideforfamilies,forcingwomentofindnewwaysofearningincomes,includingthroughsurvivalsex.Wherehumanitarianassistancehasbeengiventofamiliesviamen,therearecaseswheremenfavouronewifeovertheothersor

21O.S.Mahmood,MoreThanPropaganda:AReviewofBokoHaram’sPublicMessage,(InstituteforSecurityStudies,2017).22J.Hemba,‘NigerianIslamistskill59pupilsinboardingschoolattack,’Reuters,26February2014.

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donotpassonassistancetotheirfamiliesbutsellgoodsreceived,withthemoneyearnednotgiventothefamilyorusedtomarryanotherwife.Asaresult,manyagenciesdistributefoodandnon-fooditemstowomen,furtherimpactinghouseholdgenderdynamics.

• Levelsoftraumaduetotheirexperiencesofviolencearehighinareasaffected,forwomen,

men,boysandgirls.Womenspokeabout theirhusbandsbeing traumatisedandhaving tosupportthemthroughthisintheabsenceofanyservices.Womenalsoreporthighlevelsoftrauma themselves, with many stories of women in severe psychological distress afterwitnessingthekillingoftheirhusbandsandchildren,beingrapedbytheirsonswhoareJASmembersorbeingabductedandforcedintosexualslaveryrelayed.Althoughthesecasesareexceptionalandshockingintheirnature,theyarejustsomeexamplesofwhatwomenhaveexperiencedandthewaysinwhichtheseexperienceshavecontinuedpsychologicalimpacts.Therearesomeorganisationsworkinginthisareabutnotonlyaremanyareascompletelymissing psychosocial support (PSS) interventions but the level of services provided is faroutstrippedbythelevelofneedeveninareaswheretheyexist.Counsellorswhohavebeentrainedtoprovidepsychologicalfirstaidspokeaboutreceivingnoassistanceorguidanceonhowtopreventandcopewithsecondarytrauma,highlylikelyasaresultoftheirworkintheabsenceofclearmitigationstrategiesandactions.

• Whilewomenmayhavesignificantinfluenceonmenintheirhouseholdsandcommunities,theycanstruggletotranslatethisintorecognisedpositionsinsocietyatlarge.23AsinotherpartsofNigeria,thereareveryfewwomeninpositionsofpoliticalleadership.PleaserefertoTable 1 below for figures of womenwho are currently serving in elected and appointedpositions in the three states.24Whilewomenmayparticipate in partypolitical structures,their role is often tomobilisewomenvoters for candidates rather than influencingpolicydirectionorbeinginpositionsofleadershipthemselves.

Table1:NumberofWomeninElectedandAppointedPositionsinAdamawa,BornoandYobe

State Parliament StateExecutive Total Senate House of

RepresentativesState HouseofAssembly

Commissioners PermanentSecretaries

LGA Chairs/Councillors

Adamawa 1 1 2 5 NA 0 9Borno 0 1 0 4 2 0 7Yobe 1 0 0 1 0 0 2

• Therearesomerolesallocatedtowomenincommunitysystemsofleadership,withthewives

ofmenservingasthehakimiorbulamaexpectedtobetheconduitforwomen’sconcernsandwithwomentraditionaltitleholdersattheemiratelevel.However,inreality,manyofthesewomenarenolongerlivinginthesecommunitiesbutinstatecapitals.Indeed,someofthecommunityleadersthemselvesnolongerliveintheseareasastheyweresomeofthefirsttofleeduetofearsofviolenceandareyettoreturn.Furthermore,womenincommunitiessaythere is often no direct line of communication between these women and those in thecommunityandthat theystruggletoaccesscommunity leadership institutionsastheyarebarred from interactingwith community leadersdirectly.Thereare somesignsof changewith a few leaders taking conscious steps to involve women in community leadershipinstitutionsinrecognitionoftheirroleinpeaceandsecurityhowevertheseareunevenanddependtoalargeextentontheinitiativesofthecommunityleadersthemselves.

23K.Dietrich,AssessingConflictDriversandReframingRadicalisationinNorthernNigeria:FormativeResearchfortheFararTattabara(‘WhiteDove’)RadioProject,(EqualAccess,2017).24ThesefigureswerereceivedbyOlufunkeBaruwaoftheNigerianWomenTrustFundviaemailcorrespondenceon30thJune2017.

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• Inmanyareas,womencontinuetobeactiveintheircommunityandareorganisedinwomen’s

associations. Many of these associations, for example women farmer councils or marketwomen’sassociations,arelinkedtooccupation.Theyprovideawaythatwomencanadvocatetodecisionmakersoncommoninterestsaswellasshapecommunitynarratives.Theyalsocanbringwomen togetheracross linesofdivision formutual interesteitherbecause theydrawmembershipfromdifferentgroupsorduetothepotentialforwomen’sgroupsformedalongethnicandreligious linestocometogether indialogueandaction.Self-helpgroups,includingadasheorsavingsgroups,provideawaythatwomencansupporteachother.Someof theseassociations,whichhadbeenno longeroperationalduetodisplacement,arenowbeing revived as security improves, people return to their communities andmarkets andlivelihoodsareslowlyrebuilt.

• Womenareactiveinpeacebuildingefforts,althoughthistendstobeatfamilyandcommunity

levelsandusinginformalwaysoforganising.WomenareintegratedintopeaceandsecuritystructuresatcommunitylevelsupportedbyexternalactorssuchastheNigeriaStabilityandReconciliation Programme (NSRP)25 or United Nations (UN) Women to some extent.However,theirparticipationcanbetokenisticinsomecasesastheyareoutnumberedbymenpresent,feelunabletocontributeanddonotnecessarilyhaveamechanismofseekinginputandfeedingbacktootherwomeninthecommunity.Asaresult,evenwhentheseeffortsaremade,womenfeelmarginalised fromformaldecisionmakingprocessesaroundpeaceandsecurity. However, women do organise outside these structures. In addition to women’sgroupsandassociationstalkingabouttheneedforpeacefulcoexistenceandtotakeproactivemeasures to ensure peace and security, they also reach out to others. For example, inAdamawa, FOMWAN is undertaking programming on inter-religious tensions while theKirchingaWomen’sAssociation conducts peace education to children, undertakes tensionmanagementactivitiesandplanstostartworkingonreturnandreintegrationofformerJASfighters.InBorno,membersoftheNSRPsupportedpeaceclubsundertakepeacebuildingandconflictmanagementactivitiesintheircommunities.Inallthreestates,womenareveryactiveincivilsocietyandhavelinkswithcommunities,understandingofhowtomanoeuvresystemsandleadersinordertoinfluencechangeandabilitytoworkwithandassistwomenandmenincommunities.Theyhavealsobeeninvolvedasnegotiatorsandmediators,includingatthehighestlevels,asseenbytheexamplesofwomensuchasBarristerAishaWakilandHamsatuAllaminwho,onseveraloccasions,havelinkedAOGswiththegovernmentfornegotiationsandnegotiatedaccessforhumanitarianactors.

• There is no centralisedmechanism for data collection around the quantity and quality ofwomen’sparticipationandvoiceindecisionmaking.AlthoughthenumbersofwomenholdingelectedofficethroughoutthecountryisavailablefromtheNigeriaWomen’sTrustFund,thereisnosystemoftrackingwomen’sinfluenceinpoliticalandgovernmentinstitutionsletalonewhen it comes to women’s leadership and influence in formal and informal ways incommunity leadership institutions or women’s groups and association. UN Womenconducted a baseline survey ofwomen’s engagement in peace and security in Adamawa,PlateauandGombestatesin2015butthisonlycoveroneoutofthreeMCNstatesandrelieslargely on perceptions (not gender disaggregated) from community members alone. TheNSRPAnnualPerceptionSurveyconductedoverfiveyearsoffersanothersourceofdataofperceptionsofcommunitiesofwomen’sparticipationinpeacebuildingalbeitonlyincertainlocations in Borno and Yobe. Without a clear baseline that measures facts as well asperceptionsandmixesqualitativeandquantitativemethods,itbecomesdifficulttomeasureprogressorlearnfrominterventionsaboutwhatworksandwhatmeasuresshouldbetakentoimproveprogramming.

25NSRPisaconflictmanagementprogrammeworkingatfederal,stateandLGAlevelsinBayelsa,Borno,Delta,Kaduna,Kano,Plateau,RiversandYobe.Itranfrom2012to2017.

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• Anestimated1.8millionpeoplearereportedtobeinneedofassistanceduetogenderbased

violence(GBV), includingrape,sexualexploitation, forcedandearlymarriage,survivalsexand domestic violence.26 Population movements due to military operations, spontaneousmovements and forced returns raise VAWG concerns. The conflict has exacerbated sometypesofVAWGsuchassexualviolencewhilegivingrisetonewtypesofVAWGphenomenonsuch as abductions. Those most vulnerable to VAWG are IDPs, women and girls withdisabilities,girlhawkersandthosewhoareexperiencingfoodinsecurityaswellassurvivorswhocontinuetoexperiencestigmaandshame.

• Women and girls IDPs in camps, informal settlements and host communities face sexual

violence,ofteninthecourseofdailyactivitiessuchascollectingfirewood,fetchingwaterandusing toilets and showers.27 In some cases,men hosting displacedwomen and girls havesexually abused them, forcing them to have sex in exchange for food and shelter. Non-displacedwomenandgirlsalsofaceexperiencesexualviolence,althoughthisislessstudied.Thereisstillanoverwhelmingcultureofsilencearoundsexualviolence,particularlyforoldergirlsandwomenwhoareoftenblamedforcrimescommittedagainstthem.

• SEA from state agents, including the military, police and camp officials, and men in thecommunitywas reported bymanywomen interviewed. This is particularlymarked givenscarcityoffoodandotherresources,restrictionsonmovementanddiversionofaidbythesestateagents.Leftwiththeprimaryresponsibilityforprovidingforfamilies,manywomenareforcedtoengageinsexinexchangeformoney,foodandotheritems,orinordertobeabletoleavecampstoearnmoneyforthemselvesandtheirfamilies.Girlsaresentoutbyfamiliestohawk,withsomeunderstandingthattheyare,infact,sellingtheirbodiesratherthantheirproductsinordertobringbackmoneytotheirfamilies.

• JAS first started talking about abductions in 2012 in their publicmessaging saying these

measureswereinretaliationforthedetentionofwivesandchildren.28ForcedmarriagesofteenagegirlsbegantoberecordedintheBulabulinNgarannamneighbourhoodofMaiduguriin2012.29Abductionsofthousandsofgirlsandyoungwomenhavetakenplaceintheyearssincethenfromavarietyofsettingsincludingschools,markets,duringraidsonvillagesandhouses and on public transportwith girls andwomen then forced intomarriage, kept inroomsforsexattheconvenienceofmalefighters,raped, forcedorpersuadedtocarryouttasksforthegroupandforcedtoconverttoIslamifChristian.30Thereissomedifferentiationbetween‘wives’and‘slaves’predicatedonreligionandbehaviour,withtheformerprotectedtosomeextentfromcertaintypesofabuse.WomenandgirlsassociatedwithJASfacestigmaandfearfromcommunitieswhoareunsureastohowtheirthinkinghasbeenaffectedbytheirexperiencesandtowhatextenttheyhavebeen‘radicalised,’particularlygivenreportsofgirlsandwomenwhohavereturnedkillingtheirparentsandfamilymembers.31

• Noempiricalstudyhasbeenconducted in thenortheastonearlyand forcedmarriagebut

acrosstheborderinNiger,20percentoffishinghouseholdsinterviewedbyOxfamreported

26OfficeofCoordinationofHumanitarianAffairs,Nigeria-Northeast:HumanitarianEmergencySituationReportNo4asof31January,March2017.27IOM,DisplacementTrackingMatrixRoundXIVReport,January2017.28O.S.Mahmood,MoreThanPropaganda:AReviewofBokoHaram’sPublicMessage,(InstituteforSecurityStudies,2017).29InternationalAlert,‘BadBlood’:PerceptionsofChildrenBornofConflict-RelatedSexualViolenceandWomenandGirlsAssociatedwithBokoHaraminNortheastNigeria:ResearchSummary,(InternationalAlert/UNICEF,2016).30J.Morna,“WhoWillCareforUs?”GraveViolationsAgainstChildreninNortheasternNigeria,(WatchlistonChildrenandArmedConflict,2014).31InternationalAlert,‘BadBlood’:PerceptionsofChildrenBornofConflict-RelatedSexualViolenceandWomenandGirlsAssociatedwithBokoHaraminNortheastNigeria:ResearchSummary,(InternationalAlert/UNICEF,2016).

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havingtomarrytheirdaughtersearlierthantheywantedtoreducepressureonresourcesduetothedevastatingimpactsoftheviolentconflictandmilitarymeasuresrestrictingfishingontheirlivelihoods.32WhetherthisismirroredontheNigeriansideofLakeChadisunknown.According to the Gender Based Violence Information Management System (GBV IMS), 3percent of 2,394 cases dealtwith earlymarriage33 but this is not necessarily an accuratereflectionofincidence.Womenactivistsspeakofparentshavingtomarryofftheirdaughtersastheyarenolongerabletoprovideforthemandhopetheyhaveabetterfuturewiththeirnew husbands and of men in Maiduguri in particular marrying displaced girls as ‘cheapbrides’thendivorcingandreturningthemtofamiliesafterafewmonths.

• Thereislittleempiricalevidenceastowhetherlevelsofdomesticviolenceandabusehave

increased and this is an under-researched area. From interviews conducted for thisassessment, a complex picture emerges.Manywomen spoke of increased arguments andviolencewithin the home, higher rates of divorce and abandonment as a result ofmen’sinability to perform their breadwinner roles and frustration with being unable to do so.Regardlessofwhetherornottheywereactuallyengaginginsurvivalsex,theyreportedthattheirhusbandsweresuspiciousastowheretheyweregoingandhowtheywereearningthemoneytheybroughthometotheirfamiliesbutalsorealisingtheextentoffamilyrelianceonthisincome.Otherresearchhasfoundalinkbetweenincreasedwomen’sincomeearninganddomesticviolenceandabuse,particularlycontrollingbehaviour,inNigeria.34However,somewomen spoke of having increased decision-making power in their families from earningmoneyforthefamilyandtherealisationthathusbandandwifehadtocometogetherduringthistimeofhardship–andthatlevelsofargumentsandviolencehadreducedasaresult.

• There are high levels of stigma and victim blaming against women and girls who have

experiencedsexualviolenceaswellasalackofdifferentiationbetweenconsensualsex,sexualexploitationandsexualviolence.Whilepeoplerealisethatwomenandgirlsoftendonothaveachoiceastowhethertoengageinsexandareforcedtodoso,eitherby(threatof)violenceorinordertofeedthemselvesandtheirfamilies,allthesetypesofviolencearelabelledasiskanci (immoral behaviour). This stigma has severe consequences on the lives of thesewomenandgirlswhoarere-victimisedbytheircommunitieswithblameattachingtothemratherthantotheirperpetrators.Italsoposesseverebarrierstowomenandgirlsbeingabletoaccessthehelptheyneedandtobeingabletoholdperpetratorstoaccount.Despitetheimpactofstigmaandthislabellingasiskancionsurvivors’livesandaccesstoservicesaswellasjusticeandaccountability,therearehardlyanyactorstacklingstigmadirectly.

• ThereisahighriskofantiVAWGworkleadingtoincreasedpolicingandrestrictionsonthe

movementandrightsofwomenandgirlsfortheir‘protection.’Womenandgirlswhocontinueto move around the community are blamed for any violence that happens to them,particularlyiftheyapproachsecurityorcampofficialsforhelporengageinsexinexchangeforfoodand/ormoney.Thisriskisparticularlyhighgivencommonconflationofconsensualsexual activity outside marriage with sexual violence and abuse. There is also a highlikelihoodofbacklashagainsttherolesanddecision-makingpowerthatwomenhavebeenforcedtotakeonasaresultofviolentconflictwith,asseen inmanyothercountries,mentaking steps to push women back into ‘traditional’ gender roles and increased levels ofdomesticviolenceandabuseasaresult.Thereisnoactorcurrentlyworkinginthisarea.

• TheGBVIMSismanagedbytheUnitedNationsPopulationFund(UNFPA)inordertoensure

astandardtoolandmethodology fordatacollectionandanalysis,uniformclassificationof

32A.vanLookerenCampagneandS.Begum,RedGoldandFishingintheLakeChadBasin:RestoringDestroyedLivelihoodsandProtectingPeopleinNiger’sDiffaRegion,(Oxfam,February2017).33UNFPA,GBVIMSReportAugust–December2016.34C.Nagarajan,Masculinities,ConflictandViolenceinNigeria,(NSRP/V4C,2015).

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incidentsacrossserviceproviders,morereliableinformationaboutreportedincidentsandensure adherence to guidelines of ethics and safety.35 It started in April 2016with 2,394incidentswerereportedfromApriltoDecember2016fromAdamawa,Borno,Gombe,LagosandYobe.Ofreportedcases,19percentwerefromchildrenaged0to11years,23percentfromchildrenaged12to17yearsand57percentwerefromadults.PleaseseeTables1and2below formoredetails as to typeof incidence and circumstances surrounding it. Thesestatisticsareincludedheretobeillustrative.NotonlydoesGBVIMSdatanotaimtogiveanaccurate ideaofactual incidenceanddoesnotdisaggregatebetweenviolenceagainstgirlsandboysbutitalsocoversLagosandGombe,statesnotwithinthepurviewofMCNandthedata is not disaggregated by state. Indeed, some of the trends observed by this data aresurprising. For example, many people interviewed spoke of the strong culture of silencearoundviolenceagainstadultwomenandaroundintimatepartnerordomesticviolenceandabuseyetthesetypesofVAWGareamongstthehighestreported.Potentialexplanationsforthis discrepancy include differences between Adamawa, Borno and Yobe and Gombe andLagosandthenatureofdatagatheringorganisationsthatsendVAWGdata.Forexample,childprotectionactorswerejustbeingintegratedintotheGBVIMSsysteminthereportingperiod,henceexplainingthelowerthanexpectedlevelsofreportingofviolenceagainstchildren.Interms of referrals, the highest numbers of survivors declined legal assistance and safety/security serviceswhile the servicesmost in demand but unavailablewere livelihood andaccesstosafehouses/shelters.Thisfindingmatchesdiscussionsandinterviewsinthethreestateswheresurvivorsoftendonotwishtoreportcasestothepoliceandsecurityandjusticeservices and livelihood and shelter support is often not forthcoming. In recent months,UNFPAhastakenstepstoimprovetheoperationalisationoftheGBVIMSwithvisitstodatagatheringorganisations to reviewandaddressprogrammeand technical issues related tocollection, computation and reporting of data and provide coaching and mentoring. TheextentastowhetherthisstrengthenstheGBVIMSwillbeseenintheforthcomingmonths.

Table2:TypeofincidentsreportedtotheGBVIMSApril–August2016 TypeofIncident PercentageRape 49%Sexualassault 2%Physicalassault 24%Forcedmarriage 4%Denialofresources 15%Psychological/emotionalabuse 6%

Table3:CircumstancessurroundingincidentsreportedtotheGBVIMSApril–August2016CircumstancesSurroundingIncident PercentageIntimatepartnerviolence 44%Childsexualabuse 36%Possiblesexualslavery 10%Harmfultraditionalpractices 4%Earlymarriage 3%Sexualexploitation 3%

• AlthoughmanynewactorshaveinvestedsignificantlyinstrengtheningresponsetoVAWG

particularlyinBorno,largegapsremainasthehumanitarianreporthasbeenlate,slowandstilldoesnotmainstreamVAWGsufficiently.Thesedynamicsoccurinacontextofhigherand

35 All statistics in this paragraph are taken from UNFPA, GBV IMS Report August – December 2016, PowerPointpresentation.Unfortunately,despiterepeatedrequests,itwasnotpossibletogetuptodateorstatedisaggregateddata.

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newtypesofVAWGinAdamawa,BornoandYobeasaresultoftheviolentconflictandalargeimpactofviolenceon infrastructure,whichwas far fromsufficientbefore theconflict.Forexample, over 40 percent of healthcare infrastructure in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, Gombe,Bauchi and Taraba has been destroyed.36 Many women and girls are returning or beingfurtherdisplacedtoLGAheadquartersbuttheminimumVAWGservicesneededareabsent.Whiletherehasbeensomeinvestmentinhealthcareandpsychosocialservices,provisionofshelter and livelihoods support is very low across the three states. Furthermore, there isincompleteaccesstosexualandreproductivehealthservices,particularlywhenitcomestoabortion.Thisisofparticularconcerngivenlevelsofsexualviolenceandsurvivalsex,lackofsexand relationshipseducation,difficulties innegotiating safe sex, the stigmaattached topregnancyoutsidethebondsofmarriageandthelackofformaladoptionservices.AlthoughNigerianlawdoesnotpermitabortionexcepttosavethelifeofthemother,inpractice,thosewithmoneyareabletogetmedicalabortionswhilethosewithoutmoneyorconnectionshaveonlytheoptionsofdangerousmethodsorlocalherbs.In2014,inresponsetothenumberofabductionsofwomenandgirlsanddifficultiestheyfacedupontheirreturn,theFederationofMuslimWomen’sAssociationsofNigeria(FOMWAN) issuedanadvisory,pointingout thatIslamallowsforabortionforacertainperiodofpregnancyanddoesnotallowstigmatisationofwomenwhohavebeenabductedandrapedandanychildrenthatmaybeborntothem.37Evenwhereservicesexist,awarenessof theirexistenceandwhat todotogethelpamongcommunities remains low. Please see the state sections for detailed discussion as to theavailabilityofresponseservicesineachstate.

• Very few actors are working on prevention of violence as action tends to be focused onresponse.TheProtectionSectorWorkingGroup(PSWG)hasdevelopedanadvocacynoteonSEA in Maiduguri and prepared an action plan for response38 but concrete work onpreventionwithsecurityactorshasyettostart.Thereisalotofpotentialtodopreventionwork,includingwhenitcomestoreachingouttoinstitutionswhosemembersarereportedtoengageinSEA,changingnormsandattitudesaroundVAWG,tacklingstigmaandpeertopeerworkwithyoungwomenandmen.

36 Gender Based Violence Sub-Sector Working Group Nigeria, Gender Based Violence Monthly Report, May 2017. 37 Advisory shared via email in summer 2014. 38 Global Protection Cluster, The Centrality of Protection in Humanitarian Action: A Review of Field and Global Clusters, in 2016, 2017.

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AdamawaTheinformationbelowdrawsuponareviewofdocumentsandresearch,particularlyquantitativedatafroma2015baselinestudyconductedbyUNWomeninMaiha,MubiSouth,NumanandYolaNorth,aswellas interviewsconducted inYolaandGombi inMay2017andworkdonebytheauthorprevioustothisassessment.ThereisnotmuchresearchongenderinAdamawaperseandresearchthatcoversAdamawa,BornoandYobedoesnotoftendistinguishbetweendynamicsin different states. Where this is the case, findings have been included under trends acrossAdamawa,BornoandYobesectionabove.Further,due to logistical challenges,only3daysofinterviewsinthestatewerepossible.Asaresult,theinformationpresentedbelowismorelimitedtosomeextentcomparedtotheothersections.ContextThe brunt of JAS related violence has been focused on the LGAs taken over by JAS fightersalthoughpeoplehavebeendisplaced fromtheseLGAs intootherpartsof thestate.AsofMay2017,thesecuritysituationinMadagalicontinuedtobetensewithfightersreportedintheareaandthepresenceoftheNigerianstatetendingtobepurelymilitary.ThepolicewereoperatingattheLGAheadquartersinBulacmonitoringotherareasfromadistance.Otherpartsofthestatearerelativelysafeandhaveseentheresumptionofcivilauthority.AsofMay2017,mostactors tended to focusonMichikaandMadagali for their interventionsratherthantheotherfiveLGAsaffected.ThisfocuswasperceivedbyintervieweesasbeingduetomediacoverageoftheattacksaswellastheproactivenessandreceptivenessofthechairofMadagaliLGA.However,althoughmorepeoplewerekilledinthesetwoLGAs,theotherfiveLGAshavealsoseenwidespreaddestructionofinfrastructureandeconomicimpacts.Inaddition,theviolentconflictwasseentohaveimpactedareasoutsidethesesevenLGAswithpeopledisplacedhavingmovedtootherlocations.SomegovernmentofficialsinterviewedexpressedunhappinesswithactorscontinuingtofocusonlyonLGAstakenoverbyJASratherthantakingamoreholisticapproach.MCNwouldbewisetotakeintoaccountofthisdynamicwhenchoosingfocalLGAs.Inmanycommunities,suspicionsastowhoisasympathiserora(former)JASmembercontinues.Mubi,Madagali,MichikaandGombi,particularlyMichikaandMadagali,areseenasareaswithsomelevelsofJASrecruitment.IntervieweesinGombisaidthatnobodyiswillingto‘talkinpublicagainst the insurgency as we don’t know who is a sympathiser.’ At the same time, there isunwillingnessto‘allowformerfighterstostayandreintegrate’duetofearofcontinuedsupportand allegiance, including through the influence of charms: ‘if they came back repentant, wewouldn’tbelieve.Weneedtochecktheirbrainfirstandwilltakethemtothesecurityforcestoensuretheirmindsareokay.’Indeed,oneintervieweeinGombispokeaboutpeopleidentifiedasparentsoffightersbeingtakenanddetainedinMadagali–althoughitwasnotpossibletoverifywhether this actually happened during the short time spent in Gombi. From Mubi South toMobbar,accusationsagainstMuslimsofcollusionwithJASweresaidtobeusedtosettleexistinggrudges. Conflict over housing, land and property is a concern as many people left theircommunities,leavingbehindhomes,landandanimalsthathavesincebeenusedbyothers,andlackofaccesstojusticeorarbitrationsystemsgivendistancefromcourtsandreducedlevelsoftrustinmanycommunityleaders.39

39 Community or ‘traditional’ leadership systems have experienced some decline in power and influence due toperceptionsofincreasingpoliticisation,favouritismtowardscertaingroupsandreportsofdiversionofhumanitarianaidbyleaders.However,thisishighlycontextspecificanddependsontheleaderinquestionwithhighlevelsoftrustandconfidenceinsomeleaders.Furthermore,influencecanbelimitedtocertaingroups,withyoungpeopleandwomenparticularlyreportinglittlecontactwiththeseinstitutionsandleaders.Therehavebeensomeattemptstoaddressthisbut,asyet,theydonotseemtohavebeenfeltontheground.

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Another current area of conflict is the relationship between those displaced and hostcommunities.The‘influx’ofIDPsisseenasleadingtohealthfacilitiesbeingstrained,shortageandincreasingpricesofitemsinmarketsduetolowsupplyandhighdemand,closureofschoolsforuseasIDPcampsandincreasedcompetitionwithIDPssettingupshopstakingawaybusinessfromthepeoplewhoweretherebefore.Thisconflictisbeingexacerbatedbygovernmentrhetoricparticularly towards IDPs in camps, seen as being predominantly fromBorno and so not theresponsibilityoftheAdamawaStateGovernmentwithIDPscampscharacterisedas‘brothels’or‘centresof criminality’ andneeding tobe closed.TheAdamawaStateGovernmenthad said itwouldcloseallIDPcampsbut,duetopressurefromgovernment,UNandNGOactors,announcedthiswould be delayed. Government officials seem concerned about perceptions, notwantingAdamawatobeseenas‘anIDPstate’andpointingtocaseswhereforeigninvestorsdecidednottodobusinessduetosecurityconcernsashavingIDPscampswasseenasasignofinsecurity.InAdamawa,althoughtheJAS-relatedconflictisseenastheoutflowofanotherstateratherthanrootedinthestateitself,manyofthoseinterviewedforthisassessmentbelievedthatthecrisisspreadeasilyintothestateduetopre-existingtensionsbetweenethno-linguistic,religiousandoccupationalgroupscausedbystruggles forpoliticalpower.40These tensionsexistamongthewomenaswellasthemen.AccordingtothestateAttorneyGeneral/CommissionerofJustice,thestate recognises87different groupswith14more groups asking for recognitionmaking101groups in total.Hespokeaboutmutualsuspicionbetweengroupsonthebasicofreligionandethnicity, requiring conflict resolutionmechanisms. There are perceptions of ‘domination’ byFulanipeoplewhocontrolpositionsandthereforehavemoreaccesstomoneyandresources.TensionsbetweenChristiansandMuslimsareparticularlymarkedinMubi,MadagaliandMichikawithcasesofkillingsevenbeforeJASrelatedconflict.Forexample,thepeopleofMichikaLGAhadbeen living peacefully for years until polarisation post announcement of the April 2011presidentialelectionresultswhichledtokillinganddestructionofproperty.Astrikingexampleas tohowcommunities remaindivided is the localmarket. Establisheddecades ago andheldweekly on Sundays, after the 2011 post-election violence, Christians,who saw themarket ascontributing to low church turnout, changed the market day to Saturday without consultingMuslimsinthecommunitywhoobjectedtothechange.Asof2017,themarketstandsdividedwith market days for Christians held on Saturdays and for Muslims held on Sundays withChristiansnotdaringtosellonSundaysandviceversaandgroupsholdingontotheirpositions.MostlocalfarmersbringfarmproduceforsaletoMuslimbuyerswhotendtobefewerinnumberbutwithastrongereconomicposition.AftertheNigerianmilitaryrecapturedMichika,heldbyJASfor8monthsfromSeptember2014onwards,conflictbrokeoutamongreturnees.Christians,conflatingMuslimswithJASmembers,perceivedkillingswhileJASwasincontrolofMichikaasperpetratedbyMuslimsorwiththeirsupport inidentifyinghousesofChristianstobeburnedandattacked.Asaresult,therewerereprisalattacksonatleastthreeoccasionsbyChristiansonMuslims, particularly those passing through the road connecting Mubi to Christian majorityvillages aroundMucucks.41 However, there seems to be some signs of improving relations inmanyLGAs:althoughtensionsstillcontinue,ChristiansandMuslimsareseenmixingmorefrom2016onwardsthanintheperiodbetween2013and2016. In addition, tensions between farmers and pastoralists continue, particularly during farmingseason.Itistoosimplistictoseethisconflictasbeingpurelybetweenoccupationalgroupsgiventhelinksbetweenthesegroupsandethno-linguisticandreligiousidentities.Asinotherpartsofthecountry,whilethecattleofpastoralists(particularlythosewhoaremigratory)destroyand40Pleasenotethattheseidentitiesareoftenover-lappingandmutuallyreinforcing.41ThisinformationonMichikaLGAistakenfrominformationsharedbyUSAIDfromtheirToleranceproject.AlthoughmanypeopleinYolainterviewedtalkedaboutmarketdayssegregatedbyreligioninMichika,theywerenotabletostatewith confidencewhen this separation happenednor give background as to its causes. This lack of historicalmemoryforeventsthatoccurredjustsevenyearsagoisworryinginandofitselfandshowshowquicklyconflictcanseem‘natural’withitsgenesisforgotten.

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eatthecropsoffarmers,designatedgrazinglandandroutesisbeingusedasfarmlandbyfarmers.While pastoralists do not always know the location of grazing routes, this encroachment byfarmersmeans there are fewer areaswithout cropswhere cattle can graze. Tensions aroundthese dynamics is seen as being on the rise in the central and southern parts of the state,particularlyinYobeSouth,Damsa,Mayobalwa,GanyoandTangoLGAs.Thereweremanyclashesduringthelastharvestwithfarmerstracingfootstepsofcattletotherelevantpastoralistleadingtoskirmishes.Therearesomeattemptsbeingmadetoaddresstheseissues.InGarkida,GyakuandGombi,conflictwasmediatedbycommunity leadersanddidnotescalate.GombiLGAhasallocated2,000acrestofarmersandaskedthemtoplantthereinsteadofongrazingroutes.Anotherconcernisthedissatisfactionexpressedbyvigilantegroupmembers.Wheninterviewed,they spoke of poor relationswith the police who they do not respect for leaving during theviolencewhiletheystayedandfought.Relationsarebetterwiththemilitarybutthereweremanycomplaintsaboutlackofremunerationformembers.TheysaidtheAdamawaStateGovernmenthadsaidtheywouldlookintothisbutnothinghashappenedtodate:‘Wefoughtandgotpeaceandtheyhaveforgottenus.’Thevigilanteleadersinterviewedexpressedconcernaboutwhatthismaymeanforthefutureasmembershaveexperiencedviolenceandnowhavegunsandknowhowtousethem.WhilethesevenLGAscontrolledbyJAShaveexperiencedJASrelatedconflict,itisimportanttonote significant amounts of farmer-pastoralist violence and inter-communal tensions,particularlyincentralandsouthernpartsofthestate.The2015UNWomanstudyfoundthat81.9percentofrespondentsreportedthepresenceofviolentconflictintheircommunities,with59.2percent reporting insurgency/ terrorism, 9 percent reporting pastoralist/ famer conflict, 6.5percentreportingyouthviolenceand13.1percentreportingethno-religiousconflict.42LegalandpolicyframeworksAsof June2017,AdamawahasnotdomesticatedtheVAPPAct,GEOBillortheCRA.Women’srightsorganisationsandUNagenciesaredoingpolicyandlegislativeadvocacyaroundtheselaws.However,passagemayprove challenginggiven theCRAwaspassed through the first readingbeforebeingdropped,withprovisionsaroundtheageofchildhoodandearlyandforcedmarriageparticularlycontentious.Furthermore,theNationalActionPlanonWomen,PeaceandSecurity(NAPWPS)isduetobedomesticatedinsummer2017viaaStateActionPlanonWomen,PeaceandSecurity(SAPWPS).UNWomenhasbeenworkinginpartnershipwiththestateMinistryofWomen’sAffairsandSocialDevelopment (MOWASD).Althoughcivil societybeing involvedasoneofthestakeholdersaroundthis,itseemsthat,unlikeinNSRPstates,theyarenotthedrivingforcebehinddomesticationwithinvolvementseeminglymoretokenistic.Adamawa has an Attorney General who seems proactive and committed to pushing forwardreforms, including around VAWG. The state Ministry of Justice (MOJ), which serves as thesecretariat for theNorthernAttorney Generals Forum, has recently been part of revising thePenalCode.AmongtherevisionsistheremovaloftherequirementforcorroborationforVAWGandchanginglanguageonsentencingtofrom‘morethan7years’to‘notlessthan21years.’43ThisrevisedPenalCode,endorsedbytheGovernor,iscurrentlybeforetheStateHouseofAssembly(SHOA).TheAttorneyGeneralisplanningtobringall36stateAttorneyGeneralstoYolaintheupcomingmonthstolookatreformstothePenalCodeanddiscusstheVAPPAct,harmonisationwiththeCRAandotherwaysofprotectingrights.Wheninterviewed,hespokeabouttheneedfortraining,includingofprosecutors,andtolookatfundingimplicationsofdomesticationoflawsashewouldnotdomesticatelawsthestatecouldnotimplementduetolackofresources.

42O.Para-Mallam,PromotingWomen’sEngagementinPeaceandSecurityinNorthernNigeria:ReportofBaselineStudy(Adamawa,PlateauandGombeStatesofNigeria),(UNWomen,2016),p.21.43DiscussionwiththeAdamawaStateAttorneyGeneral.

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InvolvementinarmedgroupsThe 2015 UN Women study found respondents reported significant levels of women’sinvolvement in violence: 26.9 percent reported that women encourage their husbands andchildrentofight;19.4percentreportedthattheybeararmsandcarryoutviolencethemselves;33.9percentreportedthattheyprovidesupportservicestomenand10.2percentreportedalloftheabove.44 GivenadvancesbytheNigerianmilitaryin2015and2016,AOGsdonothavecontrolofterritoryinAdamawaandalthoughtherehavebeensightingsoffighters,thereislittlerecentinformationabout the groups in Adamawa. Although both women and men are members of AOGs, theproportionsoffemaletomalemembersisunknownasaretherolesthatwomen,men,girlsandboysplayinAdamawaasopposedtoinotherstates.Ofcourse,womenassociatedwithAOGsaremostvisibleas‘suicidebombers’inAdamawaaselsewhereintheregionwhilelevelsofagencyandchoiceindetonatingbombsisunknown.Invigilantegroups,womenmakeup3,000outof15,000membersacrossAdamawaaccordingtovigilanteofficialsinterviewed.Manyofthesewomenarehunterswho,beforetheconflict,wouldgointothebushtohuntandjoinedthefightagainstAOGswhentheycametoAdamawaasdidthemalehunters.Someofthesewomenparticipateintheactivefightingatthe‘warfront’againstmembersofAOGsbutothersare involved inpatrolling townsandcities tokeepthemsafe. InMaiha in particular, it was said by vigilante leaders that there were many women vigilantememberspresentasmostofthemenhadlefttheLGAandthewomenwantedtoprotecttheircommunity. These women have younger men under their command who submit to theirauthorityandworkwiththepolicewhohavehighlevelsoftrustinthem.PhysicalharmcausedbyarmedactorsPhysicalharmhasbeencausedbyallpartiestotheconflict.ThemonthswhenJAScontrolledtheirLGAwasatimeoffearwithfamiliesafraidtostayintheirhomes,particularlyatnight,forfearthat JASmemberswouldcometo theirhomes tokillor injureall familymembersandabductwomenandgirls.Asaresult,theywouldleavetheirhomesintheeveningtosleepintheareasoutsidetheirtownsandvillagestoreturninthemorning.WhilewomenwerekilledbyAOGs, there seems tohavebeenmoreof a specific campaignoftargetingandkillingmenoffightingagewhowereseenasmoreofathreat.Sometimes,thismeantthatmenofthisagerangewerethefirsttoleavecommunitiesiftheyhadadvancewarningofAOGsapproachingforfearofviolence,leavingbehindtheirwivesandchildren.Asaresult,manywomenhavelosttheirmalefamilymembers,withimplicationstobediscussedbelow.It is important to note that returnees reported the presence of landmines and unexplodedordinances,particularlyinMadagali,MubiSouthandMichikaLGAs.45DisplacementA2015UNWomenstudyfoundthatrespondentsconsidereddisplacementawayfromhometobethemostcommoneffectofviolentconflictonwomeninAdamawa.46TheviolenceinthesevenLGAswithJASpresencecausedmanypeopleto leavetheircommunitiesforotherpartsofthe

44O.Para-Mallam,PromotingWomen’sEngagementinPeaceandSecurityinNorthernNigeria:ReportofBaselineStudy(Adamawa,PlateauandGombeStatesofNigeria),(UNWomen,2016),p.22-26.45ProtectionSectorWorkingGroup,ParticipatoryProtectionAssessmentReport:AdamawaStateNigeria,2016.46O.Para-Mallam,PromotingWomen’sEngagementinPeaceandSecurityinNorthernNigeria:ReportofBaselineStudy(Adamawa,PlateauandGombeStatesofNigeria),(UNWomen,2016),p.22.

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stateandregion.IDPsarespreadacrossthestate.ManypeoplefledtotheirLGAheadquarters,neighbouring LGAs and to central and southern Yobe for safety. There are fewer camps inAdamawacomparedwithBornoandmostpeoplestayedwith familymembersand friendsorwereabletogetrentedaccommodationintheirnewlocalities.Thosewhohavehostedthemhavebeenextraordinarilygenerous,usingtheirownresourcestotakecareofIDPsatgreatpersonalcost.WhereasIDPswanttogohome,mostoftheIDPsfromAdamawawhohavenotyetreturnedarefromMadagaliandMichikawhereitisstillnotsafewithsporadickillingscontinuinginthevillages,mostbuildingshavingbeenburnedandlittletonoservicespresent.DisplacementisstillcontinuingparticularlygivenrefoulementwithCamerooniansecurityforcesforcibly moving Nigerians who had sought refuge in their country across the border. TheseNigerian refugees inCameroonarebeing returned toAdamawa to join IDPs in formal camps,informalsettlementsand inhostcommunities–or tobehandedover to theStateEmergencyManagementAgency(SEMA)inBornowithoutaclearplanofwhatwillhappentothemorwherethey will stay in Borno. Furthermore, some IDPs from Borno who came to Adamawa thenreturnedtoBornohavestartedcomingbackduetolackofhomesandservicesinBornostate.GiventhegendereddynamicsofkillingscommittedbyJAS,asdiscussedabove,themajorityofthosedisplacedtendtobewomen,boys,girlsandelderlymen.InYola,therewere6formalcampsasofMarch2015.ManyofthesehavebeencloseddownwithonlyMalkohiandFuforetransit47camps,bothwitharound2,000peopleremaining.Thereisstillinsufficient food in these camps with attendant nutritional issues although general feedingpracticedinthesecampsmeansthatissuesexperiencedinBornoandYobeofsomehouseholdsnotreceivinganyfoodseemnottobetakingplace.Water,sanitationandhygienefacilitiesareoverstretched. There is urgent need for shelter due to the rainy season with water nowpenetratingroofsdue tosundamage to tarpaulin.Levelsof lightarebad,possessingarisk towomenandgirlsmovingatnight.MostIDPsinformalcampsarefromBama,Gwoza,KondugaandDamboainBornostateandhavebeenheresince2015orthefirstquarterof2016.48However,manymoreIDPsareinhostcommunitiesandinformalsettlementsinandaroundYolathanincamps.Here,apart fromMalkohivillageandDawaresettlementswheremostpeopleare fromGwoza,themajorityofpeoplearefromwithinthestateitself.Thehumanitarianresponsestartedbydirecting all its resources at the formal campswith IDPs in informal settlements andhostcommunitiesseeminglyforgotten.Thishasstartedtochangetosomeextentbutchallengeswithregardstofoodandshelterremain.AlthoughtheAdamawaStateGovernmenthaddeclaredthatallcampswouldbeclosedby31stMarch2017,thishas,todate,nothappened.Areturnanddurablesolutionscommitteehasbeensetup.However,thereismuchmisinformationbeingspreadaboutthecamps,forexamplethatthe National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp (recently closed) had become a brothel,withattendant stigmatisation of thewomen and girls living in the campwhomay ormay not beengaging in survival sex for food and other resources due to lack of services being provided.Humanitarianactorsinterviewedspokeofindicationsofforcedevictionsanddenialoffoodinordertoclosedowncamps.Forexample,NYSCandMalkohicampsreceivedthesameallocationsof food but there were serious problems with insufficient food distributed in NYSC camp.Although, this difference may be due to poor camp management, the government had saidpreviouslythattheywantedtoclosedownNYSCcampandtherewereindicationsofa‘desiretotakebackthecampatallcosts.’

47FuforetransitcampwasoriginallysetuptobeatransitcampforpeoplereturningfromCameroontostayontheirwaytoBorno.Ithasnowtransformedtoaformalcamphoweversecurityisnotaswellsetupasintheotherplaces.48TheaboveinformationaboutthesituationinMalkohiandFuforetransitcampsisdrawnfromaninterviewwithIOMstaffmembers.

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Although the majority of IDPs are hosted and supported by communities, there are alsoindicationsoftensionsbetweenIDPsandhostcommunities.Complaintsthat ‘IDPchildrenaretakingover’andaffectingthequalityofeducationhasledsomeschoolstosplittheirsessionsintomorningandafternoonsessionssoas toseparatechildrenof thehostcommunitiesand IDPs.TherearealsoconflictsoveraccesstolandasmanyIDPswanttofarm,particularlywiththestartoftheplantingseason.WhereassomehostcommunitieshaveagreedtogivelandtoIDPs,thisisnotuniversalandindefiniteinnature.VerbalabuseagainstIDPwomeniscommonalthoughnotoften reported. In one criminal case supported by the International Federation of WomenLawyers(FIDA),adisplacedwomanwenttoshopandwasinsultedandbeatenforbeinganIDP.There have also been complaints of displaced women ‘snatching wives’ with men of hostcommunities choosing tomarry them to the consternation ofwomen in the host community.Some of these tensions have been caused by humanitarian actorswhowork onlywith IDPs,leavingouthostcommunities,despitepayinglipservicetotheneedtoincludehostcommunities.Therehasalsobeenmuchdiversionofhumanitarianaid, includingbycommunityleadersandNational Emergency Management Association (NEMA) and SEMA officials. Items meant fordistributionhavebeenseenforsaleinmarkets.BulamashavebeenarrestedforstealingfoodthathumanitarianactorshavegiventhemtodistributetoIDPsandthereareindicationsofbiaswithcommunityleadersdivertinghumanitarianassistanceawayfromminorityethnicandreligiousgroups and favouring certain other groups.49 Representatives of local non-governmentalorganisations(NGOs)interviewedtalkedabouthowcampofficialsrefusetoallowindividualsandgroupstodistributeitemsdirectlytoIDPsbutinsistonbeingtheonestodistributeandhow,asacompromise,theyhadtoproportionsomeoftheseitemstosecurityandcampofficialsas‘theirshare’beforetheywereallowedtododirectdistribution.EconomicImpacts50TheconflictaffectedthelivelihoodsofbothwomenandmenintheLGAswhichsawJASattacksandcontrol.WomeninterviewedinGombispokeabouthowtheconflicthadlefttheminpovertywithoutasourceofincome.Beforetheconflict,womensaidtheywereabletomanageandusedtorunbusinesses,forexamplefryingkose,goingtothemarkettosellfarmproducts,processingfoodandplantingandharvestingcropswhilethemenweremostlyinvolvedintrading,unskilledlabour,masonry,beingartisans,electricalworkandfarming.However, these livelihoodswere lost as shops and salonswere closed down, equipmentwasdestroyedorlostduringdisplacement,landwasunsafetofarmandanysavingswereuseduptofeedthemselvesandtheirfamilies.InGombi,theattackscamejustbeforeharvestin2013andwhenpeoplereturnedtotheirfarms,itwastofindtheircropsdestroyedbyanimals.In2014and2015,itwastooinsecuretofarm,withtheresultthat2016wasthefirstharvestforfouryears,with little results due to lack of capital and seeds and as farm equipment had been lost ordestroyed.Inadditiontotheirownhouseholds,manywomenfoundthemselvestakinginthosedisplacedfromplacesthatwereevenmoreinsecure.Onewomaninterviewedhoused60peoplesaying,‘ThemoneyIusedthenisspecificallyresponsibleformakingmeasIamtoday’asshehadspentallhersavingslookingaftertheseadditionalpeoplewhojoinedherhousehold.Therehasbeenareductioninincomeearningforbothwomenandmen.Evenwhenwomenwenttothemarkettosellitems,theyspokeaboutpeoplenotbuyingasnobodyhasmoney.Thecostofrentinglandhasincreased:whatusedtobeN5,000beforeisnowN15,000aspeopledonothavemoneyandwanttogetasmuchaspossiblefortheirland.Manywomenspokeabouthavingtogo

49ProtectionSectorWorkingGroup,ParticipatoryProtectionAssessmentReport:AdamawaStateNigeria,2016.50Thissectionisbasedmostlyondiscussionswithtwowomen’sgroupsinGombiLGAandwithNGOactorsinYolainMay2017.

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out tobegas theyhadnosourceof income themselvesandhadeither losthusbandsor theirhusbandswerenotabletoprovide.Beforetheconflict,whilebothwomenandmencontributedtothehousehold,husbandsweretheones with primary financial responsibility but now women have been forced into thisbreadwinningrole.Theysaid theywereunable topayschool fees for theirchildrenandwereworriedaboutfutureimplicationsoflackofeducation.Keyinformantsinthe2015UNWomenstudyspokeofasharpriseinthenumberofdestitutewidows,orphansandabandonedwomenasaresultofviolentcrises,withthehakimiofMaihasaying‘somemenrunawayandleavetheirfamilyoncethesituationiscritical.Butthewiveswillstayandfacetheproblem.’51Itisimportanttonotethediversityofgenderedworkingpatternsacrossthestateandamongdifferentgroupshowever. In the kabila (small minority ethno-linguistic groups), apparently even before theviolence,itwaswomenwhoworkedandprovideforthefamilyratherthanthemen.Thelevelofeconomicactivityisnowpickingupbuttheeconomyremainsdepressedcomparedtoearliertimes,compoundedbythenationaleconomicsituationandincreasedfoodprices.Asonewomansaid,‘Lifewaseasybeforebutitishardnow.Foodwascheapandwehadmoneytobuybutnowthingsareexpensiveandthereisnomoneyandnothingtodo.’OneparticularmarketwomanspokeaboutgoingasfarasKanoandLagosbeforebutnowbeinggrounded.Theysawalinkbetweentheir financialsituationandthe lackofrespectwithwhichtheywereviewedbyfamilyandcommunitymembers.Overwhelmingly,theirnumberonerequestwasfortheneedfor(start-up) capital to help them rebuild their businesses, seen as a prerequisite for moreinvolvementincommunitydecisionmaking. AlthoughissuesofVAWGwerenotreportedordiscussedopenly,womeninterviewedsawalinkbetweenmenbeingunabletoprovideandcommittingdomesticviolenceandabuse.Divorcerateshad increased with husbands divorcing wives because they were unable to provide for thehousehold.Levelsofsurvivalsexarelikelytobehighasaresult.PsychologicalimpactsUnfortunately, due to the short timeframe for research in Adamawa due to the logisticalchallengesmentionedabove, itwasnotpossibletomeetactorsworkingonmentalhealthandtrauma.Furthermore,thereisnotmuchresearchinAdamawainthisarea.WhilepsychologicalimpactsarelikelytobesimilartothoseinBornoandYobeintheLGAspreviouslycontrolledbyJAS, theymaybedifferent inotherpartsof thestatewhereotherconflictdynamics, includingthosebetweenfarmersandpastoralists,aremorecommon.Women’sparticipationandvoiceingovernanceandpeacebuildingAdamawa state has two women out of 25 legislators (8 percent) in its SHOA, one womanrepresentingthestateineachoftheSenateandHouseofRepresentatives,nowomanLGAchairinits21LGAsand5womenoutof22(22.7percent)asCommissioners.52Atthelocallevel,womeninGombiseepoliticsasgraduallyopeninguptothemwithwomenabletocontestintheprimariesduringthe2015elections,eveniftheywerenotelectedasopposedtothepastwhenwomenwere‘completelybanned.’ Lackoffinancialresourcesandfearofsexualharassmentandviolenceisseenasamajorbarriertoentryintopoliticsasisattitudestowardswomeninleadership.Whenitcomestocommunityleadershipsystems,leadersareoverwhelminglymenwithwomennotinvitedwhendecisionsaremadeandnoattemptsmadetoreachouttothem.Inmanyplaces,

51O.Para-Mallam,PromotingWomen’sEngagementinPeaceandSecurityinNorthernNigeria:ReportofBaselineStudy(Adamawa,PlateauandGombeStatesofNigeria),(UNWomen,2016),p.24.52NigerianWomenTrustFund,June2017,informationreceivedviaemail.

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womendonothaveopportunitiestomeetleaders.TherearewomenleadersatLGA,districtandwardlevelsintheseinstitutions.Whereastheymayhavebeenactiveinthepast,itisunclearwhatroletheyplaynowpostconflictandtheirlevelofinfluenceasonewomanoutnumberedamongstmenindebateable.WomeninGombiwhowereinterviewedtalkedaboutnobodyrepresentingthematLGAoremiratelevelinthesestructures.TheyhadmadeattemptstoreachthewifeofthecommunityleaderandLGAchairmantoaskthemtousetheirinfluencetolittleavail,primarilybecausewhilethesedecisionmakersmaybeinGombi,theirwivesliveinYola.However, there are some signs of change. According toUNWomen, the paramount leader inNumanLGArecentlymade39womenadvisersinhiscouncilandanothercommunityleaderinthesameLGAmade4womenassistantstothewardheads.53Therewasunhappinessamongthemen present when this took place but these leaders made the case for involving women indecisionmakingsayingtheyareabletogetinformationinareasthatmencannot,thattheworldischangingandthereisaneedtokeepupwiththesechangesandthattherewouldhavebeenlessattacksifwomenhadbeeninvolvedinpeacebuilding.However,thisisjustonelocalityandthe level of influence thesewomenwill have in practice is unknown. The sarkinmatasawascreatedatstate,districtandwardlevelsin2014bytheemiratecouncilinordertoensuretheparticipationofwomenandyoungpeopleinthesystem.However,noinformationaboutthiswasforthcomingduringinterviewsinGombianditspresenceandinfluenceatthedistrictandwardlevelsisunknown.Prior to the conflict, there used to be a number ofwomen’s associations at community level,however when people were displaced, these structures stopped functioning. They are beingslowlyrebuiltnowthatpeoplehavereturned.Inadditiontowomen’sassociations,therearealsooccupationbasedassociationsuchaswomenfarmercouncils,marketwomen’sassociationsandassociationsofwomentailorswhichpushtheinterestoftheirmemberswithdecisionmakers,settle disputes and serve as interlocutors on behalf of members. There are also communitysavings and loans groups (adashe) where members make monthly contributions which aresharedoutamonggroupmembersinturn.Thesegroupsserveimportantsupportfunctions,notonlyenablingwomentogathersavingstoinvestinbusinessesbutalsoprovidingaforumwherewomendiscussissuesofconcernandhelpeachotherintheeventofsickness,deathandproblemswithhusbandsandfamilymembers,includingabuse.Thesegroupscanactas importantwaysoutsideactorscanconnectwithwomen,particularlygiven the role of markets in spreading information, rumours and community narratives andgrowingconflictbetweenfarmersandpastoralists.Theycanserveasawayofbringingwomentogetheracrosslinesofdivisionformutualinterest,economicandotherwise,eitherbecausetheyhavewomen fromdifferentgroupsasmembersor for thepotential forwomen’sassociationsformedonethnic,religiousandoccupationallinestocometogetherindialogueandaction.ThemembersoftheGombimarketwomen’sassociationinterviewedspokeofbeingmorevigilanttothesecuritysituationandconsciouslytalkingabouttheneedtoliveinpeacefulcoexistence.Thatthese groups are engaged in promoting this kind of discourse is important given the deepdivisionsandtensionsthatexistamongwomenofdifferentreligionsandethnicities,thecontextof deepening polarisation and their influence in their families and communities in terms ofshapingnarrativesandattitudesandinurgingorcautioningcertaintypesofaction.However, while 77.3 percent of respondents to the 2015 UNWomen study felt women areinvolvedinpeacebuildinginitiatives,thistendedtobeprimarilyinfamilyandvillagelevels,with57.7percent characterising the level ofwomen’sdecision-makingpower as lowor extremelylow.54Womenareactiveatcommunitylevelthroughanumberofwomen’sgroupsorinitiatives

53InterviewwithTitusOrngu,UNWomen,May2017.54O.Para-Mallam,PromotingWomen’sEngagementinPeaceandSecurityinNorthernNigeria:ReportofBaselineStudy(Adamawa,PlateauandGombeStatesofNigeria),(UNWomen,2016),pp.30-35.

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thataresecular,communitybasedandfaithbasedwherewomenplayleadingroles.Forexample,theKirchingaWomen’sAssociationinMadagalitriestopromotepeaceincommunities,includingthroughpeaceeducationtochildren,undertakestensionmanagementactivitiesandplanstostartworkonreintegrationofformerJASfighters,ahighlysensitiveandcontentiousissue.55However,aselsewhere,womentendnottobeinvolvedinformalpeacebuildingprocesseswhenitcomestoconflictwithactorsconveningtheleadersofthesegroups(allmen)butnotreachingouttothewomen.InMaiha,onekeyinformantinterviewedbyUNWomensaidonlythedaughtersofhunterswereallowedtoserveasvigilantesorparticipateinsecuritymeetingsheldinpublicplaces.56Womenreported‘lowlevelsofeducation,economicdependencyonmalebenefactorsandlackofleadershipskills’aswellastheirexpectedroleswithinthefamilyandhouseholdasmajorbarriers.57UNWomenhavedoneareviewofstructuresatcommunityandstatelevelsdesignedtomanageconflictandreducetensioninordertoensuretheinclusionofwomen.ThisprogrammerunsinYolaNorth,Maiha,MubiSouthandNumanandhasledtowomenwhoarerespectedbywomenandtherestofthecommunitybecomingmoreinvolved,includingthosefromWomenWingofChristianAssociationofNigeria(WOWICAN),FOMWAN,NationalCouncilofWomen’sSocieties(NCWS),theWidows’Councilandwomenpoliticalleaders.Theybecomementorswhomentorotherwomenandaresupervisedbyleadmentorstoensureeffectiveness.Women’scivilsocietyisactiveinAdamawa,particularinYolaandtheareassurroundingthestatecapital, including when it comes to peacebuilding. For example, FOMWAN is currentlyundertaking programming on inter-religious tensions in Michika. In terms of other ways oforganising,theNCWS,womenleadersofpoliticalpartiesandwomenunionmembersarepresentineveryLGA.However,womeninpoliticalpartiesareseenasmainlyusedtoreachouttowomenfortheirvotesduringelectioncampaigningratherthanmeaningfullyinfluencingpartypolicyandpracticeletalonebeingpoliticiansanddecisionmakersthemselves.Atthesametime,unionsmayhaveonewoman,whooftendoesnothavemuchpower,outof10representatives.Thegovernmentistakingactiontostrengthenconflictresolutionmechanismsbutneedstodomoretointegratewomen.Forexample,theMOJiscurrentlytrainingallitslawyerstobecomecharteredmediatorsandincludingreligiousleaders,politicalleaders,wardheads,stafffromthejudiciaryandthewivesoftraditionalleadersinthisscheme.ItwishestosetupamultidoorcourtsystemcoveringcasesfromcontractualtointercommunaldisputeswithmediationcentresbeingattachedtocourtsasinYola.Caseswillgotomediation,onlygoingtocourtifnosettlementisreached.Inclusionofthewivesofcommunityleadersismeanttoopenupthesystemtowomen.However,asisthecaseinGombi,thesewomenarenotalwaysresidentorlinkedtothewomenof the community. Even if this is not the case, not only is their inclusion linked to theirrelationships to men but their small numbers mean the ranks of the mediators will beoverwhelminglymale,riskingreinforcingalreadyexistinggenderrelationswithattendantimpactonwomen’sinvolvementasmediatorsaswellasaccesstojustice.

55InformationontheKirchingaWomen’sAssociationwasprovidedbytheNorthEastRegionalInitiative(NERI)whosepartnerDialogue,ReconciliationandPeaceCentresupportsthisassociation.56O.Para-Mallam,PromotingWomen’sEngagementinPeaceandSecurityinNorthernNigeria:ReportofBaselineStudy(Adamawa,PlateauandGombeStatesofNigeria),(UNWomen,2016),p.32.57Ibid.

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ViolenceagainstwomenandgirlsIncidenceandtrends58VAWGinAdamawaincludesrapeandotherformsofsexualviolence,forcedmarriage,denialofresources,physicalassaultandpsychologicalandemotionalabuse.VAWG,aselsewhere,isunder-reportedbutthemajority(59.4percent)ofrespondentstotheUNWomen2015studyagreedorstronglyagreedthatVAWGisincreasing.59ThosemostvulnerabletoVAWGareIDPs,womenandgirlswithdisabilities,girlhawkersandthosewhoareexperiencingfoodinsecurity.Manywomenandgirls,bothunmarriedandmarried,engageinsurvivalsexinordertogettheresourcestheyneedforthemselvesandtheirfamilies.Parentsareunabletoprovidefortheirdaughterswhothenhavesexwithmenformoney.TheGBVIMScollatesandanalysesreports,dividingtheseaccordingtorape,physicalassaultandsexualassault.Notonlydoesthissystemofcategorisationnotprovideenoughinformation,butthereareflawsinthesystemalthough,asmentionedaboveunderkeytrends,stepsareunderwaytostrengthenthesystem.Rapeandsexualassaultofwomenandgirlswasreportedby9percentoffocusgroupdiscussionsand key informant interviews with accounts describing this as prevalent, severe and beingcommittedwithimpunityinMichikaandMadagali.60RapeandsexualviolenceofgirlsisthetypeofVAWGmost likely tobereported,withmorecasesreportednowaftersensitisationefforts.Sexualviolenceagainstwomenisrarelyreported.Womenaremorelikelytobeblamedfortheiractionsandbehaviourcomparedtoyounggirls.Theyaremostlikelytoberapedbyhusbandsandmaritalrapeisoftennotviewedasrape.Casesreportedtendtobeofgirlsbetweenoneand14yearsofagewithmostperpetratorsbeingrelatives,includingfathers,althoughperpetratorscanalsobestrangers.InoneweekinMay2017,FIDAreceivedthefollowingreports.Aten-year-oldgirlwastakenfromacommunityweddingintoanuncompletedbuildingandrapedbythreemen.A19-year-oldgirlwastakenbyherboyfriendtoafriend’shouseforthenightthenrapedbyhimandthreeofhisfriends,allofwhomwereinjectingdrugusers.Afour-year-oldgirlwasrapedbya13-year-oldboy.Amotherreturnedhometoseesemenaroundthebodyofhersix-year-olddaughter,leftathomewithamalerelativeaged32.There ismoreofacultureofsilencearoundVAWGforteenagegirls thanforthoseunderten.Schoolisasiteofabusewithperpetratorsincludingboys,teachersandpeopleinthecommunity.Women’s rightsactivists talkedof taboospreventinggirls fromdiscussing certain issueswiththeirmotherscontributingtovulnerability,givingtheexampleofa13-year-oldgirlwhohadbeenapproachedbyherperpetratorforsometimebeforetherapetookplacebutcouldnottalktohermotheraboutthis.Another13-year-oldgirlhadbeencontinuallyrapedinexchangeforN50orN100by themanwhosoldher theyamshewouldgoon tohawk.Thishappened formonthsbeforehermothernoticedpregnancysignsandrealisedwhathadbeenhappening.Notonlywasthegirlpregnant,butthemanhadpassedonHIVtoher.Oftenthesegirlsdonotevenknowwhatishappeningtothemduetoalackofsexeducationinschools,infamiliesorbythecommunity.Meanwhile,inMichika,focusgroupsofelderlymen,elderlywomenandwomenreportedmedicalpersonnelattheprimaryhealthcareclinichadrapedmanywomen,estimatedtobeasmanyas58TheinformationinthissectiondrawsfromProtectionSectorWorkingGroup,ParticipatoryProtectionAssessmentReport: Adamawa State Nigeria, 2016; O. Para-Mallam, Promoting Women’s Engagement in Peace and Security inNorthernNigeria:ReportofBaselineStudy(Adamawa,PlateauandGombeStatesofNigeria),(UNWomen,2016;andinterviewsconductedinAdamawa,59O.Para-Mallam,PromotingWomen’sEngagementinPeaceandSecurityinNorthernNigeria:ReportofBaselineStudy(Adamawa,PlateauandGombeStatesofNigeria),(UNWomen,2016),pp.42-43.60ProtectionSectorWorkingGroup,ParticipatoryProtectionAssessmentReport:AdamawaStateNigeria,2016.

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20,whentheycamefortreatment.Someofthewomen’shusbandshaddivorcedthemafterrapesbecame known. Mass rapes of women and girls with hundreds of women and girls sexuallyassaulted by armed groups, includingmembers of security forces, resulting inmany cases ofpregnancyandHuman ImmunodeficiencyVirus (HIV) incidence,were reported tohave takenplacein2014and2015.Threats of SGBV have been reported by women and girls in IDP and returnee sites whenconductingdailyactivitiessuchascollectingfirewood,water,farmingandusinglatrinesincampswith no lighting.61 Sexual abuse has been reported in the camps in Yola although levels ofreportingare lowdespitereportingmechanismsbeingpresent,dueto fearofstigma,reducedmarriageprospectsandastheperpetratorusuallyhaspowerorisafamilymember.Forexample,a9-year-oldgirlwasrapedonherwaytoaccesswateratnightduetolackofwaterclosetoNYSCcampinwhichshewasstaying.Partlyinresponse,aboreholeclosetothecampwassubsequentlydrilled.SEAalsotakesplaceininformalsettlementsandhostcommunities.UponarrivalinYola,womenwhohadbeendisplacedfromtheirhomesanddidnotknowanyoneinthecitywouldwalkaroundthestreetsaskingforshelter.Thisshelterwassometimesofferedtothembymenwhowouldthensexuallyabusethembeforechasingthemoutoftheirhomesafterafewweeks.Thesewomenandtheirfamilieswouldthenbebackonthestreets,againlookingforhelp.Indeed,food insecurityamong thosedisplaced,whether in informal settlements,host communitiesorevenformalcampsishigh,withattendantriskofSEA.Thereishighlikelihoodofwomenandgirlsengaginginsurvivalsexinreturnforfoodandotherresources.Governmentofficialsareseenasnot wanting to hear about such cases, which they do not see as connected to governmentresponsibilitiestoprotectwomenandgirlsinthesecamps.Forexample,theExecutiveSecretaryofSEMAdeniedthatanysexualabusewashappeninginIDPcampsatallonradio.Levelsofsexualexploitationbystateactorsarehigh,withperpetratorsincludingmembersofthemilitaryandcampofficials. Sexual exploitationofwomenandgirlswas reported innearlyalldisplacementandreturnlocations,despitehighlevelsofstigmaassociated,withcriticallevelsofexploitation in Michika and Madagali. In Michika, focus group discussions and interviewscharacterised‘hundredsofwomenandgirls’asengagedinsextoearnincomeswithmanycasesofsexualexploitationperpetratedbymembersofsecurityforces.InMadagaliandMichika,casesofthemilitarygoing intopeople’shomesandcallingoutwomenandgirlswhotheythentakeawayforsexhavebeenreportedalthoughthisisnotconfirmed.InMubi,womencomplainedof‘soldierschasingschoolgirls’ordemandingwomen’snumbersatcheckpointsbeforetheyallowedthemtopass.Theywouldthenkeepcallingtoaskthemtomeetthematnight.Whentheseissueswereraisedwithmembersofthe28thTaskforceBrigadeof7thDivisionstationedthere,theiranswerswerethatwomencansaynowhenaskedfornumbersoraneveningmeeting,thatlongdeploymentsmeanttheyhadnootheroptionastherewereunlikelytomeetgirlfriendsandthat‘itmaystartassexualexploitationbutitcouldleadinmarriage.’62InFuforetransitcamp,anumberofgirlshavebecomepregnantfromsexwithsoldiers.In2016,a soldier started beating a girlwithwhomhewas in a relationship inNYSC camp leading tointerventionfromIDPleadersandNEMA.Ratherthanbeingdismissedandpunished,thesoldierinquestionwastransferredawayfromthecamp.Althoughtheserelationshipsaresometimesinitiated by the women and girls themselves, they cannot be divorced from the context ofwidespreadfoodinsecurity,restrictedfreedomofmovement,fewtonolivelihoodoptionsandthepowerandaccesstoresourceswieldedbymeninuniformswithguns.Manypeoplealsospokeof the lack ofmechanisms in place to report abuse.63 As elderlywomen inMubi Southwere

61ProtectionSectorWorkingGroup,ParticipatoryProtectionAssessmentReport:AdamawaStateNigeria,2016.62InformationfromMubiisdrawnfromworkshopswiththemilitaryoncivilianprotection,includingSEA,andwiththecommunityonself-protectioninMarch2017.63InterviewsanddiscussionscarriedoutinMubi,GombiandYolainMarchandApril2017.

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reportedtohavesaid,‘Whodowereporttowhenit’sthepeoplewhoaresupposedtoprotectusthataretheonestakingadvantageofus?’64In addition to sexual exploitation, violence and abuse, women’s rights activists describedreceivingmanycasesofearlyandforcedmarriageofgirlsaroundtheageof13or14,particularlyin areas such as in Fufore, Gire and Mubi, leading to curtailed education, rape, unwantedpregnancyandfistula.Intheseareas,bothChristianandMuslimcommunitiesengageinearlyandforcedmarriage.FIDA,NationalHumanRightsCommission(NHRC)and theLegalAidCouncil(LAC)havetakenonanumberofthesecaseswheretheytrytointervene,involvingreligiousandcommunityleaders,topreventorendthemarriage.Furthermore,earlyandforcedmarriagewasidentifiedbyIDPsinNamtarihostcommunityaspressuretomarryoffgirlswasduetoparentsnolongerbeingabletoaffordschoolfees,food,shelterandotherbasicneeds.Theyalsoreportedforcedmarriageforgirlswhohadbecomepregnantasaresultofsexualassaultorexploitation. Thereweremixedviewsastowhetherdomesticviolenceandabusewasincreasingordecreasing.Intheabsenceofproperdataastoincidenceandtrends,itisdifficulttosaywhatthesituationactuallyisaspeoplereportperceptionsratherthanfacts.The2016protectionsectorassessmentfoundreportingofdomesticviolenceandabuseinMadagali,MubiNorth,Michika,MubiSouth,GireiandYolaSouth,includingmenbeatingtheirwivesandfightingoverlackoflivelihoodsandfood.ElderlywomeninMubiSouthspokeofhusbandstreatingthembadlyandfocusingsupportonmalechildrenandneglectingfemalechildren.Otherwomenspokeofhusbandsdenyingthemfood,maltreatingthemandnotsupportingschoolfeesforchildren,withdrugsandalcoholcitedascontributingfactors.As described above, the women in Gombi believed that domestic violence and abuse hadincreaseddue tomen’s frustrationswith their inability toprovideandwomen takingonnewtypesofbreadwinningresponsibilities.However,otherwomensawdomesticviolenceandabuseas decreasing. They thought thiswas higher before the conflict as issueswere causeddue toexpectations thatmenshouldbe financiallyproviding for all theneedsof the family.Becausewomencontributenowmoreofaproportionfinanciallytothehouseholdthanbefore,theyfeltwomen had more bargaining power as they were able to withdraw their contributions ifhusbandsthreatenedthem,leavingallfinancialresponsibilitieswiththeirhusbands.OtherformsofVAWGmentionedincludeddenialofresources,refusingaccesstoeducationfordaughters,refusingwidowsinheritanceofhusbands’propertyandremovingtheirchildrenfromthemandnotallowingwivestowork.ImpunityforVAWGcasescontinues.InMubi,ayoungmanwho was alleged to have perpetrated rape against many women was seen as evading legalsanctionduetothewealthandpowerofhisfatherwhichmeanthehadcompleteimpunity.Thepolicearealsoseenasnotinterestedandtendingtoblamethesurvivorbyaskingquestionsaboutdressingandbehaviour.PreventionandresponsemechanismsThekeyactorsinAdamawawhenitcomestopreventionandresponseareFIDA,FOMWAN,UNWomen, UNFPA, UNHCR, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Norwegian Refugee Council(NRC) and government actors such as the MOJ, MOWASD, police and courts. A protectionassessmentinJuly2016characterisedhumanitarianassistanceinAdamawaastargetedatthemost easily accessible urban areas, including the formal camps, often overlooking hostcommunitieswith critical needs and areas of return in thenorthern areas.65This assessmentcontinuestobetruetosomeextent,althoughincreasingly,actorsareworkinginareasaffectedbyviolentconflict,particularlyMichikaandMadagali. It is important tonote the landscape in

64ProtectionSectorWorkingGroup,ParticipatoryProtectionAssessmentReport:AdamawaStateNigeria,2016,p.6.65ProtectionSectorWorkingGroup,ParticipatoryProtectionAssessmentReport:AdamawaStateNigeria,2016.

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Adamawa,asinBornoandYobe,isquicklychangingandotheractorsmaybeplanningorstartingVAWGprogrammingsoon.Healthcare:EffortsarebeingmadetoimprovethequalityofcarereceivedbysurvivorsinhealthcarefacilitiesinAdamawastate.Institutionstendtoprovidequickresponseandtreatmentonthespotwithreferralsmadefromprimarytosecondaryandtertiaryinstitutionsbasedoncapabilityandavailabilityofhumanresources.ThegovernmenthassetupreferralcentresforsexualassaultinBekaji,MalamareandYelwa.StaffatBachurefederalcentreandFMCspecialisthospitalhavebeentrainedbytheUNandIRConclinicalmanagementofrapebuttrainingremainsasignificantgapacrossinstitutions.UNFPAhasprovidedsexualandreproductivehealth(SRH)kitstoprimaryandsecondaryhealthcareinstitutionsandrapekitsatprimaryhealthcarefacilitiestomaketheseservicesaccessibleandaffordabletoall.However,thesekitsarenowbeingprovidedtoonly19facilities,downfrom75facilitiesinearly2016.Therearealmost400healthcarefacilitiesinthestate.Other agencies areprovidingdifferent typesof kits, for exampleFHI360providespostexposure prophylaxis (PEP) kits (are not as comprehensive as SRH kits) but significant gapsremain.Furthermore,peopledonotalwaysknowwheretogoforhelp,manytimesbypassingprimaryhealthcare facilities for secondaryhealthcare facilitieswhere their case isnotalwaysdealtwithasanemergencyandwherethekitsneededarelesslikelytobepresent.Anotherkeyissue is the lownumberofwomenhealthcareworkers,particularlydoctors,whichmaydeterwomen and girls coming forward for treatment or feeling comfortable to share what hashappened.Therearesomefemalemidwivesandnursesbutthisisnotenough.Psychosocialcare:AgencieshavemadeeffortstoputinplacesystemsofpsychosocialcarewithUNHCR, IRCandUNFPAhaving trainedcounsellors toprovide thisservice in IDPcamps,hostcommunities, neighbourhoods and schools in particular areas. For example, UNFPA partnersprovidecareinMubi,MadagaliFufore,Gire,Numan,YobeSouthandNorth.Twogapsidentifiedwhen talking with UNFPA partners are the need to address potential secondary trauma ofcounsellors working with survivors more holistically and the need for younger women toundertakethiswork.MostcounsellorsaresocialworkersfromMOWASDwhotendtobeintheir40s,50sand60swhereasyoungwomenfinditeasiertoopenuptowomentheirownage.Shelter:ThereisashelterinYolatowhichsurvivorsofSVarereferredandcanstayforsometimetogetimmediaterelief.Here,theyreceivepsychosocialandlegalservicesandtakepartinaskillsacquisitionprogramme.However, althoughstaff followup toensuresafety,womenandgirlscanonlystayformaximumof10daysbeforetheyhavetogobacktocommunity.HavingashelterforimmediatereliefinYolaismorethanispresentinmanypartsofNigeria,howeveritstemporary naturemeans there is a large gap when it comes to more holistic and long-termsupportaswellasthelackofthiskindofserviceoutsidethestatecapital.Accesstojustice:Amajority(74.8percent)ofrespondentstotheUNWomenstudyagreedorstronglyagreedthatthereactionoflawenforcementagenciestoVAWGwasunsatisfactory.66Thestudyfoundthatcommunityleadershipstructureswereseenasnolongereffectiveandtherewaslowpublicconfidenceinsecuringjusticethroughpoliceandlawenforcementbodies.AlthoughtheNSCDChasagenderunitsandstaffassignedtoworkonVAWGcases,thereisaneedtochangeattitudes across the organisation. Members of the NSCDC interviewed showed poorunderstandingofVAWG,callingitnaturalthat‘youngmenwillbeenticedbyseeingwomenontheroad’andthathusbandshaverightsoverwives.TheNSCDCgenderfocalpointsaidalthougharound30-40percentofstaffarewomenandthereisonepersonineachLGAwhoisaVAWGfocalpoint,sheistheonlypersonwhohasreceivedformaltrainingongenderandVAWG.ThereseemstohavebeenmoreinvestmentincapacitybuildingofthepolicebyoutsideactorswiththeFamily Support Unit in Yola in particular seen as more supportive, able to refer and taking

66O.Para-Mallam,PromotingWomen’sEngagementinPeaceandSecurityinNorthernNigeria:ReportofBaselineStudy(Adamawa,PlateauandGombeStatesofNigeria),(UNWomen,2016),pp.42-43.

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decisiveactionasaresult.PoliceofficersinYolahadreceivedtraininginMarch2017fromtheForceHeadquartersgenderofficer.However,thepersonwhoservesastheAdamawacommand’sgenderdeskofficeriscurrentlydoublehattingwithanotherjobinthesalarysection,reducingtheamountoftimeavailabletoworkthegenderportfolio.Furthermore,eventhoughitwassaidthatpoliceofficersworkingintheLGAsknewthenearestfacilityforreferral,inpracticetheydonotreceivedmanyreportsandhavemadelittleeffortstoreachouttoimprovereportingrates.AnotherkeychallengeistheneedtotransferVAWGcases(aswithmurderandrobbery)tostateCriminalInvestigationDepartment(CID)tobetriedinYola.Whilethereasoningbehindthisisunderstandable,ithindersaccesstojusticeassurvivorsandtheirfamiliesareoftenunabletofindthetimeandotherresourcesrequiredtotravelandstayinYola.LegalaidisprovidedbyFIDA,NigerianBarAssociation(NBA)andNHRCandthereseemstobeaverycloseconnectionwithFIDA,NBAandtheMOJasmanyFIDAandNBAmembersworkfortheMOJ.Asaresult,whenaVAWGcasecomestotheMOJ,itispassedontoFIDAbecausetheyareseenasmoreinvestedandeffective.AbetterapproachmaybetobuildincentivesandinterestacrosstheinstitutionratherthanoutsourcingtoFIDAmembers.Livelihoods:Noinformationonthelivelihoodssupportofferedtosurvivorswasfoundduringtheassessment.However,giventheshorttimespentinAdamawa,thisdoesnotnecessarilymeannoneexist.Coordination, casemanagementand referralpathways: ThePSWGbrings together actorsworkingonprotectionwithsubsectorworkinggroupsonGBVandchildprotection.Adamawawasthestatewiththefirstreferralpathwayinthecountry.StandardoperatingproceduresforpreventionofandresponsetoVAWGweredraftedinNovember2015andrevisedinFebruary2016foruseinIDPcampsandhostcommunities.67Aftersettingoutguidingprinciples,theydetailresponsibilitiesforsurvivor/victimassistanceandforpreventionwithtelephonenumbersandemailaddressesofcontactsatkeyagencies.However,thesereferralpathwaysandSOPsarenotcomprehensive despite revision to address flaws. While agencies are trying to ensure earlyresponse,reportingandmanagementofcases,donorfundingforreferralshasbeenwithdrawnorcut.Asaresult,organisationsarehavingtocutdownthenumberofLGAsinwhichtheyworkorfocusonlyoncertainpopulationssuchasreturneesorIDPs.TheMOJwishestosetupaSexualAssault Referral Centre (SARC) with experts seconded to mentor staff there on legal aid,counsellingandhealthcare.TheMOJ isopentoadviceonhowbest todothisand,after initialconversationswithMCN,hasstartedtalkingwithUNHCR,UNFPAandothers(duetoimpatienceatthetimeithastakenMCNtostart).Ifsetupcorrectly,thiscouldleadtoimprovedcoordinationandcasemanagement.However,itisimportanttothinkabouthowtoscalethisuptolocationsoutsideYolaaswellastoensurehowtocoverallVAWGcasesratherthanjustbelimitedtothoseofsexualassault.Sensitisation and addressing stigma: There have been attempts to sensitise communitiesaround VAWG. However, this tends to be along the lines of engaging with police officers,communityleadersandothersininstitutions.Somecommunitylevelsensitisationhasbeendoneand has resulted in increased cases being reported, howevermore is needed to reach out tocommunities, particularly those outside Yola, providing concrete information about whatservicesareavailable,howtoaccessthemandtheimportanceofearlyreporting.Inaddition,areal campaign around addressing stigma is needed. It seems that hardly any organisation isworkingon this,despite the impactof stigmaonsurvivorsaswell as thisbeingakeybarrierpreventingreporting.Prevention:Mosteffortshavebeen focusedonstrengtheningresponsemechanisms,which iswelcome.However,verylittle,beyondadvocacyvisitstocommunityleadersandotherdecision

67UNFPA,StandardOperatingProceduresforPreventionofandResponsetoGenderBasedViolence:TheHumanitarianOperationinAdamawaStateNigeria,(UNFPA,2015).

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makersseemstohavebeendoneonpreventingVAWGinthefirstplace.GiventhelevelsofSEAreportedcommittedbythemilitary,policeandcampofficials,thisseemslikeanobviousstartingplace with focus on revising and institutionalising codes of conduct, changing institutionalcultures and ensuring quick and effective measures to investigate allegations, with casespublicisedtoshowtheseriousnesswithwhichinstitutionstaketheissue.Anotherclearsiteofinterventionisworkwithyoungpeoplearoundconsent,sexandhealthyrelationshipseducation,mobilisingpeertopeernetworksaswellasothercommunityresourcessuchaswomen’sgroupsandassociationsandensuringthisprogrammeisimplementedinawaysensitivetocommunityfearsaroundthisandthepotentialforbacklash.

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BornoTheinformationbelowdrawsuponareviewofdocumentsandresearch,aswellasinterviewsconductedinDamboa,Dikwa,BiuandMMCinApril2017andworkdonebytheauthorinthestatepriortotheassessment.ContextUnlikeAdamawa,thesecuritysituationacrossthestateishighlyvolatile.WhereassomeLGAsarerelativelystableandcalmandworkonrecoveryand long-termprogrammingcanstart,manyothersstillexperienceongoinginsecurityandviolence.InmostLGAsinBorno,thegovernmentcontrols the LGA headquarters and a one to five km perimeter surrounding it with the areabeyondthatcontestedterritory.AreasinsouthernBornothatweresafebefore,suchasDamboaLGA, have seen a number of attacks in recentmonthswith ambushes along theMaiduguri –DamboaandDamboa–BiuroadsandreportsofISWAfightershavingmigratedtothearea.InMarchandJune2017,ISWAfighterstookoverthetownsofSabonGari(Damboa)andMagumerirespectively, with security forces having to temporarily retreat before coming back withreinforcements.However,althoughtherewere3,000householdsinSabonGari,nocivilianswerereportedtohavebeenkilledwithISWAfighterstakingfoodandstoppingvehiclesbutnotcausingphysicalharm.ThesedevelopmentsfeedperceptionsthatISWAisdifferentfromJASinthatitsfocusisthemilitarywithastrategytowardsmorepositiveengagementtowardscivilians.These clashes between the military and AOGs are one of the factors causing continueddisplacement.Indeed,thereareatleastfivetypesofmovementaroundthestate:1)refoulementfrom Cameroon back to Nigeria; 2) movement from villages into LGA headquarters due toviolence or as the army regains control of areas; 3) movement from Maiduguri into LGAheadquarters,fallingonaspectrumbetweencoercedandforced;4)movementfromsurroundingstates intoBorno; and5)movement intoMaiduguri fromLGAswhere insecurity has risen inrecentmonths,suchasKondugaandDamboa.InApril2017inDikwa,asoldierestimatedthatalmost1,000peoplehadcomeintotheLGAheadquartersinthefourdayspriortotalkingwithhim.PeoplecontinuetomoveintotheLGAheadquartersofDamboaandBiu,withanestimated800familieshavingmovedintoDamboainthelastsevenmonths.Disputesoverhousing,landandpropertyaspeoplereturntotheircommunitiesispredicted.TheMOJareplanningaprocessofcapacitybuildingoftheirstaffinalternativedisputeresolutionandmediationbutitisuncleartowhatextentthiswillbeabletoaddresstheproblem.Relationships between IDPs and host communities are varied. As in Adamawa, people havewelcomedrelativesandfriendsintotheirhomesandcaredforthemyearsbeforeinternationalactorscametothestate.However,IDPscanbeseenasAOGmembersinhiding.Forexample,inBiu,manypeoplebelievethatIDPsfromDamboaarenotgoingbacktotheirLGAforfearofbeingidentifiedasAOGmembersratherthanduetotheinsecuritythere.Youngpeople’sthreatenedprotest was prevented due to the intervention of the community peace partnership (CPP)supportedbyNSRPwhoarrangedfortheCJTFfromDamboatocometoBiuandidentifyifanyofthepeopletherewerenotfromDamboa.However,tensionsremainasdoquestionsastowhypeople fromDamboadonot returnhomeandageneral feeling thatDamboa IDPsarenot theresponsibilityofthepeopleofBiu,thattheywillassistwhennecessarybuttherearelimitstothisassistanceandthatDamboaIDPsshouldgohome.TheEmirofBiuissuedadeclarationinlateMay2017thatpeopleinBiushouldnothouseorrenttopeoplefromSabonGariinDamboaasitwasunknownwhethertheywereAOGmembersandsotheyshouldbecheckedbysecurityforcesfirst. In Mafa, conflict between host communities and IDPs, predominantly Christians fromGwoza, is due to humanitarian assistance focusing on IDPs alonewhenmembers of the hostcommunityalso feel inneed.Certainly, this focusofhumanitarianaction iscausingconflict inmany areas, whether it is between host communities and IDPs or people of different ethno-

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linguisticandreligiousgroupsorwithcommunityleaderswhoareseentohavedivertedtheaidmeantfortheircommunities.Atthesametime,respectforcommunityleadershipinstitutionshasbeensignificantlyeroded,withcommunityleadersopenlybeingaccusedofbeingthievesinsomeareas.Representativesfrom HERWA, a civil society organisation that works in many LGAs across Borno, said thatcommunityleaderswereperceivedascorruptatwardandvillagelevelevenbeforetheconflictwithbulamassellingblocksoflandtopeopleillegally,engaginginmultiplesellingofhousesandfindingotherwaystoprofitfromtheirpositionsintheabsenceofproperremunerationdespiteallLGAscontributing5percentoftheirallocationstotheemiratecounciltofundthesystemofcommunityleadership.Theywereoftenthefirsttoleavetheircommunitiesinthefaceofviolence,partlyduetotheirpowerandconnectionsenablingthemtodosoandpartlyastheywereoftenthetargetsofJASfighters,leavingapowervacuumfilledbyothers.ThesedynamicsledtopeoplegoingtomembersoftheCJTFforconflictresolutionastheywereseenasresolvingconflictsfairly,amicablyandquickly,withcommunityleaderslosinggroundandworryingthat‘theboys’wereusurpingtheirpower.ThisanalysisfromHERWAisbuttressedbya2017MercyCorpsworkingpaper.68Aswillbediscussedbelow,womenarealsofillingthisvacuumbyengaginginconflictresolutionandproactivelyreachingouttogroupstheyfearhavethepotentialforviolence.VigilantegroupsandtheCJTFhaveplayedanimportantroleintheconflictinBorno.Theypassonintelligence,includingabouttheterrainandwhomaybeanAOGmember,patroltownsandcitiesandgoonjointoperationswithsecurityforces.Theyhavebeeninstrumentaltoensuringsomelevelofpeaceandsecurityinthestate.However,thereareconcernsaboutfuturetrajectory,particularlyoftheCJTF,ifactionisnottaken.Peoplearelessconcernedaboutvigilantegroups,whichtendtobemadeupofhunters,formedduetotheconflictwhotheyseeasmorematureandless ‘hot-headed.’ CJTFmembers on the other hand are seen as under the influence of drugs,difficult tomanageandmore likelytocommithumanrightsabuses, includingtherecruitmentanduseofchildrenandsexualharassment,exploitationandabuse.Forexample,themilitaryinDikwahasstoppedworkingwiththeCJTFduetoconcernsabouttheirbehaviourandworksonlywiththevigilantegroup.69ThissituationisexacerbatedbywhatisseenasalackofrecognitionbythemilitaryandotherstateactorsfortheroletheCJTFhaveplayedandthesacrificesmembershavemade,aswellaslowlevelsofremunerationformembersandlackofeffortstowardsjobandlivelihoodscreation.TheconflicthasalsostrainedrelationsbetweenChristiansandMuslims.IncertainareassuchasBiu,thenumberoffamilieswithbothChristianandMuslimmembersactasaformofresilienceagainst thosewho try to sowdivision.However, inmanyother areaswhichused to see jointcelebrations, children playing together and adults working together, there are high levels ofmistrust and suspicion. Many Muslims protected their Christian friends, colleagues andneighbours,forexamplebyhidingthemorgivingthemveilstocover.TherearestoriesofMuslimsandChristiansprotectingeachotheronFridaysandSundaysduringreligiousservices.However,peopleinterviewedalsospokeaboutcaseswhereChristiansrantotheirneighbourswhohandedthem over or of Muslims identifying their Christian neighbours’ homes to AOG fighters. OnewomanwhohadseenapriestkilledinFebruary2009inMaiduguriinfrontofhersaidthepersonwhokilledhimwas,infact,wearingtheclotheshehadgivenhim.Shesaid,‘IforgivethembutIamafraidtobefreewiththem.’Ontheotherhand,conflictbetweenfarmersandpastoralistsislessinBornothaninneighbouringAdamawaandYobestates.Thisisnotsurprisinggiventhatfarmersinmostofthestatehavebeenunabletoplantorharvestcropsformanyyearsduetoinsecurityandviolence.BiuisoneofthefewLGAsinthestatewherefarmingisabletotakeplace.InBiu,farmersusedtoplantongrazing

68MercyCorps,WorkingPaper:ViewsofTheCivilianJointTaskForce,March2017.69DiscussionswithsoldiersinDikwainMarch2017.

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routeswhichcausedconflictandviolence.Thepeoplewhoplantedthereweremostlythosewhohadbeendisplacedfromotherareasanddidnotknowofgrazingareasandroutes.Therewasnosystemofknowingwhichareasweregrazingroutes.In2016,measuresweretakentopreventconflict with the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources, lamido and communityleadersatdistrict,wardandvillagelevelssittingdowntoagreethereshouldbenoplantingoncattleroutesandifthishappeneditwouldbeprosecuted.TheLGAtriedtoallocateasmallportionof its land to thosewhohadplantedon cattle routes theyearbefore.Cattle routeswerealsodemarcatedwithpaintandtreesplantedtoserveasapermanentdemarcationinthefuture.Anotherareaforcurrentandfutureconcernisthereportedincreaseingangs.SomeareasinandaroundMaidugurihaveseenanincreaseingangsofyoungwomenandmenandofdruguse.Manygangmembers are young peoplewho have lost their families and, in the absence of supportstructures, have turned to gangs to fill this gap. Fighting and violence breaks outwithin andbetweenthegroups,includingfightingovergirlsandyoungwomen,aswillbediscussedbelow.Druguseishighinthesegroups,asitisamongIDPsandthegeneralpopulationwithpeopletakingmarijuana,tramadol,exolandsucudite(embalmingfluidwhichisinhaled)amongotherdrugs.Indeed,thereiswidespreadperceptionofdruguseamongJASandCJTFranks70aswellasintheNigerian Armed Forces.71 Women, girls, boys and men are seen as using drugs, with someindicationsthatthisislinkedwithsexualviolenceagainstwomenandgirlsandincreasedstigmaforwomendruguserswhoarealsomoreatriskofSEA.72LegalandpolicyframeworksBornostatehasnotdomesticatedtheVAPPActortheCRA.TherehavebeensomesuggestionsfromUNagenciesofworkingtodosobuttheprospectsforpassingtheselawswithoutsignificantconcessions,forexamplearoundtheageofmarriage,areunlikely.However,BornowasthefirstinthenationtohaveaSAPWPSin2014.Observedtohavegapsinlightofcontextualdevelopmentssince, itwasreviewedbyateamconsistingofMOWASDandwomen,peaceandsecuritynetwork(WPSN)membersandvalidatedbymembersofthesecuritysector, women’s leaders, international non-governmental organisations (INGOs), civil societyorganisations(CSOs),ministries,departmentsandagencies(MDAs),LGAofficialsandcommunityandreligiousleaderstoenabletheirinputandownership.Itcoverstheperiod2017–2019anddetailsactionsgovernment,civilsociety includingNGOs,CBOs, themediaandcommunityandreligiousleaders,andinternationalactorsshouldtakeonprevention,protection,participation,promotion, prosecution, relief and recovery, mobilisation of resources and monitoring andevaluation.73ThisSAPWPShasanestimatedbudgetwhichneedsapprovalandreleaseandplansareunderwaytopassaBillintheSHOAsoitsprovisionsbecomelegallybinding.Someeffortsarebeingmade to ensure impact at the LGA levelwithwomen’s groups, community leaders andreligiousleadersfromsomeLGAsinvitedforSAPWPSeventswiththemandatetoimplementafterwards.OtheragenciessuchasUnitedNationsChildrenFund(UNICEF),UNFPA,UNHCRandIRCseeminterestedinexploringhowtheycansupportimplementation.However,effortstodatehavebeenfocusedondraftingandsigningtheSAPWPSitselfandthedocumentseemstohavehadlimitedinfluenceonchanginggovernmentpolicy,practiceandinstitutionalcultureasyet.70A.Mukpo,OutoftheShadows:AdoptingaPeacebuildingApproachtotheSocialEffectsofDrugUseinNigeria,(NSRP/InternationalAlert,2017).71ConversationswithmilitaryofficersinMaiduguriandinDefenceHeadquartersinAbuja. 72A.Mukpo,OutoftheShadows:AdoptingaPeacebuildingApproachtotheSocialEffectsofDrugUseinNigeria,(NSRP/InternationalAlert,2017).73 Borno State Government, Borno State Action Plan (BoSAP) for the Implementation of UNSCR 1325 and RelatedResolutions,dateunknown.

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InvolvementintheconflictDynamics around recruitment have already been addressed in the key trends section of thisdocument.However,itisimportanttonotethataccordingtoMercyCorpsresearchcarriedoutinDamboa,MafaandMaiduguri,while feweryoungwomenknowmembersofextremistgroups,comparedtoyoungmen,youngwomenarebothmorelikelytobesolicitedtojoingroupsbytheirmembersandmorelikelytosupporttheuseofviolenceorfeelitisjustified.74Notwithstandingthismorenuancedpicture,thetwoaspectsofwomen’sassociationthatreceivethemostattentionareabductionsand ‘suicidebombing’.Womenandgirlsareviewedwith increasingsuspicion,suspectedofbeingontheirwaytodetonatebombs.CommonperceptionsarethatthemindofaformerJASmemberwhoisawomancanbeeasilychangedbutthatitismoredifficultformenassociatedtochangetheirmind.Notonlyisthisassumptiondrawnfromgenderedstereotypesbutitisnotbasedonevidence.Therecentcaseof25-year-oldAishawho,afewmonthsaftershehadundergoneanine-monthgovernment‘deradicalisation’programme,vanishedwithherbabyson after talkingwith anotherwoman from the programmewho had returned to Sambisa isillustrative.75ThisisjustonecaseofmanywomenreportedashavingreturnedtoJAS.Indeed,womenmayfinditmoredifficulttoderadicaliseandreintegratethanmenduetostigmafaced.Ontheotherhand,menoffightingagefromcommunitieswhereitisthoughtrecruitmentwashighorareascontrolledbyAOGfightersareautomaticallyassumedtobemembersorat leastsympathisers. They are targeted directly by the military for arrest and detention, includingthroughscreeningprocessesforIDPs.InDamboainMay2017,soldiersstartedroundingupanddetainingalltheyoungmenthereonsuspicionofmembership,withmanychoosingtofleethetownasaresult.76Duringscreeningprocesses,thedecisionmadeastowhetheramanisthoughttobeamemberornotseemsmoreorlessarbitrarywithindicatorsincludingseeming‘wellfed’andinformationfrombulamas,whomayormaynothavethisknowledgeorusethisopportunityto settle old scores, being used tomake a final decision.77 Although government andmilitaryofficials admit that both women and men can be forcibly recruited and abducted, womenassociated are seen as automatically victims of abductionswhilemen associated are seen asautomaticallyperpetratorsofharmchoosingtojoin.Pro government armed groups have both women and men as members although the menoutnumber the women. In Biu for example, women make up six out of 46 vigilante groupmembersinthemainofficeandholdcommandinsomeareasaccordingtothe(male)vigilantecommanderthere.ThesewomenarehunterswhoinheritthisoccupationfromtheirparentsandhavereceivedtraininginfightingAOGsashavethemen.Theygointothebushwiththearmyandpolice in joint operations to catch and fight AOG fighters. In Damboa, women are also thedaughters of families of hunterswho take on the same roles asmale vigilantemembers andincludemarriedwomenwithchildrenwholeavetheirfamiliestogoonoperationsaccordingtothe(male)vigilantecommanderthere.TheyalsoprovidesecuritytopreventspiesandpeoplecarryingIEDscomingintotown,goonpatrolandoperatecheckpoints.WomenarealsopartoftheCJTFbutseemconfinedtocertainrolesofcheckingwomenatcheckpointsandmarkets,whichmenarenotable todo,78rather thangoingonoperationsaswomenassociatedwithvigilantegroupsdo.

74MercyCorps,YouthVulnerabilityAssessment:BornoState,March2017.75A.T.Nwaubani, ‘DisappearanceofBokoHaramBrideSparksConcernaboutReturntoMilitants,’ThomsonReutersFoundation,15thJune2017.76InformationfromanINGOstaffmemberwholivesinDamboaviaemail,May2017.77Observed inDikwa inMarch2017duringdiscussionswith soldiers aboutpeoplewhohadwalked into theLGAheadquartersfromsurroundingvillages.78P.Donli,PerceptionsandExperiencesofChildrenAssociatedwithArmedGroupsinNortheastNigeria,(NSRP/UNICEF,2017).

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It is not only adultwomen andmenwho are associatedwith armed groups. There aremanychildrenwhohavebeenrecruitedandusedbybothpro-governmentandoppositiongroupsasmessengers, spies,porters, fighters, ‘suicide’bombersand forsex.This includeschildrenwithdisabilities. For example, young boyswith disabilities, used to carry explosives inMaiduguri,wereapprehendedbysecurityoperativeswhoweretippedoffin2011or2012.79Thebelowtableprovides some figures fromWomen in NewNigeria (WINN), a civil society organisation thatworkswithchildrenassociatedwitharmedgroups,astothenumbersofsuchchildrenwhohavebeenidentifiedinthreeLGAsasofApril2017.Table4:ChildrenAssociatedwithArmedGroupsinDikwa,GwozaandMafa,April2017 Girls Boys TotalDikwa 94(39pregnant) 97 191Gwoza 49 51 100(plus81justidentified)Mafa 18 19 41Someofthesechildrenarestillactiveinarmedgroups.ItcanbeverydifficulttopersuadechildrenassociatedwiththeCJTForvigilantegroupstoleavethesegroupsastheysaytheyaregettingmoneytheycanuseforthemselvesandtheirfamilies.Theboysinparticular(fromsixto17yearsinage)feelliketheyareheroesdefendingtheircommunities.Theyarereluctanttogiveuptheattendant ‘respect’and ‘prestige,’whichcanbelargelybasedonfear, thatthisaffordsthemintheircommunities.However,childrenassociatedwithCJTFandvigilantegroupsalsofacemuchlessstigmaandfearthanthoseassociatedwithJAS.80TherehavebeensomereleasesofpeopleassociatedwithAOGs.Forexample,on10thApril,480people(including138boysand107girls)werereleasedfromGiwaBarrackstotheMOWASD.81AnumberofUNagenciesandINGOswerepresentduringtherelease,withtheprocessamarkedimprovementcomparedtopreviousinstancesofreleaseintermsoflinkstosupportservices.Beyondassociationwithandmembershipofarmedgroups,womenhaveplayedotherdirectrolesinfightingandsavingcommunitymembers.Insomecommunities,womenhavespontaneouslyfoughtwithcutlasseswithmenattheentrancetocommunitiestoprotectthemandpreventJASfighterscomingintotheirtown.Womenhavealsoplayedinstrumentalrolesinsavingthelivesofmen. Manywomen from Gwoza, Damboa, Ngala andMonguno spoke of giving soldiers theirclothessotheycouldbedisguisedaswomenandescapeJASfighters.82Theyalsosavedthelivesofmenintheircommunities,hidingthemintheirhomesandsmugglingthemtosafety.WheninterviewedbytheauthorinDecember2016,onemanspokeabouthimandhisfriendsrunningawayfromJASfighterswhowerekillingallthemennearby.Awomanhedidnotknowwhohadjustseenhersonkilledinfrontofheraskedthemtoenterherhouse.Shehidtheminhergranaryuntilthefightershadstoppedgoinghousetohousekillingallthemen.Shethengavethemclothessotheycouldescapedisguisedaswomen.Awoman,alsointerviewedinDecember2016,hid14meninherceilinguntilshehadsewedenoughclothesforthemallthensmuggledthem,dressedaswomen,intothenearbyhillswhilebeingsevenmonths’pregnant.Thesearenotjustisolatedincidentsbutapatternofwomenprotectingmen frombeingharmedby JASmembers.Theseactionsriskbeingforgotten.Asonewomansaid,‘Weplayedavitalroleinsavingmenbutnowthemenareaskingustokeepthissilent.’79ThisinformationisfromamemberofJointNationalAssociationforPeoplewithDisabilities(JONAPWD)inBornoStatewhowasunclearastotheexactyearthistookplace.80P.Donli,PerceptionsandExperiencesofChildrenAssociatedwithArmedGroupsinNortheastNigeria,(NSRP/UNICEF,2017).81InformationfromINGOsandUNagenciespresentatthetime. 82Discussionsduringself-protectionworkshopsheldinDecember2016withIDPsfromtheseLGAscurrentlylivinginBakassi,NYSC,Teachers’VillageandEYNcampsinMaiduguri.

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PhysicalharmcausedbyarmedactorsHarm has been caused to civilians by all parties to the conflict in Borno, including Nigeriansecurityforces,AOGfightersandvigilantegroups/theCJTF.Inmanyplaces,theconsistentpatternseemstohavebeenthatJASfighters,whentheycametotownsandvillageswouldkillallthemenandolderboysinthecommunity,includinginfrontoftheirfamilies.Sometimes,theygavethemachoice:theycould‘choose’tojointheirgrouporbekilled. As onewoman describingwhat had happened in Gwoza interviewed by the author inDecember2016said,‘Theykilledallthemenovertheageofnineexcepttheelderlyones.Theydidn’tkillthewomensayingtheycouldn’tdosoasitwasawomanwhogavebirthtothem.’JASfightersabductandforciblyrecruitmanywomenandgirls.Someofthesewomenandgirlsareforcedinto‘marriage’withJASfighterswhereasothersarerapedbyanumberofmen.Thephenomenon of abductions will be discussed in the VAWG section below. JAS also burnedproperty,equipmentandgoods,withthewomenandchildrenleftbehindfleeingthearea,oftenwithnothingbuttheclothesontheirbacks.ItisimportanttonotethatthepatternsofcivilianharmseemtodifferbetweenJASandISWAwithISWAbeingfarlesslikelytocausephysicalharmto civilianswith the vastmajority of attacks and brutality against civilians attributed to JAS.However, the lines are probably more fluid than simple characterisation of JAS as attackingciviliansandISWAasnotdoingsoandthisisanareathatrequiresfurtherinvestigation.Atthesametime,asdetailedabove,themilitaryisseentohavedetainedandkilledmanymenonsuspicion of AOG association. They force people to leave their homes to come into LGAheadquarters,withtheimplicationbeingthatiftheychoosetostaybehindtheyareeitherontheirownorarelikelyAOGmembersorsympathises.InDikwa,ninewomenwhohadgoneoutoftheirvillagetolookforfoodleavingchildrenathomeasyoungassixmonthsoldcameacrosssoldierswhomadethemleavetheareaandcomeintotheLGAheadquarters,withouttheirchildren.Ofcourse,iftheyhadreturnedbacktotheirvillage,itishighlylikelytheywouldhavebeenkilledbyJASmembersforhavingtalkedwiththemilitary.Soldiershavealsobeenfoundtobeinvolvedinhumanrightsabuses.Theseactionshavecausedalotofresentmentandanger.Amotherofoneoftheyoungmenwhowasdetainedwasreportedassaying,‘IfonlyIcouldgetagun,Iwouldn’tmindgoingoutandshootinganymilitaryofficerIfind.’Therehasbeensomeactiontakenbythemilitarytocurtailthiswithrevisionofthecodeofconduct,establishmentofahumanrightsdesktowhichcomplaintscanbemadeandcourtmartialsandimprisonmentforabuseshowevermuchmoreconcertedeffortisneededtobuildtrustandconfidenceinsecurityinstitutions.CJTFmembers have also been seen as causing harm to and committing human rights abusesagainstcivilians.WhiletheyoungmenoftheCJTFmayprovideprotectionandsafetyandbehavetosomeextentintownswheresecurityforcesarepresent,theyareseenassometimes‘losingcontrol’oncetheygooutonpatrolwithoutthemilitary.Therehavebeencasesofextrajudicialkillings(sometimesontherequestofsoldiers),sexualharassment,exploitationandabuseandextortionofmoney.TheyarevehementlyopposedtoanysuggestionsofreintegrationofformerAOGfighterswithsomereportsoftheirhavingkilledwomenandmenassociatedwithJAS.Asdiscussedbelow,thewaypeopleassociatedwithJASareseenandtreatedaddstotheirsenseofhopelessnessaboutthefuture.During the fightingbetweenarmedgroupsandsecurity forcesandasaresultofbombblasts,many people were made disabled. Disabled people find it very difficult to escape violence.Disabledwomenaremuchlesslikelytohavemobilityaidsandsobeabletoescapethandisabledmen.OnemanwhomanagedtoescapefromBamatoMaiduguriinhistricycleleftbehindhistwowives,alsowithphysicaldisabilitieswhichlimitedtheirmobility,astheydidnothavetricycles.Deafpeoplewhodonothearinstructionsandareunabletorespondcanbekilled.InMadagali,sevendeafpeoplewereattackedforthisreason,withthreekilledandfourinjuredasaresult.

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Blindpeopleontheotherhanddonotalwaysknowthedirectioninwhichtorunwhentheyheargunshotsandexplosionssomanyofthemarekilledorinjured.Therearereportsofatleastonecasewhere JASbeatpeopleontheir foreheadduring interrogationuntil theywentblind.Thisassessment foundnoagenciesworkingspecificallywithdisabledpeople.TheRedCrossofferssomeassistancewithartificial limbsbutpeoplehave togo to Jos formeasurementand thosewithoutmoneyfortransportareunabletodoso.Theproblemsthatalldisabledpeoplefaceareoften compounded for disabled women who faced double discrimination due to gender anddisabilityevenbeforetheconflict.Howtheconflictaffectsdisabledwomen,men,boysandgirlsin the northeast and what response this requires in terms of programming and policy is anunderstudiedarea.83InBorno, attacks and fighting are not in the past but still continuing. For example, people inDamboainterviewedinApril2017stillfeltscaredaboutthepossibilityofAOGfighterscomingintotheLGAheadquartersaftertheirattacksonnearbySabonGariandWajerowithsoldiersseenasrunningawayratherthanstayingtoprotectthepeoplethere.Attacksalsocontinueinmanyotherpartsofthestate.Infact,therearelargesectionsofthestatefromwhichnewsastothesituationdoesnotleave,particularlyinnorthernBornoandtheareaaroundLakeChad.DisplacementAsoutlinedaboveinthecontextsection,displacementandmovementaroundthestatecontinues.Inmany areas, people do not feel able to return to their communities either due to fears ofcontinuedviolenceorduetolackofhomes,servicesorlivelihoodswhichhavebeendestroyedorboth.SomepeoplewhohavereturnedfromMaiduguritoLGAssuchasGwozaarenowreturningtothecityasthereisnowheretostayortheyareworriedthatthosewhokilledtheirfamiliesarestillnearbyandwillreturntokillthem.InAskiraUbainJanuary2017,somepeoplewhohadgonebacktotheirvillageswerekilledinattackstherewithothersdisplacedoncemoreastheyhadtofleetothenearestlargervillage.IDPs rely on humanitarian aid due to their difficulties in earning incomes themselves. Theirlivelihoodshavebeendestroyedandbusinesseslostduetotheconflict.Inareasofrelativesafety,someofthemhavebeengivenfarmlandtocultivateorworkonthelandofothersduringtherainyseason.However,mostofthestateisnotsafeenoughforanyonetofarmandthepartsofLGAsthat are safe to farm being cultivated by the owners of the land. Often, they face restrictedmovementsandarenotallowedtoleavecamps,withlevelsofSEAlinkedtobeingabletogetthegatepassesneededtoleavethecamps.Women,girls,boysandelderlymenmakeupthemajorityofdisplacedcommunities,withfewmenoffightingageamongIDPs.Thesedynamicsvaryacrossthestatewithmoremenoffightingagebeingpresentinsomeareas,particularlywhereadvancewarningwasgivenbeforeattacksandtheywereabletoescape.Womenhavebeenprovidingforfamiliesbutfindthisverydifficult.Inareaswheresignificantnumbersofmenarestillwiththeirfamilies,thisdoesnotalwayssolveproblems. As one man said, ‘When I was in Bama, I had hundreds of bags of rice and wassupporting my whole extended family. Now, I am struggling to get one meal.’ Men can beoverwhelmedbythesizeoftheirfamiliesbutuptakeoffamilyplanningserviceswhereavailableisverylow,andoftendonebywomenwithouttheknowledgeoftheirhusbands.DistributionsolelytomenasheadsofhouseholdshasbeenlargelydiscountedinhumanitarianpracticebutstillseemstobecontinuinginsomeareasofBorno.WomenintheBiuzonalIDPcampinBiuLGAheadquarterstalkedaboutmenbeing‘consideredaheadofwomenwhentheybringanythingtosupportIDPsinthecamp.’Menoftenhavemorethanonewifeandsoareunableto83TheaboveinformationwasprovidedbyrepresentativesofJointNationalActionforPeoplewithDisabilitiesinBorno.

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provide for theirwhole family.Furthermore, sometimes theassistancegiven tomendoesnotreachtheirfamilyatall.Evenwhenwomenaretherecipientsofassistance,theirhusbandscantakethisawayfromthem.Menhavetakenawaycardsfromtheirwivesloadedwithcreditforpeople touse tobuygoods in themarket then sold the food theywereable tobuywith this,keepingthemoneytothemselves.84There iswide-scalediversionof humanitarian aid aswell as lackof adequate funds,with theresultthatthereisinsufficientfood.InMaiduguri,campsmovedfromgeneralcookingwherefoodwouldbecookedcommunallyanddistributedtoallinthecampstohouseholdfeedingwherebyfoodwasgiventoindividualhouseholdstocookthemselves.Thismovehasreportedlypushedsome households into ‘desperate situations’ as not all people now receive food distribution.Womenareforcedintobeggingand/orsurvivalsexasaresultinordertogetthemoneytobuythefoodfortheirfamiliesthatshouldalreadyhavebeendistributedtothem.Girlsaresentouttohawkproductswithparentslivinginastateofdenialthatinrealitytheyaresellingtheirbodiesratherthantheirgoodsinexchangeformoneytheybringbacktotheirfamilies.ManyIDPwomenspokeaboutfindingitincreasinglydifficulttocontroltheirchildrenastheyareunabletoprovidethemwithfoodtoeat.Theyworryaboutwhatthismaymeanfortheirfutureifchildrengetintoa pattern of misbehaving. This situation is set to deteriorate further given the World FoodProgrammeiscuttingthefoodbasketavailableduetolackoffundsandaskingtheirpartnerstoprioritisethemostvulnerableinasituationwhichmayleadtoviolenceagainstthem,increasingtheirvulnerability.Inadditiontofoodscarcity,manyareasareexperiencingwaterscarcity.Forexample,inPulka,duetothenumbersofIDPsthathavebeenmovedthere,includingreturneerefugeesexperiencingrefoulementfromCameroon,thereis limitedshelterandseverewatershortagessuchthattheamountofwateravailableisfarbelowtherecommendeddailyamountof15litresperdayperperson.ThegeographyofPulkameansevendiggingboreholeswillnotsolvethisscarcity.Yet,thegovernmentplanstomoveevenmorepeoplehere.EconomicimpactsIncomes are now significantly lower than before the violent conflict. According to a studyconductedbyMercyCorpsinDamboa,MafaandMaiduguri,thereisahigherunemploymentrateforyoungwomenwithmentypicallyfavouredasemployeesbutmanybusinessesalsowillingtohirewomen.85While29percentofyoungwomensurveyedwereunemployed,only14percentofyoung men did not have a job.86 It is unclear to what extent this gender discrepancy inemploymentwastherebeforetheviolentconflict.In Gubio,whilemale focus group participants said the biggest barrier to engaging in incomegeneratingactivitieswas insecurity, forwomenfocusgroupparticipants,barrierswereratherlackofcapitalandlowtechnicalskillslevels.87Beforehand,somewomenhadstrongbusinesseswithshopsfullofmaizeandbeans,wererearinggoats,hensandcowsorgoingouttofarm.Whenthe attacks came, women and men fled the area, leaving behind equipment such as farmimplementsorthingsusedforfryingfoodandpremisessuchassalonsorstores,onlytoreturntofindthemburnedandotherwisedestroyed.Farmlandisstill largelyinsecureinmanyareasduetofearofattacksorIEDsandUXOswhichmeansyetanotheryearwithnoharvest.Moneythat had been borrowed to start business is still owedwith nomeans of earning the income

84ConversationswithhumanitarianactorsworkinginBorno.85MercyCorps,LabourMarketAssessment:BornoState,March2017.86MercyCorps,YouthVulnerabilityAssessment:BornoState,March2017.87CRS,RapidNeedsAssessment–Gubio,May2017.

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neededtopayit.Women’sjewelleryisusuallythefirstitemtobesoldwhenthehouseholdisinneedofcash,therebyfurtherdepletingwomen’ssavings.88Asmanymen have been killed, detained or left their communities to escape violence, manywomenhavebeenleftwiththesoleresponsibilitiesoffeeding,clothing,shelteringandeducatingtheir families.Thereare largenumbersofyoungwomenwhohave fewprospectsofmarriagegivenmanyofthemenarenolongeraroundandthosewhoaretherecannotaffordanotherwife.Asaresult,womenaretryingtofindwaystosupportthemselvesandtheirfamiliesoftendespitelackofexperienceindoingso,lackofeducationandinthefaceofimmensechallenges.Evenifthereismoneytobuyfood,insecurityandattacksdisruptfoodsupplywithcertainroadsblockedortruckdriversnotwillingtousethemforfearofambush.Furthermore,themilitaryalsopreventsmovementofcertaingoodstoandfromparticularlocations,seeminglytoavoidthisfeeding AOG fighters. This also affects civilian populations there and while starvation of theenemy is permissible under international law, starvation of civilian populations is not.Furthermore,thereiswidespreadsuspicionthatsoldiersblocktradeastheywishtotakeoverbusinessesthemselves.Indeed,soldiersarenowinchargeofBagamarketandaretheonlypeopleabletotransportfish.Anyciviliantryingtodosofindsnotonlytheirgoodsconfiscatedbutisatrisk of detention and questioning. As a result of this limited access, commodity prices haveincreasedandsomeareasnowseepricehikesandshortagesinfood.In addition to their own children,manywomenhave taken in unaccompanied and separatedchildrenwhoseparentshavebeen lostorkilledandarestrugglingtocater forthemall.Somewomenarelookingaftergrandchildreninadditiontochildren,elderlyorsickparentsand/orotherrelativesalone.Womenmayconsiderthechildrenoftheirhouseholdtooyoungtogoouttoearnmoneyforthefamilybutmanyofthemareforcedtosendthemouttohawkproductsbecausetheyhavenootherchoice.Insomeareas,suchSimari inJereLGA,asignificantnumberofthemenofthecommunityareeconomicmigrantswhosendmoneybackfromotherpartsofthecountrytosupporttheirfamilywiththewomenresponsibleformanagingtheirfamily,householdandfinances.89Husbands,ifaround,arenotalwaysabletofulfiltheirpreviousbreadwinningrolesastheirbusinesseshavealsobeenaffected. It isnotseenasacceptableformentobeg,sweepordoingdomesticwork.WhileMuslimhouseholdsdonotacceptmenofdifferentfamiliesgoingintotheircompoundstowork,someChristianmenaregoingintoChristianhousestosweep,dolaundryandironclothes.Thisisstillconsidered‘women’swork’notalrightformentodobutthesemenalsofeeltheydonothaveanyotherchoice.Asaresult,womentendtobetheonesmovingaroundtryingtogetwork,evenifthisisinareasthattheywerenotpreviouslyusedtoworking.Asonewomansaid,‘Womenarenowdoingthingsmenweredoingbeforeasmenareafraidtogointothebushastheyworryaboutbeingkilled.’Bothwomenandmenhavebeenkilledtryingtocollectfirewood,includingintheareasaroundMaiduguri.Insomeplaces,womenhavereturnedtotheirvillagestodigupfoodtheyhadburied,only to find this has already been taken away by JASmembers or others in the community.HouseholdsinBankisurvivemainlyonfishandacertainwildplantgatheredbywomenandgirlswho,whilehavingtowalkfurtherintothebushtogatheritasitisnolongeraccessiblenearby,havebeenabductednevertobeseenagain.90Manywomenhavestartedbeggingorturnedtodomesticwork,evenifbothoccupationswerepreviouslyseenasdemeaning.Theyalsoplandayswheretheir familiesdonoteatpurposefully.Forexample,onewomaninKaga interviewed inJune2017spokeaboutherfamilyskippingmealsthreedaysaweekandtryingtospacetheseout.

88A.Rodogovsky,GenderRapidAssessment–JereLGA,BornoState,Nigeria,(CRS/CAFOD,February2017).89Ibid.90Multi-SectorInitialRapidNeedsAssessment:Baga/KukawaLGA,3January2017.

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Womenalsotrytogethelpfromothers.TheStateGovernment,VictimSupportFund(VSF)andtheBankofIndustryallhaveschemestohelpindividualwomenand/orcooperativesofwomen.Manyactorshavedecidedtodistributefoodandnon-fooditemstowomenastheyfoundmendidnotalwaysusethistosupporttheirexistingfamilyorwouldgivethefoodawayastheydonotunderstand domestic needs. However, most humanitarian assistance tends to be for IDPs incampsratherthanforhostcommunitiesorIDPsinhostcommunitiesor informalsettlements.ThereisaperceptionthatfoodisbeingbroughtforIDPsalone,evenifthisisnotthecase,withmanywomenandgirlsreportingproblemsaccessingsupportastheyliveinfarawayplaces,donotknowwhendistributionhappensandasaresultofovercrowding.91In a number of instances, distribution has been managed so poorly that it has led to riots,excessive use of force by the military, injury and death. In Jere, an ‘incomplete registrationcampaign,anambiguousdefinitionofwhatconsistsoffemaleormaleheadedhouseholds,unclearvulnerabilitycriteriaandpoorlycommunicatedeligibilitycriteriaresultedininconsistenciesinthedistributionoffoode-vouchercardsandlackofgenderconsiderationswhichcausedtensionbetween targeted and untargeted beneficiaries and amongst family members, especially inpolygamous families. In several cases, one of the wives received food support whereas thehusband and the otherwives and their offspringwere omitted from the registry anddid notreceiveaid’accordingtothegenderassessmentbytwoINGOsworkingthere.92Distributioncanbedelayedfordaysorevenweeksandwhenitcomesbeinsufficienttomeetneeds,addingtothechaosanduncertainty.AtleastthreepeoplediedduringthefooddistributioninDikwainMarch2017withmanyelderlypeopleexperiencinginjuriesandfracturedbonesastheywereunabletoescape.PeoplewerealsokilledinthedistributioninFebruary2017inDikwa.Inthiskindofsituation,manywomen,elderlypeopleanddisabledpeopleareunabletoevengotothefooddistributionsiteforfearofviolence.Asaresult,menhavemuchhigherlevelsofaccesstofoodthanwomen,leadingtosituationsripeforhighlevelsofSEA.Thelevelsofinsecuritycanalsointerruptdeliveryoffood,sometimesforweeks,yetanotherfactorlikelytoleadtoSEA.93Thesedynamicshaveprofoundimpactongenderrelations.Asonecivilsocietywomansaid,‘Themind-setofwomenandgirlswasthatthemaniseverythinginthehousebutnowthatmentalityischangingandwomenarebeginningtounderstandtheirself-worth,howtoassertthemselveswithoutbecomingaggressiveandworkingtogethertoassistoneanother.’Thefastestchanginggenderroleiswhenitcomestobreadwinnership.Asmanymenarenolongerpresentorunabletobetheprimarybreadwinnerforthefamily,womenarebeingforcedtotakeonthisrole.Menwhowouldnotallowtheirwivestoengageintradingbeforehandnowaccept–toacertaindegree–thenecessityofwomengoingouttofindworkasthisisseenasbringingnecessarysupportforthe family.Their communitiescanalsobe lessengaged inpolicingofwomen’sbehaviourandmovementsdue to socialdisruptioncausedby theconflictandasqueryingwomen is seenastakingonresponsibilityforthefamilytosomeextent.However,menarenotalwayshappyattheincreasedindependencethatcomesfromworkastheirwivesdonothandoverallthemoneytheyearn.Therehavebeencasesofmencoming towomen’sworkplacesandcomplainingof theirwivesnolongerobeyingthem.Inconsistency in registration and distribution of food assistance and poorly communicatedtargeting criteria of humanitarian aid can also cause tension and confusion as women arebeneficiariesinsomehouseholdsandmenareinothers,asmenwhosewivesarebeneficiaries

91 This finding came out strongly fromwomen and girls interviewed byOxfam researchers in Kusheri but is alsomatchedbyinterviewsconductedinotherlocations.92A.Rodogovsky,GenderRapidAssessment–JereLGA,BornoState,Nigeria,(CRS/CAFOD,February2017).93InformationaboutfooddistributioninDikwawascollectedduringworkinthetowninMarch2017andinterviewsconductedinApril2017.

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expressdissatisfactionwitharbitrarylossofpower,onlysomewivesreceiveaidinpolygynoushouseholdsormenwhoholdcardsmayshowpreferentialtreatmenttocertainwivesintermsofdistributionofaidreceived.94Thereisalsoalinkbetweenshiftinggenderrolesaroundincomeearninganddomesticviolenceandabuseandincreasedratesofdivorce.95Thereisagreatriskthathumanitariananddevelopmentprogrammingmayexacerbate thesedynamics, leading toincreasedlevelsofintimatepartnerviolenceandabuse.Pleasenotethattheaboveparagraphsdescribethesituationwherethere issomepresenceofgovernmentand/orhumanitarianactors.OutsideLGAcapitals,innorthernBornoandaroundLakeChad,therearenoactors(apartfromthemilitary)workingatallandthesituationislikelytobeevenworse–bothforpeopledisplacedfromtheirhomesandforpeoplewhocontinuetoliveintheircommunities.PartsofBornoarehighlylikelytoalreadybeexperiencingfaminelikeconditions,awayfromtheeyesoftheNigeriangovernment,thenationalandinternationalmediaandhumanitariananddevelopmentactors.PsychologicalimpactsAlthoughmanypeopleinBornoarelikelytohaveexperiencedtraumatosomeextent,thereisaspectrum.Men are also in acute psychological distress also but this sectionwill focus on thepsychologicalimpactsoftraumaonwomen.A2017genderassessmentinJereLGAfoundhighneedsinmentalhealth,PSSandSGBVrisks,includingconflict-relatedSGBV,survivalsex,earlymarriageandintimatepartnerviolence.96Traumaismarkedinparticularforwomenwhohaveseentheirownfamilymemberskilledinfrontofthem.Womenincivilsocietyspokeaboutthecaseofawomanwhohadbeen‘traumatisedintomadnessafterseeingherhusbandandsevenchildrenslaughteredinfrontofher.’Duringanimmunisationexercise,shekeptasking,‘Whycan’ttheycomebackandkillmetoo?’Inanothercase,awomanhadseenallthemenofhervillagebeinglinedup,beheadedwithknivesandtheirheadsplacedontheirbodies.Thepeoplearoundher,notknowingwhattodowithhermentalstate,placedherinaprayerhouseinMaiduguritobe‘cured’byprayer.InRann,womenreportedthat they kept on ‘thinking of their abducted children and of the lack of food’ and that theirchildrenhadwitnessedalotofpotentiallytraumatisingeventsandwere‘nothappy’asaresult.97InApril2017,awomaninacutementaldistressgavebirthonthestreetsofMaiduguri.Itwasdifficulttogetmuchinformationfromher.Herhusbandwasnolongerwithherforreasonsthatwereunclearandshewaslivinghomelesswithmencomingtohavesexwithher.Hermentalstatewassuchthatshewasnotabletoconsent.Shedeliveredaloneonthestreetandwasfoundbywomentradersthenextdaywhotookhertohospital.Shewassubsequentlyplaced inanIDPcampwithpsychologicalhelpprovidedforherandassistanceforherbaby.However,afewweeksafterthis,sheleftthecampwithherbabysayingsheneededtogoandvisitherbrother(whohadbeenkilled).98Inmanycases,womenwhoareinacutepsychologicaldistresswhogivebirthhavehadtheirbabiestakenawayfromthemratherthangiventhecaretheyneed.While theabovecasesarespectacular innature, theyareanaccuratedepictionofwhatmanywomen have experienced.Women and girlswho have experienced VAWG, including throughabductions, been forced to flee their homes, seen their villages destroyed, had their childrenabducted,livedthroughattacksandtakenpartinfightingmayallsufferfromtrauma.PeopleinMaiduguriperceivetheretobealinkbetweentraumaandincreasingdruguse.Womenandmen

94A.Rodogovsky,GenderRapidAssessment–JereLGA,BornoState,Nigeria,(CRS/CAFOD,February2017).95WomeninterviewedinDamboa,Dikwa,KagaandMMCbetweenMarch2017andJune2017.96A.Rodogovsky,GenderRapidAssessment–JereLGA,BornoState,Nigeria,(CRS/CAFOD,February2017).97Multi-SectorInitialRapidNeedsAssessment:Rann/KalaBalgeLGA,9January2017.98Thiscaseisoneofmanyreportedtotheauthorandisincludedhereasanillustrativeexample.

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ofallagesandmaritalstatusareseenasusingdrugstofindwaystocopeinthefaceofahealthcaresystem that cannot meet the scale of psychological needs. Although psychological first aidservicesareavailableinsomelocationswithagencieshavingtrainedlaycounsellorstoprovidethis support, referrals prove a challenge with lack of enough trained psychiatrists andpsychologists in thestate.MoredetailsaboutserviceprovisionwillbegivenundertheVAWGresponsesectionbelow.Women’sparticipationandvoiceingovernanceandpeacebuildingAs of April 2017, Borno had four women serving as Commissioners out of 17, two womenPermanentSecretaries(oneforWomen’sAffairsandtheotherawaitingposting),nowomenLGAchairsandthreewomenLGAsecretaries(inDikwa,MMCandShani)aswellasonewomanintheHouseofRepresentatives(representingGwoza).99Whenitcomestocommunityleadershipsystems,asinAdamawa,leadersaremenandtheytendto exhibit a rigidity and resistance to change that excludes women. Some leaders are morereceptive tohearing fromwomenbut this isunevenand largely limited toMaiduguriand thesurrounding areas. There are supposed to bewomen leaders in these systems holding titles,chosenbywomenthemselvesandrecognisedbythehakimiaftertheelections.Thisleaderthenis supposed tobecome the conduit for institutions to reachwomen.This system seems tobeworking in someareas to someextent, for example, a2017genderassessment found severalcommunity female leaders inMunaDalti in JereLGA.100However, inmanyplaces,particularlythose areas which have seen high levels of insecurity and displacement, such as Dikwa, thiswomen leader tends to be in Maiduguri rather than in the communities concerned, leavingwomenwithoutaneffectiveinterfacewithlocalsystemsofleadership.Not surprisingly, women’s groups and associations have also been affected by the conflict,subsequentdisplacementandlossoflivelihoodswiththeirmembersnowindifferentareasand/orno longer engaging in thosebusinesses.While there aremany cooperative formations andactivewomen’s groups inBiuandDamboa, the space forwomen to engage ismore closed innorthernandcentralLGAssuchasMafaandDikwawheremenhaveinsistedeveninjoiningfocusgroupdiscussionswithwomenandgirls.101Womenare integrated to someextent intopeace and security structures at community level,sometimesbecausethesearesupportedbyexternalactorsbutwomencontinuetofeelexcludedfrom decision making. For example, the Biu CPP (supported by HERWA and NSRP) has fivewomenoutof15membersbut it isunclearhowmuch influence thesewomenhaveandhowconnectedtheyaretowomeninthecommunityatlarge.WomeninterviewedinBiufeltleftoutofcommunitydecisionmaking.Eveniftheywerepresentduringcommunitymeetings,theyfeltunabletospeakandiftheydidfindthecouragetotalk,theywereoftendisappointedbymen’sreactions. However, women’s voice in decision making depends on the demographics of thelocation.InHausariinDamboatown,womenareveryinvolvedindecisionmaking,becausethepeopleintheareaare95percentwomen,mostlywidowsandsinglewomenwhosaytheyhadtotoughenupandsodonotneedmenanymore.102Womenmaybeexcludedfrommanydecisionsmadeintheircommunitiesbuttheyorganiseandareconsultedinotherways.In2014,therewereanumberofmarchesandralliesinMaiduguriofwomenprotestingthedetentionoftheirchildrenandcallingforthemtobereleased.Thesewerenotelitewomenwhoaremorelikelytohavetheconnectionsneededtoensurereleaseoffamily

99NigerianWomenTrustFund,June2017,informationreceivedviaemail.100A.Rodogovsky,GenderRapidAssessment–JereLGA,BornoState,Nigeria,(CRS/CAFOD,February2017).101InformationfromUNICEFbasedonmappingofcommunitybasedorganisationsconductedbythem.102AsreportedbyOxfamprotectionstaffwhoworkwiththem.

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members.AlargenumberofagencieshaveenteredBornointhelastyearwithgroupsofwomenconsultedbydonors,NGOs,UNagenciesandgovernmentofficialsinawaytheywerenotbefore.ManylocalCSOsarereachingouttowomenandgirls,particularlyincampsinMaiduguriwiththeresultthatwomenIDPsareactingaspeaceadvocatesandrunningchildprotectioncommittees.Women’s civil society inMaiduguri is strong in termsof reachand influenceeven if financial,governanceandreportwritingcapacitiesneedtobestrengthenedandtheirworktends tobelimitedtothestatecapital.OrganisationsuchasFOMWAN,NCWSandMuslimSistersdomuchneededworkonintegration,dealingwithtraumaandcombatingstigmaagainstwomenandgirlsassociatedwith JAS. INGOsandUNagencieshavehiredwomenascommunitymobilisersandpsychosocialcounsellors,buildingskills,confidenceandincomegeneratingabilities.Faithbasedorganisations work in their faith communities to shape narratives. FOMWAN has producedalternative narratives on ‘Western’ education, women’s rights and girls’ education whileWOWICANworkstotrainyoungpeopleonearlywarningandtheeffectsofviolenceandurgeyoungChristiansnottoseekvengeancebutfindwaysoflivinginpeacewithMuslimneighbours.TheNSRPsupportedpeaceclubsareagoodexampleofhowwomen’sorganisationscanhavemultiplier effects in training women to do peace work in their communities. Peace clubfacilitatorsinterviewedspokeabouttheimpactofreceivingthetraininginthepeaceclubonthemandtheworktheyhavegoneontodo in thecommunity.One facilitatorspokeabouthowthepeaceclubgaveherthesupportandconfidencetoleaveanabusivemarriageandnegotiatedoingsowithherhusband,bulamaandlawan.Shenowfocusesonreconcilingdruguserswiththeirfamilies. Another facilitator spoke about helping NDLEA officials to catch people who weredealingdrugstochildreninthecommunityandreachingouttoyoungpeopleinthecommunitytocometoherwithissuesandconcerns.Athirdfacilitator,awareofhowJASstartedinitsearlyyears,reachesouttoyoungpeopleinhercommunitywhojoinviolentgangsbecausetheyhavenootherformsofsupport.Thesewomentalkaboutneedingtofillagapleftbyfailuresofthestateandcommunityleadershipinstitutionswithyoungpeoplehavinglittletrustandconfidenceineither and community leaders having little influence on young people. They also say theirbulamasarenotinterestedinpeacebuildingworkastheirfocusisondistributionofhumanitarianaidasthisaffordsopportunitiesforpersonalenrichmentwhiletheworkofpeaceclubfacilitatorsisunpaid.All three facilitatorsarenowrecognisedby their communitieswhocallon themtointerveneincasesofcommunityconflict.Theypointtotheknowledgegainedduringthepeaceclubasenablingthemtodothissayingtheywereafraidbeforeandhadnocapacityortrainingbutnowknowhowtohandlesituations.ViolenceagainstwomenandgirlsIncidenceandtrendsAsinAdamawa,inBorno,theGBVIMScollatesandanalysesVAWGreports.However,verylowlevelsofreporting,withevenservicepointsnotprovingadequatetocollectinformation,makeitdifficulttogetaproperpictureofwhatishappeninginthestatefromthisinformation.AlthoughreportinglevelsarelowforalltypesofVAWG,thecasesmostlikelytobereportedarethe rapeand sexual abuseof younggirls. Perpetrators include familymembers, those inhostcommunities and IDP camps, community and religious leaders and government and securityofficials.Therehavebeensomecasesofmeninhostcommunitiesrapingthewomenandgirlsstayingwiththem.Forexample,agirlorphanwhowasstayinginthehouseofabulamareportedbeingrapedbyhimandhisfriend.InKonduga,agirlisbeingrapedbythestepfatherhermothermarriedasherhusbandhaddiedandshehadnowheretogo.Thegirlrefusedtotalkwithhermotheraboutthisasshewasworriedshewouldleavethemanandtherewouldbenowhereforheryoungersiblingstolive.Shedisclosedthistoawomencivilsocietyactivistwhohadcometohercommunitytodosensitisationwork,notforactionbutjustsosomeoneelsewouldknow.A

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girlrapedbyherdisciplinemasterinherIslamiyyaschooldisclosedthistohermotherwhotoldhernottoletothersknowasthiswouldbecomeabigissuegivenitsreligiousdimensionsbutthatshewould try to persuade her father to remove her from the schoolwithout telling him thereason.TherehavealsobeensomecasesofVAWGlinkedwithgangviolencewithgangsfightingovergirlsaswellassexuallyharassing,assaultingandrapingthem.WomenandgirlsarealsorapedandsexuallyabusedbyJASmembers.InDikwa,tenwomenwererapedon theirway from their villages toDikwa town.Therehavebeenanumberof casesofwomengoingbacktovillagestheyhadheardhadbeenliberatedbythemilitarytopickupitems,runningintoJASmembersandexperiencingmutilationoftheirgenitalsattheirhandsinDikwaalso.WhiletheabductionsfromChibokGirlsSecondarySchoolinApril2014madenationalandinternationalheadlines,abductionshadbeenhappeningbeforehandandcontinuedafterwards.Atleast2,000womenandgirlswereabductedbetweenJanuary2014andMarch2015.103In2013and 2014, JAS members would even break into houses at night to abduct women and girls,demandingthatfamilieshandovertheirunmarrieddaughtersinexchangefor‘brideprice’andabductingwomenandgirlsfromschools,marketsandbanks.Onceabducted,thesewomenandgirlsareoftenforcedinto ‘marriage’withfightersandraped.If theyrefuseor ifhedecidedtodivorcethem,theyarekeptinroomsasslavesavailabletofightersforrape.ChristianwomenandgirlsabductedareforcedtoconverttoIslam.Womenandgirlshavealsobeenusedas‘suicide’bomberswiththeirlevelsofagencyinthisunknown.Someof thesewomenandgirlshaveeitherescapedorbeenrescuedbythemilitary,vigilantegroupsandtheCJTF.Theygothroughgovernment‘deradicalisation’programmesbuttheefficacyoftheseprogrammesinhelpingthemtocopewithwhathashappenedorchangingisunknown.Sometimes,womenassociatedarereleasedwithoutanyfollowup.Inoneincidentinlate2016,sixofthemwerearrestedbytheCJTFforassociationinBakassicampjustaftertheyhadbeenreleasedintothecamp.TherehavebeenmanyreportsofwomenandgirlssayingtheywishtobereunitedwiththeirJAShusbandsastheypreferredlifethere,asdiscussedabove. Thesereactionsmaybepartlyduetotreatmentbytheircommunitiesontheirreturn.Familieshavemixedreactions.Whilesomewomenandgirlshaveexperiencedcompleteacceptancebyfamilies,othershavebeendivorcedbyhusbands,viewedwithsuspicionbyco-wivesandrejectedbyfathers,sayingtheirmindshavebeenpolluted.Thechildrenborntothemarecommonlyseenasatriskofbecomingliketheirfatherswithpeoplesayingtheyhave‘badblood’as‘thechildofasnake will always be a snake.’ Communities stigmatise and fear both the women and theirchildrenassociatedwithJAS,describingthewomenandgirlsas‘annoba’(epidemics),showingfearthatradicalisationandrecruitmentmayspreadtoothers.Theydonoteatfoodwiththem,are afraid to let the women around knives during cooking and often ostracise them fromcommunitylife.Asaresult,manywomenandgirlsarereluctanttoreporttheirexperiences,donotknowhowtoreportanddonottrust formal institutions(whoseofficials tendtobemale)whichinhibitstheiraccesstoservices.Theymayalsofeelguilt forbeingseparatedfromtheirchildrenandhusbandduetocaptivityandfornotbeingabletoescape.104Inonecase,eventhoughthefatherhadgivenhisdaughtertoJASmemberswhentheythreatenedtokillhim,herefusedtoacceptherwhenshewasrescuedasshewasnowa‘BokoHaramwife’.His wife left home as a result of this andmovedwith her daughter into an IDP camp. AfterFOMWAN’s intervention, the fatheragreedtoaccepthisdaughterback,sayinghisrefusalwas

103AmnestyInternational,‘OurJobistoShoot,SlaughterandKill’:BokoHaram’sReignofTerrorinNorthEastNigeria,April2015.104TheaboveinformationisfrominterviewswithpeopleworkingonissuesaroundstigmaandfearthatthesewomenandgirlsfaceandfromInternationalAlert,‘BadBlood’:PerceptionsofChildrenBornofConflict-RelatedSexualViolenceandWomen and Girls Associated with Boko Haram in Northeast Nigeria: Research Summary, (International Alert/UNICEF,2016).

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becausehehadbeenafraidofCJTFmembersthinkinghewassympathetictoJAS.105Infact,CJTFmembersdonotalwaysacceptwomenassociatedwithJAS,andtherehavebeencasesofsomememberskillingthesewomen.Lack of access to sexual and reproductive services, particularly abortion, is an issue under-examinedwhenitcomestosexualviolencegenerally.InNigeria,abortionisnotallowedexceptto save the life of themother.106 In 2014, a woman in her 40s who had been abducted andrepeatedlyrapedwasgivenanabortiontosaveherlifeaftershehadbecomedepressedandtriedtocommitsuicide.Sheandherhusbandweresubsequentlyshunnedbytheirchurchandaskednottocomebacktoservices.107MembersoftheNBAinterviewedspokeaboutaclientwhohadbecomepregnantbyasoldier.SheabortedthechildatnightandtheCJTFfoundthefoetusinfrontof the house and sawher inside coveredwith blood. She is now imprisoned for the crime ofprocuringanabortion.Borno also sees high levels of SEA and survival sex. ANovember 2016HumanRightsWatch(HRW)report focusedonIDPcamps inMaiduguribrought this issueto light.108 Inadditiontomembers of security forces,HRW foundNEMA and SEMAofficials to be perpetrators of SEA,requiringsexbeforegivingfoodorallowingmovementintoandoutofthecamp.Therearehighlevels of stigma attached to all forms of sexual violence, particularly sexual exploitation andsurvivalsex,termediskancievenwhenitisacceptedthatwomenandgirlsdonothaveachoiceandaremotivatedoutofdesperation.Thelinebetweensexualexploitationandsurvivalsexisblurredwiththemeninquestionalwayshavingmorepoweroverthewomenconcerned.Asaresult,theywillbediscussedherejointly.Perpetratorsincludesoldiers,policeofficers,NEMAandSEMAofficialsandothersintheircommunities.Survivorsincludegirlsaswellasunmarriedandmarriedwomen. Someof the contributing factors for thishave alreadybeendiscussedundereconomicimpactsabove.Duetotherateofpovertyandneed,somewomensaythatforN1,000theycangotoanylengthswithaman.OneareaofMaiduguri,notoriousforunderagegirlssellingsex,wasdestroyedbythepoliceinlate2016/early2017afterwomen’srightsactivistsbroughtthisrealitytotheattentionoftheCommissionerofPolice.Noprovisionsweremadetosupportthegirlsinvolvedwhohavesincebeendispersedtootherplaces.Inonecase,agirlIDPwhowasgoing to thisarea tohavesex for fooddue tohunger said she refused tobewithherparentsanymoreastheywerenotgivingheranyfood.Sheisnowpregnant.Fromlate2016onwards,OxfamandtheGirlEffectcarriedoutanumberofwavesofresearchinKusheri in Maiduguri Metropolitan Council (MMC). Conducted by girl researchers who weretrainedtousemobilephonetechnology,thestudylookedatwomenandgirlsinthesettlementwithafocusonthesituationforgirls.Intheabsenceofanysimilarempiricalresearchinothercommunities,itisworthdetailingresearchfindingsinsomedepth.InKusheri,thenumberonepriority forwomenandgirlswas food,whichwassubject toscarcityand inflatedprices,withwomenconcernedabouteffectsoflackoffoodonhealthandproductivityintermsofbeingabletoundertake incomegenerating activities.Womenandgirls facedwith this kindof economichardshipare compelled to seekalternate livelihoods, including transactional sex.At the sametime,Kusheriisahighlyconservativesocietywherethereiswidespreadanxietyaboutmobilitywith girls requiring the consent of parents and guardians to leave the house as it is thought‘roaming without purpose’ will attract attention, particularly for IDP girls. As a result, it isassumed,particularlybyolderwomeninhostcommunities,thatagirlrapedoutsidethehomeistoblame.Onceagirlisrapedandthisisknown,inmanycasestheperpetratormarriesherortakesresponsibilityfortheupkeepofanychildrenthatmayresultfromtherape,payingeithera

105InterviewwithFOMWANmembers.106AsprovidedbyboththePenalCode1959(fornorthernNigeria)andCriminalCode1916(forsouthernNigeria).107AstoldbyHamsatuAllaminin2014.108M.Segun,Nigeria:OfficialsAbusingDisplacedWomen,Girls:DisplacedbyBokoHaramandVictimsTwiceOver,(HRW,2016).

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fineorthecostsofthenamingceremony.TherewerealsosomeindicationsofSEAwithsoldiersimpregnatinggirls.Womenalsocomplainedaboutmeninthecommunitycomingatnighttocutholesinthetarpaulintentsinwhichtheywerestayingtospyontheirdaughters.VictimblamingforalltheabovetypesofVAWGiscommon,evenamonggirlsthemselveswithgirlsdistancingthemselvesfromotherswhoareknowntohavebeenraped,eveniftheyfeelsympathyforthem.Thestigmaisparticularlygreatifthewomanbecomespregnantasaresultofrape.Awidespreadperceptionisthattransactionalsexandsexualassaultisthesame,especiallyforolderwomentowhomveryfewpeopleshowedsympathy.Blamingwomenandgirlsforengaginginsurvivalsexis also common,with lackof empathy shown.Most respondents saidgirlswould tell a familymember,mostlymothers,ifanythinghappenedbutfamilymemberswouldratherconcealcases.Mostpeopleintervieweddidnotknowwheretheycouldgoforhelporwhattodo.109In November 2016, Oxfam’s assessment showed that women respondents felt less safe andprotectedthanmalerespondentsinDamboaandthatwomenandgirlsweremoreatriskofchildlabour, early marriage, restriction on freedom of movement, forced marriage and domesticviolence, with girls perhaps at heightened risk of VAWG related to coping strategies.110 ThecommunityisveryclosedaboutthesemattersbuthasrecentlystartedopeninguptoOxfamstaffabout copingmechanisms.Women and girls engage in sexual activities to have incomes andparentstradegirlstomenformoneywithgirlsbeingsentbyparentstolookformen.Oxfamalsofoundafewcasesofmenengaginginsexualactivitieswithothermenformoneyalthoughthiswasfarlessthanthoseofwomenandgirls.Thereiscoercionandexploitationparticularlywhenit comes to disabledwomen. In one case reported toOxfam aman told awomanwho had adisableddaughterthathewouldescortherintothebushtogiveherdrugsforherconditionbuthewantedsex inreturn. Inanothercase,awomanwhohadadisableddaughterwastoldshewouldgetavoucherforfoodinreturnforsexwithher.Itisnoteworthythatbothcasesareofmothersofdisabledgirlsreportingattemptsatsexualexploitationoftheirdaughtersratherthanthecasesbeingofsexualexploitationofdisabledwomenorreportedbythem.Whetherthisisbecausedisabledwomenhaveevengreaterbarrierstoreportingthanablebodiedwomenortheimpact of the culture of silence being stronger for adult women than for girls or both isunknown.111 However, despite this sexual exploitation and survival sex occurring, wheninterviewed,theDPOsaidtherehadbeennocasesofVAWGreportedtohimatall. InDikwa,womenengageinsexforaroundN500-N1,000inordertoaccessfoodandotheritemsthattheyneed.ThemeninthecommunitiesaremorelikelytohaveaccesstotheseitemsduetoissueswithdistributiondiscussedearlierundereconomicimpactsaswellasmembersoftheCJTFandpolicestealingcardsthatentitletofooddistribution.112Inadditiontomenincommunities,SEAperpetratorsarealsoCJTFmembers.Itseemsthatfewersoldiersareinvolvedwithwomenandgirlsinthecommunity,perhapsbecausetheBrigadeCommanderpostedinDikwatriestotakeactiontopreventSEAandensureproperinvestigationofallegations.However,despitethis,casescontinuewithwomenandgirlsapproachingsoldiersorfollowingthemasfarasMafainordertogetfood.AwomenleaderinDikwaalsospokeofmembersofthepolice, immigrationservice,customsserviceandNSCDCbeinginvolvedinSEAgivingwomenmoneyinreturnforsexwhichtheythenusetobuyfoodalthoughitwasnotpossibletoconfirmthis.AsofApril2017,noproperVAWGassessmenthadbeendoneinthestatealthoughthismayhavechanged given new actors now working on VAWG in Borno. Multi-sectoral assessments of

109FindingsfromupcomingOxfamandGirlEffectresearchonwomenandgirlsinKusherisettlement,aspresentedon26thApril2017.110M. Farrington, S. Purbrick and F.A. De Santis, Integrated RapidNeeds Assessment Report: Damboa, Borno State,Nigeria,(Oxfam,October2016).111TheaboveinformationisfrominterviewswithOxfamstaffworkinginDamboa.112ThisinformationisbasedonworkconductedinDikwafromFebruary2017onwardsandoninterviewsinDikwainApril2017.PleasenotethatthesystemoffooddistributionisunderreviewinDikwasothisdynamicmaychangeinthefuture.

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locationsoutsideMaiduguriareoftendonewithoutanyonewithVAWGexpertise. Inanycase,thesearehighlysensitiveissuesnotjustduetothestigmaattachedtothesurvivorbutalsogiventhepoweroftheperpetratorinmanycasesanditisnotpossibletofindoutanyrealinformationinafour-hourassessmenttrip.TherehasbeenatleastoneincidentwherewomenspokeaboutSEAwhen going to collect water and firewood bymembers of themilitary in a focus groupdiscussion–thenwerelaterbeatenbysoldierswhofoundout.Therehavebeencasesreportedofsexualabuseagainstboysalso.InMaiduguri,threeseven-year-oldboyswerefoundtohavebeenabusedbysomeoneinvolvedindealingdrugswhousedthemtostealfromshopswhenpeoplewerepraying,sellillegalsubstancesandrapedthem.InDalori1camp,manyboyswereabusedbythreemen,oneofwhomleadsprayerinthecamp.Ittookalongtimebeforethecommunitycameforwardastheywereworriedaboutcharms.Inanotherwell-publicisedcase,afatherusedahotirononhisson’sbuttocksbecausehehadbeenfoundengaginginsexualactivitywithayoungerboy.Itisimportanttobeawareofthecontexthere.Thefatherhadhimselfbeenabductedandabusedby JASmembers,hadbecometraumatisedby thisanduponhisreturnstartedusingthesamepunishmentsJASmembershadusedtopunishhimandhisfellowcaptivesonhisfamily.113Whethermen(asopposedtoboys)areexperiencingsexualviolenceisunknown.Extrapolatingfromotherconflicts,malesexualviolenceagainstmenandboyscanoccuralthoughnotatthesamelevelsasmalesexualviolenceagainstwomenandgirls.Anotherkey issue is thatof earlyand forcedmarriage.Theminutesof the28February2017PSWGmeetingstatedthattheGBVsubsectorhas‘reportednumerouscasesofforcedmarriagesasacopingmechanismlinkedtothelackofaccesstobasicneeds.’114TherearenumerousreportsofmenfromMaidugurigoingintoIDPcampsinsearchof‘cheapbrides’andpayingaslittleasN2,000 in bride price. Parents feel they have little option as they are struggling to feed theirfamiliesandhopethatatleastthismanwilltakecareoftheirdaughter.However,inmanycases,themanhasdivorcedthegirlinquestionafterafewmonthsandreturnedhertoherfamily,oftenpregnant. InDecember2016 inBanki,oneagencyreported four to fivemarriagesofgirlsandboysaged14to17adayaswellasfemalegenitalmutilation/cutting(FGM/C)andcircumcisionofyoungboyswhothenendupinlocalclinics.115Therearealsosomeindicationsofincreaseddomesticviolenceandabusealthoughthesecasesarehardlyeverreported.InMunaDaltiandSimari,8percentofindividualsreporteddomesticabuse and neglect.116 There is some backlash to changed gender roles with women underpressuretostrikeabalancebetweeneconomicindependenceandhouseholdrolesandneedingnewlevelsofdiplomaticskills.Disabledwomenmayfaceverbalabuse fromhusbands. Inonecase, a disabled woman married to a disabled man with other able-bodied wives said hediscriminatedagainstheraskingwhyshewasnotabletodothehouseholdtaskstheothersdidand whether she was different from them, despite knowing about her disability and beingdisabledhimself.PreventionandresponsemechanismsAccordingtomembersofthePSWG,theVAWGresponseishalfwhatisrequired,doesnotmeetneeds, is still heavily focused onMMC and Jerewith key gaps, particularlywhen it comes tofunding,ensuringsafeshelterandfunctioningservices.ThisassessmentisdespitemoreVAWGactors,resourcesandfundingbeingpresentinBornothaninAdamawaandYobe.Atthesametime,manyINGOsandUNagenciesworkwiththesamelocalpartners,creatinganimpossiblelevelofexpectationandworkload.GovernmentactorsinYobeareadjudgedtobestrongerand

113ConversationswithFIDAmembersworkingonthecase.114ProtectionSectorWorkingGroup,MinutesoftheMeeting,28thFebruary2017.115JointMulti-AgencyHumanitarianMonitoringVisit:Banki,Bama,20December2016.116A.Rodogovsky,GenderRapidAssessment–JereLGA,BornoState,Nigeria,(CRS/CAFOD,February2017).

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moreinterestedthanthoseinBorno,perhapsduetothelevelsofmoneyandopportunitiesfordiversion thathave come intoBorno.Therearemanymoreactorsworking inMMCand Jere,outsidewhichseriousgapsexistwhenitcomestoVAWGprogramminginallsectors.However,new actors have started programming onVAWGand the landscape is rapidly changing.MCNshouldengagewiththeGBVsubsectorworkinggrouptoensuretheprogrammeisupdatedwiththemostrecentupdatesasthebelowinformationwillbecomeoutdatedrelativelyquickly.117Healthcare:Whilehealthcareisprobablythestrongestpartoftheresponse,therearestilllargegaps.Whilemembersofthehealthsectorareabletoidentifysurvivorsandactivatesomelevelofresponse, precautions, ethical considerations and knowledge of where to refer are yet to bemainstreamed, riskingmoreharm.However, someorganisations suchasMedecinsduMondehaverecentlystartedworkininformalsettlementsinMMCandJere(ElMaskin,GarbaBuzuandKawarmela) providing training to health staff as well as ensuring availability of necessarymedication, counselling and case management118 although they say uptake, so far, is low.119However,eveninMaiduguri,manyhealthcareworkersrefusetotreatsurvivorswithoutseeingapoliceformwhichnecessitatesreportingtothepolice,whichsomesurvivorsmaynotwishtodo.AsafetyauditconductedbyUNICEFfoundthateveninhospitals,doctorstalkedaboutbeingoutofdrugsandsogivinghalfprescription.Thismeantthatevenpeoplejudgedtohavereceivedmedicaltreatmentwithin72hourshadnotreceivedadequatetreatment.InMMCandJerewherethefocushasbeenstrongest,therearehealthfacilitieswhereadultsknowhowtoadministerPEPforadultsbutnotforchildren.KitsdistributedtohealthNGOsdonotcontainHIVtests,whichneedtobeadministeredbeforegivingPEP.OutsideofMMCandJere,thesituationisevenworsewithonlyprimaryhealthcarecentrespresentandpatientshavingtobereferredtoMaiduguriforsecondaryhealthcare,withattendantissuesofaccess,costandsafetyoftravel.Staffhavereceivedvery little training on how to handle VAWG cases or on clinical management of rape120 andhealthcarecentresaremissingPEPkits,ARVsoremergencycontraceptives.Furthermore,therearefewwomenamongthehealthcareworkers.InDikwaforexample,thereare11womenoutof74healthcareworkers.Insomeareas,thereisalackoftrainedhealthcarepersonnelatall.Forexample,thehospitalinBagaisstaffedbyvolunteerswithnoqualifieddoctorornursepresent,makingaccesstoclinicalmanagementofrapeimpossible.121 InRann,there isonefixedhealthstructure with three community health extension workers and three assistants who workwithoutanydata tools, register,water,handwashing stationsandwith somenecessarydrugssuchasamoxicillinmissing.122Evenwheretherearearelativelygoodnumberofhealthworkersandservices,crowdedwaitingareasmakeconfidentialityimpossibleaseveryonecanoverhearconsultations. As a result, in Dikwa, even cases of sexual violence that are known to thecommunityarenotreportedtohealthfacilities.Psychosocial care:Manyeffortshavebeenmade in the fieldofPSSwithanumberof actorsprovidingthis.Forexample,UNFPAhas140counsellorsworkinginBiu,Damboa,Gwoza,BamaandChibok.IOMandUNICEFarefocusingonchildrenandrecreationalgroupactivitieswhiletheNeem Foundation, FHI360, IRC and International Medical Corps (IMC) are doing casemanagement. InDikwa,UNFPA, IOM,UNICEF,UNHCRandFHI360areprovidingPSS.Mostoftheseservicesareatthelevelofpsychologicalfirstaidandbasiccounsellingthroughindividualandgroupactivities.Psychologicalandpsychiatricassessmentsareachallenge.Manyreferralformshavenodiagnosisascounsellorsarenotabletodiagnosesodoctorsdonotknowthefactsofthecase.UNFPAisplanningtotrainallcounsellors,doctorsandthosedoingcasemanagementthenstartorganisingcaseconferencestoaddresstheseissues.WhiletheinitialfocuswasMMC

117PleasecontactSylviaOpinia,theGBVSubSectorCoordinatoronopinia@unfpa.org;08150835954.118GenderBasedViolenceSub-SectorWorkingGroupNigeria,GenderBasedViolenceMonthlyReport,May2017.119ConversationwithMedecinsduMondestaff.120PleasenotethatOxfamisconsideringconductingtraininginDamboaforhealthcareworkers.121Multi-SectorInitialRapidNeedsAssessment:Baga/KukawaLGA,3January2017.122Multi-SectorInitialRapidNeedsAssessment:Rann/KalaBalgeLGA,9January2017.

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andJere,actorshavestartedworking inotherLGAsbut locationsoutsideMaiduguriremainasignificantgap.Shelter:Atpresent,thereisabiggapwhenitcomestoshelterprovisioninBornoalthoughthereissomeinterestinsettingupsheltersrunbylocalorganisationsthatcanprovideacentralisedlocation for services and coordinated case management in Maiduguri and some LGAheadquarters. FHI360iscurrentlyestablishingatemporarysheltertobeusedasasafespacecoveringAgricCamp,SholdaSettlementand20HousingUnitaswellastwosafespacesinDikwaandNgala.However,therangeofservicesonoffer,thelengthoftimesurvivorscanstayandwhatmeasureswillbeinplacetoensureamanagedtransitionareunknownasyet.123Access to justice: There are low levels of VAWG reporting to police officers. For example,accordingtopoliceofficersintheselocations,therehadbeenonlytwocasesofrapereportedintwoyearsinBiuandnocasesreportedatall inDikwasinceSeptember2016.AccordingtoanApril2017assessmentinDamasak,therehadbeennocasesofVAWGbroughttothelocalclinicorpolice.124Therewas alsopoorunderstanding amongpoliceofficerswhichmany conflatingVAWGwithrapeofyounggirlsalone.AsinAdamawa,oneofthekeychallengesseemstobetherequirementforrapecasestobemovedtoMaiduguriwheretheyfailduetolackofevidenceassurvivorsandwitnessesneedtopaytotraveltogiveevidenceincourt,whichsurvivorsseeasapunishment inandof itself. InBiu, localactorsarepushingforanappropriateprosecutorandjudgetocometoBiutoconstituteaHighCourttotrythecaseinthelocality. Lownumbersofwomen in police stations outside Maiduguri may contribute to women’s unease in comingforward.InDamboa,therearefourwomen(twoinspectorsandtwosergeants)outof79totalpoliceofficersdeployed.InDikwa,thereare28policeofficers,ofwhichonlytwoarewomen.InBiutheratioisbetter:20womenoutof120officers.However,communitiessaythatevenwhentheyreporttothepolice,officerscoverupthecaseiftheallegedperpetratorgivesthemmoney.While some police officers have received training, their response tends to depend on theindividualsconcernedrather than institutionalprotocols.Thecommunity inDamboa tends totrustthevigilantegroupsandtheCJTFmorethanthepolice.Oxfamisplanningtotrainthepolice,vigilantemembersandCJTFmembersonprotection.Thiskindoftrainingmaybeusefulinotherlocationsalso.CasesofVAWGareverydifficulttoprosecuteandeveninMMCandJere,veryfewactors apart from FIDA, the NBA and NHRC are doing work on access to justice with legalrepresentationtendingtobeadhocasaresult.Worryingly,somemembersoftheNBAseemtohaveincompleteunderstandingofpowerdynamicsinvolvedinSEA,talkingabout‘contributorynegligence’onthepartofthesurvivorforreceivingmaterialassistanceinexchangeforsex.Manytimes,casesaresettledoutofcourt.Thereisnoclearlegalbasisforprosecutionwithinadequatelegislation.Itisdifficultforcounseltoproveallingredientsofthecrime,particularlygiventhecommontimegapinsexualviolencecasesbetweentheallegedcrimeandreporting.Evenwhencasesaresuccessfullyprosecuted,sentencestendtobelow.Forexample,amanwhohadraped16childrenreceivedasentenceofsixyears.ThereareattemptsinthestatetoaddresssomeoftheselegalissuesandMCNshouldlinkupwithFIDAandtheNBAinthisarea.Livelihoods:Supporttosurvivorsinthefieldoflivelihoodsisveryweak.Someskillsacquisitionschemesareaimedatwomenandgirlsbutthesetendtobefocusedonobviousoccupationssuchasbeadmaking,sewingandcapmakingwithgoodsoftenpassedontomentosellwhocangetalargeramountofprofitsthanthewomenwhomaketheitems.Inadditiontoreinforcinggenderstereotypesthatdonothavebasisinrealitygivenwomentakepartinmanyoccupations,theseskillsacquisitionprogrammesareoftendevelopedwithoutsoundmarketanalysisoraccesstocapital,meaningwomenareunabletosetupbusinessesorselltheirgoodsbecausethereislittledemand.

123GenderBasedViolenceSub-SectorWorkingGroupNigeria,GenderBasedViolenceMonthlyReport,May2017.124CRS,ReportonAssessmentonDamasak,April2017.

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Coordination, case management and referral pathways: There are major coordinationchallengeswhenitcomestoVAWGresponsewithpeoplenotknowingtowhomtorefereveninMMCandJere.TherearedifferentunderstandingsandlevelsofserviceprovidedbythosedoingVAWGcasemanagement.Levelsofcoordinationandreferralpathwaysvaryacrossthestate.InJere and MMC, there are referral pathways for VAWG and child protection.125 In Damboa,accordingtoOxfamwhichholdscoordinationmeetingseverytwoweeksthatareattendedbyUNagencies,INGOsandcommunitybasedorganisations(CBOs)intheLGA,servicesareweakandreferral pathways are not therewith only bulamas andOxfam set up protection committees,whichidentify,reportandrefercases,doingcasework.InBiu,MercyCorpstrainedVAWGmastertrainerstotrainpeopleinthecommunityand,togetherwithUNHCR,UNICEF,UNFPAandotheractors,hasbeenabletodomesticatereferralpathwaysforsouthernBorno.Insomeways,actionon child protection seems to be further ahead with child protection networks set up andseemingly functional in Biu and Dikwa consisting of members drawn from NSCDC, police,hospitals,socialwelfare,roadsafetycorpsandsocialworkersfromtheLGAadministration.Stepsarecontinuingtobetakentostrengthenfieldlevelcoordinationandreferralsystemswithdraftreferral pathways being developed in Dikwa and Ngala. Those working on VAWG responsereportedthat80percentofcasestheyrespondedtoinMay2017werepossibleduetosharedknowledgeonVAWGreferralmechanismsandabilitytocoordinatewithothersectors,126Sensitisationandaddressingstigma:Evenwhenservicesarepresentandfunctioningtosomeextent,theirutilisationisverylowwithmanywomenandgirlsnotcomingforwardtoreportevenwhen it is known that cases are happening. Most of the cases received are from children,understandablegiventhestigmaattachedtoreportingaswellasthevictimblamingthatteenagegirls and adult women experience, but there is also a significant gap when it comes tosensitisation.Ineverylocation(Biu,Damboa,DikwaandMaiduguri),apartfromwomeninCSOs,womendidnotevenknowwhere togo to forhelp.Whilewomen’s rightsactivistshavedonesensitisationwork, includinggoingonradioprogrammestotalkaboutVAWGandtheneedtoreport,informationaboutwheretoreportandhowhasnotnecessarilyreachedwomenandgirls.In MMC and Jere, many organisations are conducting outreach, community dialogues andintegratingreproductivehealthandVAWGactivities.Anecdotally,thisworkseemstohaveledtoincreased reporting of violations against children. However, community information andpackagingtodifferentagegroupscontinuestobeweakandneedswork.It isdifficulttoknowhowtoframeissuesaroundsexandconsentinawaythatdoesnotcauseresistancebutthisisabsolutelynecessary,particularlygiventheamountofSEAandsurvivalsexinthestateaswellasthestigmaattachedtoiskanci.Securityforcesneedtrainingonbasicprinciplesofconfidentiality.InApril2017,theCommandantofNSCDCinBornoheldapressconferencetoannouncethattheyhadarrestedtwowomenassociatedwithAOGs,includedonemarriedtoMammanNur,aseniorcommander.Notonlywasoneofthewomen,whohadbeenpassedfrommantomanafterbeingabductedbeforeshemanagedtoescape,atthepressconferencebutitwasrevealedthatshewaspregnantandhadtestedHIVpositive.ThestigmaandfearrelatedtowomenassociatedwithJASandtheirchildrenhasbeenmentionedabove.InternationalAlert,FOMWANandtheirpartnershavebeendoinggoodworkinthisregardinMaiduguriwithfamiliesreconciledanddaughterswhohadbeenrejectedbeingacceptedbackintotheirfamilies.However,verylittleworkisbeingdone in this area outside the city, despite the high numbers ofwomen and their children inLGAs,127discriminationandmarginalisationtheyareexperiencingandmanymorewomenandgirlsbeingrescuedandreleasedbythearmy.Prevention:Mostpreventionwork is in therealmofoutreach todecisionmakerswithmuchmoreneededtomainstreampreventionstrategiesintotheworkofoversectors.Crucially,despite

125 Help-Seeking and Referral for IDP camps and Host Communities in Borno 2017; Child Protection Sub-SectorWorkingGroup,ChildProtectionReferralPathway,MaiduguriandJereLGAs,2017.126GenderBasedViolenceSub-SectorWorkingGroupNigeria,GenderBasedViolenceMonthlyReport,May2017.127AccordingtoHERWA,thereare1,500womenassociatedwithJASand2,000childrenborntotheminDikwaalone.

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some organisations having set up safe spaces, there are no shelters, which serve a vitalpreventativefunctioninstoppingtheviolence,inthestate.Thereisgreatpotentialforutilisingpeer networks with both boys and girls and for working with security agencies and campmanagement agencies on protocols, policies and ways to institutionalise a zero-toleranceapproach.DespiteattemptsmadetodevelopreferralpathwaysforSEA,verylittleworkhasbeendonetoreachouttoallinstitutionswhereperpetratorsworktopreventthisviolencefromtakingplaceandensuringquickandeffectiveresponsewhenitdoes.AlthoughafocalpointstrainingtookplaceinMay2017andthereisapreventionofSEAnetworkwithajointinter-agencytooltofacilitate safe and ethical reporting of allegations, this tends to be looking at humanitarianagenciesthemselves.128WhileitishighlylikelythathumanitarianworkersareengagedinSEAeven though few cases have been reported as yet and preventative action is necessary andwelcome, there is an opportunity here to reach out to and work with security and campmanagementinstitutions,particularlythepolice,military,NEMAandSEMA.

128GenderBasedViolenceSub-SectorWorkingGroupNigeria,GenderBasedViolenceMonthlyReport,May2017.

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YobeTheinformationbelowdrawsuponareviewofdocumentsandresearch,aswellasinterviewsconductedinBadeandDamaturuinApril2017. ContextYobehasbeen lessaffectedby theviolent JAS-relatedconflict thanneighbouringBornostate,althoughskirmishesstillcontinueintheBuniYadi/Gujubaarea.However,theimpactofviolentconflictisstillnoticeable,particularlyontheeconomyofthestate,amongstIDPsandwithhighnumbersofpeoplehavingleftthestateduetoinsecurityandviolence.Itistheonlystatetohavehad its state capital occupied by AOG members and has experienced destruction of homes,markets,governmentstructuresandplacesofworshipaswellas(forced)recruitmentintoAOGs.Reintegrationofthesefightersisaconcerngivencommunityattitudestowardsthosewhohavecaused suffering to them and their families and killed their loved ones. While there isunderstandingthatnotallfighterswererecruitedvoluntarily,particularlyforwomenandgirls,thisdoesnotnecessarilyreducelevelsoffearandstigmagreatly.Yobehasalreadyseenconflictoverhousing,landandproperty.Therearecaseswherelandsoldtoheadsofhouseholdkilledby JAS issold tosomeoneelse. Indeed, thereare indications thatwomenmaybedispossessedoflandasaresultoftheirhusbandsandfathersbeingkilledorseento bemembers of JAS. IDPswho have settled on someone else’s land (with orwithout theirknowledge), forexampleforming informalsettlements,maybeaskedto leavebyownerswhowishtofarmduringtherainyseason.In addition, there are other conflict dynamics at play, notably conflict between fisher folk,pastoralistsand farmersdue tocompetition forscarceresources inareassuchasMaisandari,Tarumwa, Bade and Dukshi as well as political violence. Animals belonging to migratorypastoralists may destroy crops of farmers which lead to clashes between pastoralists andfarmers,exacerbatedbysomefarmersplantingingrazingreserves,routesandareasthatblockthepathtotherivernecessitatingcattletopassthroughtheareadestroyingcrops.Thereisalsoconflictbetweenfisherfolkandriverownersoverover-fishingandthetypesofnetsusedwithworriesthattherewillbenofishintheriverasaresult. TheYobeStateGovernmentseemsmoreproactivethaninBornoperhapsduetoalongperiodofinvestmentbyDFIDandothersingoodgovernanceprogramming.IthassetupanIDPCommitteeheadedbytheDeputyGovernorwhichisinvestigatinghowtohandlehousing,landandpropertydisputes.Ithasplansforrebuildingwithfundsallocatedandplansinplacetorebuildhospitals,policestationsandothergovernmentstructures.YobeStatehasaStrategicActionPlanforPeaceandRecoverywhichcoverssafeandvoluntaryreturnandresettlementofIDPs;reconciliation,peacebuildingandcommunitycohesion;localgovernanceandcitizenengagement;mineaction;environment; water and sanitation; health; education; agriculture; and public buildings, withprioritisation of interventions according to spatial and beneficiary coverage and estimatedbudgets.129 Government officials interviewed during the course of this assessmentwere veryopen,askingforassistanceandsupportinconflictmanagementandcommunityengagement.International actors including UN agencies, the World Bank and international NGOs areincreasinglycomingintothestate,howeverpresencetendedtobeverynewandskeletalatthetimeofresearchthere(April2017).Theseactorsareworkingonmainlyhumanitarianassistanceandlivelihoods.AreasoffocusareDamaturu,Gujuba,Gulani,Gaidam,Yusari,Potiskum,BadeandFika,withmosteffortsfocusedonDamaturu,GujubaandFulani.130

129YobeStateStrategicActionPlanforPeaceandRecovery2017.130AccordingtotheOCHArepresentativeinYobe.

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LegalandpolicyframeworksAsofApril2017,theChildProtectionLaw131wasduetobesentbytheGovernortotheSHOAasanExecutiveBill.Therewerehighhopesamongcivilsocietyforitspassage,withallprovisionsoftheCRAcontainedandthepenaltyforrapebeinglifeimprisonment,duetotheinvolvementoflegislators in discussions beforehand. Women’s rights activists were planning to intensifyadvocacyonthepassageoftheVAPPActgiventhelackofastronglegalframeworkonVAWG.Women’srightsgroupshadstartedtalkingwiththeMOJandSHOAin2016buthadbeentoldtowaituntiltheChildProtectionLawhadbeenfinalised.Legislationisalsounderwayinotherareas,forexampletocriminalisethewithdrawalofgirlsfromschoolstobemarried.The SAPWPS was in its final stages of review by the MOWASD in April 2017 before beingpresented to the Executive Council and for approval of the Governor. The WPSN has beeninstrumentalinpushingthisforwardwithrelevantactors.Akeyconcernisthelackofawarenessofwomen,peaceandsecurityissuesinthestateandworkisneededtoensuretheSAPWPSistakenforwardbyallMDAs.InvolvementinconflictIn Yobe as in Adamawa and Borno, women, men, boys and girls are part of armed groups,although in different numbers and performing different roles. In the past, women conveyedweaponsandIEDsforJASas,notseenasathreat,theywerelesslikelytobecheckedbysecurityagents.Womenhavebeenfoundtomakebombs,recruitotherwomenforexampleinIslamiyyaschools,hidegunsfortheirmalefamilymembersandleadattacks.Duringthe1stDecember2014attackonDamaturu,awomanfighterwasspottedleadinghergroupcomingalongBalgeRoad.Womenhavealso influencedtheirchildrenandhusbandsto join JAS.Whilesomewomenandgirls join AOGs voluntarily due to beliefs, politics or financial incentives, others becomeassociatedastheirhusbandsorfathersareinvolvedandtheyhavenochoiceorbecausetheyareabducted.WomenandgirlsareforciblymarriedtoJASfightersandrapedorkeptinroomswhichare then visited by fighters for sex. As in other parts of the region, involvement in setting ofexplosivesas‘suicide’bombersistheroleforwhichwomenandgirlsarebestknown,leadingtoincreasedvigilanceandsuspiciondirectedagainstthem.Women are also part of vigilante groups, particularly in Damaturu, Postiskum, Jakusko andBursari.Womenmemberssearchotherwomenincommunitiesandinvestigatecasesinvolvingwomenandgirls.Childrenarealsoassociatedwithvigilantegroups,usedinpatrols,toscreenindividuals during public gatherings and at school entrances and to run checkpoints in ruralareas.AfterUNICEF’sintervention,fewergirlsareseenpubliclyperformingactionslinkedtothegroups.However,theYanAgajiandBoysandGirlsBrigadesscreenpeopleoutsidemosquesandchurchestochecktheyarenotcarryingexplosiveswithbothgirlsandboysinvolvedindoingso.TherearesignificantnumbersofgirlsandboysassociatedwitharmedgroupsinYobestatewithlittleprogramminginthisareatodateandrestrictedaccessbythemilitary.UNICEFhassetupacommitteeonthisissueconsistingofgovernmentMDAsincludingtheMinistryofSocialWelfare,NGOsandfaithbasedorganisations.PhysicalharmcausedbyarmedactorsAs in other parts of northeast Nigeria, the experiences of women, girls, men and boys showsimilarityaswell asdivergence.Whilewomenandmenhavebeenkilledbyallparties to theconflict(AOGs,Nigeriansecurityforces,CJTFandvigilantegroups)andabductedandforcefullyrecruited,menescapedduringattacksontheircommunitiesorbeforehand,havebeendetained131ThenameoftheCRAwasamendedinYobetotheChildProtectionLawduetoresistance.

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orwereattackedandkilled.Asaresult,women,alongwithchildren,arethemajorityofthoseleftbehind.Asaresult,theweightofcaringandprovidingforfamiliesandcommunitieshasfallenontheshouldersofthesewomenwhooftendonotknowwhethertheirhusbandsarealive.Boysandgirlshavealsobeenleftasheadsofhouseholdswiththeresponsibilityofprovidingforyoungerchildren.JAShasalsodestroyedhomesandfoodsupplies,furtheraddingtotheirdifficulties,aswillbeexploredbelow.Womenhavealsobeendirectly threatened.HRWhasdocumented theways inwhich JAShastargetedandkilledteachers,educationworkersandstudents,bothwomenandmen,withatleast611 teachers deliberately killed and a further 19,000 forced to flee since 2009.132 A womanjournalistinterviewedfortheassessmentspokeabouthowsheiswatchedandthreatened:“AllmycolleaguesleftsoIendedupbeingtheonetoreadthenews.IamthreatenedbyBokoHaramandhavetobetakentoandfromworkinarmouredcalls.Theycallmeandsay,“Canwenotshootat this car?”This is buildingpressure and tension inme. I havenot leftDamaturubut I havesleeplessnightsandadepressedandturbulentmind.Iknowtheywillcallme.IchangeroutesbuttheycallmealmosteverydayafterIreadthenewsastheydon’tlikemecallingthemBokoHaram.TheywantmetocallthembyJama’atuAhlisSunnahLida’awatiwalJihad,whichtheysayistheirpropername.”Theconflicthasalsoaffecteddisabledpeopledisproportionately,withpeoplebecomingdisabledduetoviolence.Thisareaisoneunder-researchedandnotmuchinformationwasforthcoming.JointNationalAssociationforPeoplewithDisabilities(JONAPWD)inYobeseemsheavilymaledominated,withakeychallengepreventingdisabledwomentobeengagedinorganisingbeingthattheyareoftenconfinedtothehome.Asaresult,itwasnotpossibletofindoutwaysinwhichtheconflicthadaffecteddisabledwomenandgirlsspecifically.Physicalharmhasalsobeencausedbysecurityforcesandvigilantegroupswhohavecommittedhumanrightsabusesaswellascausedcivilianharmduringoperations.Levelsofhumanrightsabuseshavedecreasedtosomeextentaccordingtomembersofcivilsocietyinterviewedforthisassessmentbutharassment,insults,beatingsandSEAcontinue.CommunitywomeninterviewedinDamaturuspokeabouthowtheirbrothers,husbandsorothermalerelativeswerepickedupbythemilitary,detainedorkilledevenwhentheywerenotalwaysmembersofthegroup.Theimpact on their female relatives still continues. One woman talking about her sister whosehusbandwastakentoamilitarybasenevertobeseenagainspokeaboutthetraumathathersister still experiences aswell as the struggle to supportherself andher childrendespite theassistanceofferedbyherfamilyandherhusband’sfamily.DisplacementLevelsofdisplacementinYobearelessthaninBornobutstillsignificant.TherearetwoformalcampsforIDPsrecognisedbytheYobeStateGovernmentinDamaturuwiththevastmajorityofIDPs living in what are seen as ‘self-settled camps’ as well as in host communities. MostinterventionandsupportbystategovernmentandhumanitarianactorsisseenasfocusedonIDPcampsratherthanhostcommunities.FocusgroupdiscussionswithwomenandgirlsconductedbyUNFPAfoundthatthevulnerabilityofIDPsishigherinhostcommunitiesthaninformalcampsduetothisfocusandastheycomeinto host communities with meagre resources. There are some indications of differentialtreatmentforIDPsfromBornoandYobealthoughitwasnotpossibletocompletelyverifythis.Insomeareas,IDPslivingininformalsettlementshavebeenaskedtoleavebytheownersoftheland.SEMAseemsunawareoftheexistenceofthesesettlementsandslowtoactwhenbroughtto

132M.Segun,‘TheySettheClassroomsonFire’:AttacksonEducationinNortheastNigeria,(HRW,2016).

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theirattention.ThePresidentialCommitteeon theNortheast Initiative (PCNI) is interested insupportingIDPslivinginhostcommunitiesbuthadyettostartworkinthisareainApril2017.EvenintheIDPcamps,conditionsarefarfromideal.WomeninKukaretaIDPcampwhowereinterviewed spoke about rain coming in through the leaky tarpaulin roofs of their tents. Inpreviousrainyseasons,theyhadgonemanynightswithoutsleepduetotherainandstrongwindwhich they were worried could blow their whole shelter away. Although there wereorganisationsprovidingfoodassistance,somefamilieswereyet toreceive foodandwhatwasreceivedwasinsufficient.FoodwasgivenmonthlybutfinishedbeforethenextdistributionandtherehavebeencasesofviolenceinIDPcampsduringfooddistributionaccordingtoJONAPWDrepresentativeswhichhasmeantdisabledpeopleinparticularhavenotbeenabletoaccessfood.Although IDPs remain in Damaturu, some (estimated at 30% by State Conflict ManagementAlliance(SCMA)members)havereturnedtotheircommunitiesinthestateasthereseemstobehopeforrebuilding,increasedperceptionofsecurityandsafetyandopportunitiesforlivelihoodswiththecomingoftherainyseasonandre-openingofmarketssuchasinBuniYadi.Thosewhoremainoftenwishtogobacktotheirhomesbutarefearfulaboutsafety,particularlyasfightersareknowntobeincertainareas,andconcernedaboutwheretolivegivenhouseswereburneddownandabouthowtoearnalivingastheyhavenomeansofrebuildingtheirlives.Somegirlshavebeenmarried intohost communities. It is unclearwhether this is a deliberate tactic forintegration or a matter of circumstances as girls of marriageable age are married into thecommunityintowhichtheyarenowliving.UnlikeinBorno,therearenoindicationsofmenofhostcommunitiesseeingdisplacedgirlsasasourceof‘cheapbrides’butthisisnotanareathathasbeeninvestigated. EconomicimpactsTheconflicthasaffectedthestateeconomynegatively.Whenattackstookplace,peopleranawayfromtheirhomeswiththeclothingontheirbodies,payinghighcoststogetthemtosafetyandhavingusedupalltheirsavingstoescapeandprovidefoodandshelterfortheirfamilies.Thosereturning tovillages foundnotonly theirbuildingsand landburnedbutalso theiranimalsasnobodywastheretountiethemwhenattackstookplace.Insomeareas,hostcommunitieshaveagreedtoprovidelandforthosedisplacedtofarmonatemporarybasis.Displacedwomenlivinginhostcommunitieshave,insomecases,managedtostarttradingandsetupbusinesses.AccordingtodisplacedwomeninKukaretacamp,theMinistryofLandhasalsodemarcatedlandforeachhouseholdthathascomeforwardtouseinfarming.Lastyear,landwasgiventobothwomenandmentofarm.Theseactionsbythegovernmentarepositivebutchallengesremain.Asonewomaninterviewedsaidaboutthepreviousyear,‘Ifarmedmyselfasmyhusband isahunterand isaway. Igotcropsbut theywereverysmallandhavefinished.Wehavenomeanstofarmalargeareatosustainourselvesfortheyearasyouneedpeopletofarmlandandharvestforyou.’WhatlevelsofsupportwillbegiventoIDPswhodecidedtostayinDamaturu,whetherlivinginIDPcamps,informalsettlementsorhostcommunities,toenablethemtointegrateintocommunitiesandensuregoodlivelihoodsisunknown.WomeninterviewedfromDamaturuspokeaboutthewaysinwhichlivelihoodshadbeenaffectedinthecity:‘Nowwearesafesleepingwithoutproblemofinsurgentbutsufferingfrompoverty.Everythinghasstoppedwhenitcomesto livelihoods.’Manyoftheirhusbandswerenolongerable to findwork,placing increasedburdenof their shoulders.Unmarriedwomenalso spokeaboutparentsnotbeingabletoprovideforthemandfeelingincreasedresponsibilitytofindawayofearningincometosupportthefamily.Whereastherewerealwaysgirlhawkersinthestate,thedepressedeconomyseemstohaveledtomorepressureonthemtoearnmoneytobringbacktothefamily,byanymeansnecessary

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However,women’sbusinesseshavealsobeenaffected.WomeninterviewedforthisassessmentacrossanumberoflocationsinYobespokeaboutbeingpoor,abouthavingexhaustedalltheircapitalandbeingtrappedinaviciouscyclewithallthemoneytheywereabletoearngoingonfood,leavingnomoneytobuygoodstosellandtoearnincome.Worktheyusedtogetfromotherwomen,forexamplewhowouldbringinsewingforthemtodo,hasdriedupasthecommunityatlargeisexperiencingeconomichardship.Theyareunabletocollectonloansmadetofamily,friendsandcommunitymembersastheycanseethatthesepeopleareinevenworsefinancialsituations.Atthesametime,inflationhasledtoincreasedpriceofgoodsandrent.Theyspokeofhavinghadtomoveinwithin-lawsandbeingdependentforfoodtoeatandaboutskippingmeals.Thesituationhasalsochangedthekindsandpatternsofworkforwomenandgirls.Theyseemtobemoreflexiblethanmenandabletodoavarietyoftaskstoearnincomewhereasmenarelikelytoconsider‘women’swork’beneaththem.Forexample,somewomenengageinhardlaboursuchas collecting firewood from faraway places and selling it for money. Women and girls arespendingmoretimeawayfromhomesthanwasthecasebeforeinordertoearnmoneyforthefamily. These increased responsibilities on women to earn money in a context of intensechallengeshasalso ledto increasingbeggingonstreetsandsurvivalsexwithwomen ‘chasingmen, not formoney but for food’ according to awoman traditional title holder inDamaturu.WomenofalllevelsandmaritalstatusengageinsexformoneyorfoodforaslittleasN100orN500. Their husbands’ and fathers’ reactions range from purposefully not knowing to beingsuspiciousthatwomenwhohavespentthedayworkingoutsidehavebeenengaginginsexualactivities,whetherornotthisisactuallythecase.Inmanyhouseholds,womenarenowtheprimarybreadwinners.Forexample, inGubio,mosthouseholdsabletogenerateincomesdosothroughpettytradingsuchassaleofgroundnutsandcowpeas,generallydonebywomen.133Inacontextwheregenderrolesandnormshavebeenthatmenaretheprimarybreadwinners,thesechangingcircumstanceshavecauseddepressionandanxietyinmen.Womeninterviewedspokeaboutsomemenleavingfamiliesandstayingawayforyearsastheywereunabletoprovideforthem.Forexample,alargenumberoffemaleheadedhouseholds were reported in Karashua.134 This breadwinner masculinity means not only dowomenandgirlsfeelabandonedbuttheyalsostruggletocopeastheyhavebeenraisedtoexpecthusbands to financially provide and not been taught the tools and skills to take on this role.Wherehusbandshavenotleft,levelsofconflicthaveincreasedinmanyhouseholds,leadingtohigherlevelsofdivorceanddomesticviolenceandabuse.Olderwomenspokeaboutdaughtershavingbeendivorcedorhadtheirhusbandsdiemovinginwiththem.Onewomansaidshehadhersevenyoungchildrenaswellashersixdaughterswhosehusbandshaddied,leftordivorcedthemmovebackinwithher,leavingherwith14peopletolookafterincludingherself.Womenalsospokeaboutthedisrespectwithwhichtheyaretreatedduetotheirpoverty.Onewomansaid,‘someonewhoislikesontoyouwilloverlookyouandnotgiveyourespectbecauseyouarepoor.’Amongolderwomentherewasasensethatconditionswerebetterinthe1950sand1960swithwomenhavingmorevoiceassocietalrelationswerecloserandsocio-economicconditionswerebetter.Theywere able to engage in crossborder tradewith themoney theyearnedmeaningtheyhadmorevoiceinfamilyandcommunitydecisionmaking.Theyseeyoungerwomenasbeinglessrespected,havingmanychildrenthattheycannotlookafterandhusbandsabandoningfamilies.135Governmentandhumanitarianactorsaretryingtoprovideassistanceintheformoflivelihoodtraining, skills acquisition programmes and food distribution. However, skills acquisitionprogrammes are often designed to pass on skills without the required equipment, such as

133CRS,RapidNeedsAssessment–Gubio,May2017.134KarashuaInter-AgencyAssessmentReport,February2017.135ThisinformationaboutolderwomenwascollectedbyOCHAfromfocusgroupdiscussionsinMachinaandYusufari.

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carpentrytoolsorsewingmachines,whicharethentooexpensivetobuyorconductingamarketassessmenttodeterminegapsandwhattypesofbusinesseswouldflourish.Furthermore,theseprogrammes have not met the scale of need in the state, been diverted by those in power,includingcommunity leaders,oronlyreachcertaingroups. InBursari, cardswithcredit tobeusedtobuygoodsfromlocaltraderswereseenasreachingonlyKanuricommunities,withlargenumberofcardsgoingto familymembersof local leadersrather thanthose inneedandIDPsliving in theLGAheadquarterspurposefully sidelined.136 In somecases, as inKatarko,peoplewereseenasgoingtheretocollectfoodwhichtheythensoldintheirshopsinDamaturu.PsychologicalimpactsTheirexperienceshavecausedtraumaanddepressioninmanywomenandgirls.Womensawthekilling of themen, including their husbands, by JASmembers, sometimes in brutalways. Forexample,inKatarko,menwerebeheadedinfrontofwomen.Womenlosttheirchildrentooandwitnessedtheburningoftheirhomesandbeinginastateofconstantfearduringattacks.Itcanbe particularly distressing to see one’s own children kill familymembers in order to reach acertainrankwithinJAS.Inonecase,amotherwelcomedhersonhomewhenhereturnedsayingshewouldgoouttobuyfoodforhimbutinsteadwenttoreporthispresencetosecurityforces.Hehadpreviouslykilledherhusband/hisfatherinorderforpromotionwithinJASranks.Womencivilsocietyactivistsinterviewedspokeofworkingwithwomennolongerabletotalkwithothersorwhoare thinkingofsuicide.Theyspokeaboutan increase indruguse incommunitiesandamongsecurityforces.Oneofthereasonsforthisincreasegivenwasthatdruguseservedasacopingstrategyforpeoplewhohavesufferedtraumaorlostfamilymembers.DrugswerealsogiventowomenabductedwhiletheywerewithJAS.BoysandgirlsneedPSSbutmostorganisationsaredoingverylittleinthisregard.TheUNICEFrepresentative inYobe talked about children’s experiences comingout duringplaywithboysengaginginwarplay,dividingtheirgroupintoJASfighters,themilitaryandthecommunityandenactingtheviolence.Ontheotherhand,manychildren,boysandgirls,whohaveexperiencedconflictarewithdrawnandunabletoassociatewiththeirpeers.GirlswhohavebeenabductedorwhohaveexperiencedSEAremainreservedanduncomfortableinsociety,eveniftheyhavebeenreunitedwiththeirfamilies.TheNigerianAssociationofWomenJournalists(NAWOJ)wasamongthefirstorganisationstwoyearsagotoprovidecounselling.Withtime,otherorganisationshavestarteddoingthiswork(asdetailedbelow),however,thePSSprovidedisfarlessthantheneedspresent.Inaddition,thereisalackofunderstandinginthisareaanditcanbedifficulttomakethecasefortheneedforthistypeofwork.Women’sparticipationandvoiceingovernanceandpeacebuildingAs of April 2017, Yobe state had one woman Commissioner (Women’s Affairs), one womanrepresentingtheStateintheSenateandnowomenPermanentSecretariesorLGAchairs.137Onlyonewomanhadbeenelectedasalocalgovernmentcouncillor.Resistancefrommalepoliticians,themonetisationofpoliticswithwomennothavingthemoneytocontest,normsaroundwomeninleadershipandreluctanceofwomenthemselvestobepartofpoliticsmeanthatwomenoftendonotevencontestforthesepositionsastheyfrequentlydonotmakeitpasttheprimarystageevenwhentheystand.Inall17LGAs,theLGAchairmanandpartyofficialsaremeanttoensurethatatleast1outof4supervisorycouncillorsisawoman.Thoseworkingforwomen’srightsgroupsestimatedthatthis

136InterviewsconductedinBursariinJune2017.137NigerianWomenTrustFund,June2017,informationreceivedviaemail.

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hadbeendoneinonlyaroundsevenLGAs.TheyspokeaboutGovernorGeidampreviouslyhavingappointedwomenasadvisers,permanentsecretariesandcouncillorsandwereunsurewhythiswas no longer the case. Women make up the minority in committees set up by the stategovernmentalso.Forexample,intheIDPCommitteesetupbytheGovernorandchairedbytheDeputyGovernor,theCommissionerofWomen’sAffairsistheonlywomanoutof11members.Men dominate community leadership systems also. The Damaturu Emirate Council has amechanismforconflictmanagementreachingdownthroughdistrictandvillageheadswhoreportbackonaweeklybasiscoveringallkindsofconflictandreportingthesetosecurityforcesandthestategovernment.Thereisacommitteeofwomeninthepalaceledbywomentitleholders,withwomeninthecommunitysupposedtogotothesewomenattheemiratelevelandtothewivesofdistrict andwardheadsat those levelswith their concerns for investigation. Interviewswereconductedwiththeyahmeraandyahmorom,theoldersisterstotheEmirofDamaturu,duringthe assessment.They spokeof forwarding requests to the emir, organising entertainment forguests,representingtheemir,settlingdisputesamongwomenandbetweenwomenandmenandprovidingassistanceandconsolationtowomeninneed.Theyhadintervenedinanumberofcasesofearlyandforcedmarriage,housingandlookingafterthegirlsconcernedandpayingfortheirschoolfeesuntiltheywerereconciledwiththeirparents.Whiletherolesthesewomenplayareimportant,theydonotseemtohavemuchinfluenceontheemiratecouncilitselforwidereachamongwomenandgirlsinthecommunity,withmanywomenandgirlsinterviewednotknowingaboutthesewomentitleholdersornotknowinghowtoaccessthem.As inAdamawaandBorno, therearewomen’sassociationsatcommunity levelwhichprovidemutual support and assistance. These are primarily business orientated. Women leadersparticipateinpartypoliticalstructures.Althoughtheyarepartofdecisionmakingprocesseshere,they lack influenceas theyaremainlyseenas tools tomobilisewomenvoters forcandidates.Women’s faith based and community based organisations can be active when it comes tospreadingpeacemessages,promotingalternativemessagingandengaginginpeacebuilding,withwomen’sparticipationintheseactivitiessometimesevenhigherthanthatofmenifspacesarewomenonlyandwithwomenleadingdiscussions.However,forsomewomen,theirparticipationtendstobecontingentongettingpermissionfromtheirhusbandstoattendgatherings.`Althoughwomenareinvolvedinstateandcommunitylevelconflictmanagementstructurestosomeextent,theyarepresentinlownumbers.Forexample,sixwomenand30menwerepresentinthelastmeetingoftheYobeSCMAbeforeinterviewswereconductedwithitsmembersforthisassessment. Numerous times different actors seemed to think that women’s involvement inconflictmanagementwascontingentonthenatureoftheconflict:whiletheyareneededtotalkwith other women, when it comes to issues like farmer-pastoralist relations, they are notnecessaryas‘allthefarmersandherdersaremen.’Notonlyisthisnotthecasewithmanywomenfarmingandrearinganimals,butwomancantakepartinconflictresolutionmechanismswhentheconflictpartiesaremen.Otherchallengestowomen’sinvolvementinpeacebuildingincludeslackofeducationandawarenessontheroleswomenrolescanplayandsocialisationofwomen,girls,boysandmenthatpushesgenderrolesaroundleadership.Women’srightsgroupsandotherCSOsarereachingouttowomentoincreaseinvolvementinpeacebuildinganddecisionmaking.Forexample,FIDA,supportedbyNSRP,trained15womeninpeacebuildingwiththesewomentrainingup30morewomeninBade,DamaturuandPotiskum.Thesewomenhavebecomeinvolvedinpeaceinitiatives,educatingothersonpeaceandsecurityandmediatingcommunityconflicts.NAWOJisconductingvaluereorientationtrainingtomothersandteacherstoencouragethemtoshapecommunitynarrativesandinstilgoodvaluesinchildren.Women’scivilsocietygroupsarealsoorganisingradioprogrammesontherolesofwomen inpeacebuildingandtrainingwomenonearlywarningandearlyresponsemechanisms.However,muchof theworkwomen’s civil society is doing is self-funded. Somewomenbelieve that, if

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womenhadbeenabletotakeactionwhentheystartedtoseecommunitymembers, includingmembersoftheirfamily,joinJAS,violencecouldhavebeenavoidedormitigated.ViolenceagainstwomenandgirlsIncidenceandtrendsAllofthoseinterviewedspokeaboutageneralperceptionofincreasedlevelsofVAWGinYobehoweverthismaybeduetoincreasedreportinganddiscussionaroundonthisissue.Theworkofcivil society has led tomorewomen and girls coming forward, although the vastmajority ofreportedcasesstilltendtobeofthoseaged13andunder,reflectingshiftingattitudeswhenitcomestoviolenceagainstyounggirlsbutnotnecessarilyagainstoldergirlsandadultwomen.However,itisdifficulttoknowtherealpictureintheabsenceofreliablelongitudinaldataandlowlevelsofreporting.AsinAdamawaandBorno,UNFPAhasaGBVIMSoperationalinYobethatismeant toprovidedataandanalysis.Yobehasreceivedsomeof thehighestreporting in theregionwithover200peopletreatedforrapeinoneyearandplaceslikeGaidam,PotiskumandDamaturushowreporting.However, therearevery lowreportingratesandmany institutionswhodealwithVAWGsurvivorsdonotcollectletalonesharedatawiththeGBVIMS.Furthermore,capacityissuesmeandatareceiveddoesnothavetheinformationnecessaryforanalysisasitisnotalwaysdisaggregatedbygender,ageandnatureofviolation.ThereisnosystemofsharingdataalthougheveryorganisingworkingonVAWGhasdata.TherearesomesuggestionsthatthisdatashouldbesharedwithMOWASDbutsomeCSOsarereluctanttosharedataofthissensitivenature,particularlyimplicatingperpetratorswhoarestateofficials,withthegovernment.There have been some cases of sexual violence reported in IDP camps althoughoftenpeoplerefusetotalkaboutwhathashappenedorwithdrawcasesbeforetheygettocourtduetofearofthestigmaattendanttosexualviolence.TherehavebeencasesofIDPslivinginhostcommunitiesalso experiencing violence, with the men and boys with whom they are staying often theperpetrators.Thesewomenandgirlsfinditverydifficulttoreportgivendoingsoishighlylikelytoputtheirshelteratrisk.Girlhawkersfacehighratesofsexualharassmentandviolencewhensellingitemsfrommenandboys.Therehavebeensomecasesofgangrapetoo.TheCommissionerofPolicespokeofacaseofaten-year-oldgirllivingwithhergrandparentswhowasrapedbytenmenwhothengaveherN200.Oftenthe‘solution’torapecanbeseenasmarriagetotherapist.MembersoftheSCMAtalkedaboutthecaseofa13-year-oldgirlwhohadbecomepregnantbyaneighbourwhoagreedtomarryherasrestitution.NGOsaretryingtopreventthismarriage.Theyalsospokeaboutauniversitylecturerwhohadabductedthreegirlsagednine,11and13whowerehawkersandhadrapedthemforthreedays.AfocusgroupdiscussionwithwomenfromDamaturuledtothemtalkingaboutdifferentformsofVAWG.Theyspokeabouthowgirlswhohadnootherformsofsupportastheyhadlosttheirrelativesweregivenmoneyinexchangeforsexwiththemenconcernedrapingthemiftheysaidnoandgivingthemdruggedfoodanddrinktomakethemmorecompliant.Oneofthewomentoldthestoryofhersister.Shehadrejectedamaninthecommunitywhothenabductedheronthewaytothemarket.Afterfivedays,shewasleftonthestreetsandfoundbyfamilymembers.Shebecamepregnantasaresultoftherapesandhassincegavebirth.Eventhoughthereisamaninthecommunitywhohasagreedtomarryher,sheisnotabletomarryasthereisnomoneytobuyitems she needs to set up house. She is now begging on the streets and continues to betraumatised.Therehavebeencasesofwomenrapedbytheirsons.MembersofCSOsinterviewedtalkedofcaseswheresonshadkilledfathersandrapedmotherssothattheywouldbemadeanamirintheJASgroup.Inonecase,awomanwhosehusbandwaskilledinherpresencebytheirownsonwastoldbyhimthatshecouldnotstayunmarried.Hetriedtomarryherhimself.Shetookhisknifewhilehelaysleepingandstabbedhimbeforegoingtoreporttosecurityforces.

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Anumberofintervieweesalsospokeaboutsurvivalsexwithwomen,particularlythosewhowereIDPs,havingsextogetmoney.Doingsoisoftenseenasengaginginiskanciwithaperceivedhighlikelihoodofwomenspreadingsexuallytransmitteddiseases(STDs)whichservestostigmatisethewomenandgirlsconcernedfurther.InBadeforexample,theCPPdiscussedthisissuethenwenttogetherwithreligiousclericsto ‘preachwordsofwarningandguidance’towomenandgirls engaging in survival sex. It is difficult to see what impact this had on the materialcircumstancesofthesewomenandgirlsordeterringperpetratorsasopposedtojuststigmatisingandshaming themfurther.Anumberofbrothels inDamaturuwerebeing investigatedby theMinistryofReligiousAffairsinApril2017.Manyofthegirlsandwomeninsideeitherhadparentstrytoforcethemintomarriageorhadnootherwayofearninganincome.AccordingtotheYahMorom,theseplacesarepatronisedbythepoliceandmilitary.Itisunknownwhatplansareinplacetoensurethesewomenandgirlsarelinkedtolivelihoods,actionstakentocombatstigmaandotherappropriateservicesgivenwhenthesebrothelsarecloseddown.Soldiers,police,vigilanteandothermeninpositionsofpowerengageinSEA.Intervieweesspokemainlyabouttheroleofsoliders inSEAbutthereare indicationsthatthepoliceandvigilantegroupsengageinsimilarbehaviour.ThosemostatriskatIDPs,girlhawkers(whentheygotosellfoodtosoldiersandpoliceofficers)andanywomenandgirls livinginconditionsofhighfoodinsecurity.AccordingtotheYahMorom,‘theBrigadeCommanderhasmadeitclearthatsoldiersneedtofindawaytoeasethemselves.’Shespokeofthecaseofasoldierwho,eventhoughhekilledagirlwithwhomhewasinarelationshipwhenhereturnedtofindamaninthehouse,wasnotpunished.WomenfromDamaturuspokeofhowthemilitarywouldrapewomen,particularlyiftheycametosearchhousesandtherewasnomanthere.Asonewomansaid,‘Therewasatimewhenthemilitarycameforsearchinourhouse.Therewerenomensowehadtohideaway.Theymolestedmyuncle’swife.Thisiscommon.Ithappenedtomycousin.Shewasrapedandsheistraumatised.Thereisnoplacetocomplain–andwedon’tknowwheretogo.’InKatarko,eightwomenwerereportedlyrapedbysoldiersatgunpoint.Onehusbandwaskilled forprotestingwhilesomeoftheothershavesubsequentlydivorcedtheirwives.Thesewomenarestigmatisedbythecommunityforwhathappenedtothem.AlocalNGOreportedthecaseandthemilitarysaiditwouldtakeactionbutitisnotclearwhatsubsequentlyhappened.Soldiersalsohavesexwithgirlsaged12-14yearsoldatcheckpointsinsmallroomsnearby,givingthemmoneyinreturnwhichtheytaketofeedtheirfamilies.Indeed,NGOsspokeofanumberofgirlswhowere12to15yearsoldinrelationshipswithsoldierssotheycouldtakethemoneytheygavethemtotheirfamilies.Itcanbedifficulttotakeactioninsuchcases,evenwithassistancefromNGOs.Familiescanbescaredbythepowersoldiershaveandeithernotcomeforwardtoreportornotwanttotakethecasefurtheriftheydo.Inonecase,asoldierimpregnateda15-year-oldgirl.Herparentsdonotwanttobenamedascomplainantsastheyhavebeenthreatened.Thepersonwhoishelpingthemwiththecasehasputdownhisnameinsteadbutsuspectsthatthesoldierconcernedisputtingextremepressureontheparentstodropthecase.Therehavebeencaseswheresoldiershaveenteredintorelationshipswithwomenincommunitiesthathaveled tomarriage–but thesemarriagesoftenendwhen thesoldier ismovedoutof theareaofoperations.Alotoftimes,thesekindsofcasestendtobesettledatthelowerlevelsofthemilitaryratherthanbeingreportedtocommandingofficersorreachingheadquarters.In addition to sexual violence, there are reported cases of early and forced marriage. ThisphenomenonwaspresentacrossYobebeforewithgirlsbeingmarriedaroundtheageof14butitseemstohaveincreasedrecentlyasaresultofthepovertythatmanyfamiliesareexperiencing,particularlyamongIDPpopulations.Inmanycases,CBOsandNGOshavehadtointerveneincaseswheregirlswerebeingmarriedbecausetheirparentssaidtheycouldnolongersupportthemandthatthiswasawaytogetmoneyfromtheirbridepricetobeusedforthefamily.WomeninterviewedinbothBadeandDamaturufeltthattherehadbeenanincreaseindomesticviolenceandabuse.Asdiscussed,changinggenderrelationshavemeantthatmen,socialisedto

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beheadsofhouseholdsandbreadwinnersforthefamily,arenolongerabletofulfilthisrole.Thisdynamicnotonlycausesfrustrationbutcanleadtosuspicionthatwomenandgirlsareearningmoneythroughsexandattemptstocontrolthebehaviourofwomenwhoresistthis,particularlygiven they are the ones who are providing for the family. Men can also engage in domesticviolenceandabusebecausewomenarenolongerabletoprovidethesamestandardsoffoodandhousekeepingastheydidbeforeduetoreducedeconomiccircumstances.InBade,womenfeltthat divorce rates had drastically increased due to men’s inability to provide and domesticviolence and abuse. One woman told the United Nations Office for the Coordination ofHumanitarianAffairs(OCHA)thatsheengages insex formoneybecauseherhusbandexpectsgood food, not possible in their current economic situation, and beats her when she cooksaccordingtotheingredientstheyareabletoafford.Themoneyshegetsfromthemenwithwhomshehassexallowsher to topupthequalityofcookingandmeans there isno longerphysicalabusefromherhusband.OtherformsofVAWGinthestateincludeFGM/CparticularlyinGulari,Goneriandneighbouringvillages and abductions by JAS members. Given abductions have been discussed above andpatternsoftheabductionsandthestigmawomenandgirlsfacearesimilar,notmuchmorewillbewrittenaboutthemhere.However,itisimportanttonotethattherewerenoorganisationsfocusing programming on helping women and girls associated with JAS reintegrate intocommunitiesorworkingonissuesofstigmaandfeartheyfaceasofthetimeoftheassessment.Whilewomenwheninterviewedreportahigh levelofVAWG,casesareunderreportedduetostigma,lackofsensitisationandlackofknowledgeastowheretogoforhelp.Inmanylocations,forexampleYusufari,MachinaandKarasuwa,therearenoVAWGactorsonthegroundtodealwithandfollowupcases.138ItisimportantheretonotetheriskofprogrammingandawarenessraisingonVAWGcurtailingwomen’smovementandfreedom.Thereseemstobemisunderstandingaroundsexandconsentandaconflationofconsensualsexwithsexualviolence.Forexample,thevigilantegroupinBadespokeaboutquestioningmenandwomentheysawtogetherintheeveningastowhethertheyweremarriedorplanningtobe.Iftheanswerwasno,theywouldtakethemtothepolicestation.Ifthemantoldthemhewas‘atruesuitor,’theywouldtakethemtothefatherofthewomaninquestion.Theyalsospokeaboutwomenandgirlsattendingmaroudcelebrationsandhowtheywould use going to the bathroom as a way to meet men for sex. In order to stop this‘indiscriminatesexualabuse’,vigilantegroupmembersnowaccompanywomentothebathroomandback.Notonlydoesthisamounttothepolicingofwomen’smovementsbutmayalsoleadtoincreasedsexualviolence,notless,fromthevigilantemembersthemselves.PreventionandresponsemechanismsTherearefewerprotectionandVAWGactorsinYobecomparedtoAdamawaandBornowhoarefunctionalandcredible.Forexample,inYusufari,anassessmentinFebruary2017concludedthattherearenoactorsongroundtorespondtoorfollowupVAWGcases.139Mostactorsdonothavethe capacity to provide services. FIDA, theMinistry of Health (MOH),MOJ andMOWASD arenotable exceptions. Key agencies supporting these actors in service provision are UNFPA,UNHCRCtosomeextentandUNICEFwhenitcomestochildprotection.However,newagenciessuchasNRC,IRCandDanishRefugeeCouncil(DRC)areplanningtostartprogramming.Healthcare: There have been some interventionsmade to increase the quality of healthcareserviceswhenitcomestoVAWGinYobe.TherearereferralcentresintwohospitalsinDamaturu

138KarasuwaInter-AgencyAssessmentReport,February2017;YusufariInter-AgencyAssessmentReport,23February2017;MachinaInter-AgencyAssessmentReport,22February2017.139YusufariInter-AgencyAssessmentReport,23February2017.

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andinKukaretaIDPcampwithVAWGcasesbeingreferredtothegeneralhospitalsintheLGAs.UNFPAsuppliesrapemanagementkits,eachofwhichcancoverupto400cases,to22medicalfacilities in seven LGAs (Damaturu, Fika, Fune, Potiskum, Tamurwa, Gashua and Gaidam).However, some of the biggest challenges in the state are with human resources, ineffectivemanagementofprimaryhealthfacilitiesandinabilitytolinkwithsecondaryhealthcarecentres.The SARCwas commissioned in September2016 todealwith cases of rape andother sexualassault.Ithadreceived34cases,withsurvivorsranginginagefrom3to30yearsinage,whenvisitedinApril.SixtypercentofthecasescamefromDamaturuwiththerestcomingfromGujuba,Gulani,DamagunandGashua.MostcaseswerebroughttotheSARCbythepolicewiththepatientsinthetwocasesofself-referralcomingtothehospitalfortreatmentwithoutknowingabouttheSARC. It is early days for the SARC and it is up and functioning, with the police reporting anoticeabledifferenceinthespeedofresponsecomparedtohospitals.SARCstaffdonotyetseemlinkedtootherVAWGactorsinthestateandthereseemstohavebeennoworkdoneoncreatingawarenessamongcommunities,includingwomen’sgroups,aboutitsexistenceandhowtoaccessittodate.OutsideDamaturu,womenandgirlshaveseriousbarriersinaccessinghealthcareduetolackoffinances,beliefs140andpressuretobe‘strongwomen’withmedicalcare,particularlyduringdelivery,seenasasignofweakness.BadeGeneralHospitalhasreceivedseveralcasesofrapeandsexualviolence,withsurvivorsranginginagefrominfantsto14yearsinage.NineortencaseswerereportedinMarch,butthehospitalkeepsnoaccuratedatanordoesitreportcasestoanycentralisedsystem.HealthcareworkersdonotchargeforexaminationbutwhereasHIVtestingisfree,pregnancytestingcostsN150,hepatitistestingcostsN250-350andnootherSTDtests are given. When visited in April 2017, they had no rape kits. Across many healthcareinstitutions, healthcare workers, particularly doctors, tend to be men. The SARC has eightpersonnel (two male doctors, four female nurses and two female counsellor). Bade GeneralHospitalhasfivedoctors,allofwhomaremen,42nurses,including16women,and4communityhealthworkers,allmen.Anotherkey issue is lackof trainingonclinicalmanagementof rape.Althoughtherehasbeensometraining(UNFPAhastrained45doctorsandmorenurses),thishasnot reached all healthcareworkers, with only one person (the ChiefMedical Officer) able toexaminepatientswhohavebeenrapedandoffertestimonyincourtatpresentinBadeGeneralHospital. Another key challenge is lack of secluded rooms in which to examine patients. Atpresent, in many health facilities, there tends to be a queue of patients waiting outsideexaminationroomswhocanheareverythingthatisdiscussedwithin.Psychosocialcare:ThemainactorsdoingpsychosocialworkinYobeseemtobeUNFPA,UNICEFandMOWASDandlocalNGOSwhoserveaspartnerstoUNagencies.UNFPAassessesthelevelofservicesasnotuptoIASCstandardswithissuesaroundtrainingasasingularmoduleisusuallydeliveredacrossactors.UNFPAconductstrainingincollaborationwithapsychosocialspecialistand clinical doctorwith trainees receiving supervision and advanced training afterwards forbetween2and3months.Inthecaseofchildrenwhoareabused,boththechildandtheirparentsneedpsychosocialcarebutthereislackofknowledgeastohowtotreatchildpatientsasopposedtoadultpatients.Counsellorsworkincampsandcommunitiesbuttherearefewhealthfacilitieswithtrainedcounsellorsandveryfewpsychologistsinthestate.AccordingtoUNFPA,thereisonepsychologistat theuniversity,oneconsultant inneuropsychiatryatthespecialisthospitaland two neuropsychiatric nurses, one in Potiskum and one in Damaturu. In Bade GeneralHospital,theChiefMedicalOfficerspokeofcounsellingbeingprovidedbythenursingofficerastherewerenotrainedcounsellorsinthehospital.AttheSARC,patientsmeetthecounsellorforonesessionandmanyofthemdonotcomebackforrepeatsessions.Theyarenotreferredtocommunitybasedcounsellorsforfurthersupport.MostcasesofseriousmentaldisordersaresenttotheMaiduguriFederalNeuropsychiatricHospital.Ifpropersystemsoftrainingandsupervisionwereinplace,thecasesthatneedtobereferredshouldconstituteatinyminorityasmostcasesshouldbedealtwithbylaycounsellorsbut,asmentionedabove,therearemajorgapsintraining.

140Forexample,thatmastitisis‘jeji’whichleadstonon-acceptanceofdrugsastheybelievethiswillcausedeath.Lackofmedicaltreatmentleadstosevereulcerswhichspreadsystematicallythoughthebody.

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Anotherkeygapwhenitcomestopsychosocialcareisthelackofsupportgiventothecounsellors.Manycounsellorscomefromthecommunitiesconcernedandmayhavebeenexperiencinglowlevelsoftraumathemselves,whichcanbefurthercompoundedbysecondarytrauma.Theonlysupporttheyreceiveisthatwhichtheyprovidetoeachotherwhichrisksrecyclingtraumawithinthesamegroup.Shelter:AsofApril2017,therewerenosheltersinYobestate.AlthoughUNFPAisplanningfivesafespaceswherewomencanspendthedayandlearnlivelihoods,thisisnotthesameashavingashelterforVAWGsurvivors.TheonethatissetupnearthepalaceoftheEmirofDamaturuisaroomwithnotmanyfacilitiestherewhenvisited.UNFPAisthinkingofmakingthesesafespacesmoreresidentialforpeoplewithoutanywheretostaybuttheyarelikelytohaveonlyfourtofivebeds. There is a proposal in process for an alternate safe shelter for children who haveexperiencedviolenceandabuseandareunaccompaniedorseparatedtoputtogetherapooloffosterfamilieswithanexitplaninplacetoensuresustainability.However,thereseemstobenocurrentsafespace(s)forVAWGsurvivorstostayforimmediaterelieflinkedtosupporttoensuretheyareable to live free fromabuse in the long termalthoughallactorswithwhomthiswasdiscussedagreedthatashelterwasurgentlyneeded.Accesstojustice:BoththepoliceandNSCDChavegenderunitsAllcasesneedtobetransferredfromLGAstotheCIDinDamaturu.Forthepolice,thegenderseatisattachedtotheCIDwiththegenderfocalpointbeingabletodrawonothersintheCID.ThepoliceinGashuahave85officers,fourofwhicharewomen.TheDPOwheninterviewedinApril2017saidnotmanyVAWGcaseshadbeenreportedbutthatitwasdifficulttomakeaproperassessmentastoincidentduetothestigma that prevents reporting. The NSCDC has a Peace and Conflict Resolution and GenderSpecialistUnitsinallLGAswhichhaveatleastthreememberswhocanrefertoheadquartersinDamaturu if required according to their Commandant. Many of these NSCDC staff have notreceivedtrainingingender,VAWGorpsychosocialcarealthoughtheydealwithcasesofVAWGand engage in counselling. According to the NSCDC officials posted in Bade, this Unit, whichconsistsoftenpeopleincludingtwowomen,isnotasfunctionalasinthestateheadquarters.Theyseemedunawareofthegenderfunctionsoftheunit.Outof140NSCDCstaffacrossGashuaLGA,only20arewomen.Atthetimeofdiscussion(April2017),theNSCDCinBadehadfourtofivecasesofyounggirlsexperiencingVAWGthatitwasworkingon.BoththepoliceandNSCDCareactiveparticipantsinVAWGcoordinationmeetingsinDamaturu.UNFPAhastrainedGBVdeskofficersworkingforNSCDCandpoliceoutposts(thelatterrecentlyestablishedafteradvocacybySCMAmembers).ItisunclearhowestablishedtheseGBVdesksareinrealityoutsideDamaturuasnoevidenceastotheirestablishmentandeffectivenesswasseen,eitherduringtheassessmentorbywomenactivistsworkingonVAWGtodate.ThegenderdeskofficerinDamaturuprovidesphone support to police stations around the state in reality. While she is active and theCommissionerofPoliceisnowtakingactionduetopressurefromNGOs,CSOsandDPOstellingparentsofgirlswhohaveexperienceviolenceandabusetoletthecaserestandthepoliceonlytakingactionincaseswheremaleperpetratorsarepoor, ‘killing’casesthat involvepoliticiansandmembersofsecurityagencies.Therealsoseemstobeanunderstandingamongsomepoliceofficersthatwomenover18cannotberaped,particularlyifsheknewthemaninquestion.ManyoftheprisonsinYobehavebeenburned,leavingonlythreeinPotiskum,BadeandNgiruandnoremandhomeforjuvenileoffenders.Thesefacilitiesareseverelyovercrowdedwithfewnumberofvehiclescausingcourtdelaysastheperpetratorisoftennotincourt.Asinotherstates,therequirementforwitnessesandsurvivorstotraveltoDamaturuforcourtcaseswhichoccurthereisaseriousbarrieraspeopleoftendonothavethemoneytotravelthere.Althoughsomeeffortsaremadetotransportthemforthetrial,therearecostsattachedtostayinginDamaturuaswellasopportunitycostsintermsofmissingworkcompletelyduringthetimespentaway.Anotherchallengeinaccessingjusticeislatepresentationofcasesbywhichevidencehasbeendestroyed.Akeybarriertoaccesstojusticeisthelackofaccompanimentandcaseworkersforsurvivorsandtheirfamilies,particularlyoutsideDamaturuandPotiskum.InBade,sixwomen,includingLGAsocialwelfareofficers,trainedbyFIDAservethisfunction.Theyarenotnecessarilytrainedinthe

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lawalthoughtheyhavereceivedtwodaystrainingonwomeninpeacebuilding,violenceagainstwomenandreferralpathways.TheyrefercasestoFIDAinDamaturuandsaytheyneedmoretraining inorder todotheirwork.Thereseemstobeakeyopportunity to trainup legalcaseworkers, who are mentored and supervised by members of FIDA, to handle VAWG cases.Althoughprogresshasbeenmadeonaccesstojustice,todate,thisseemsconfinedtoDamaturuwithalotofinterventionsneededoutsidethestatecapital.Evenwhereprosecutionsarebroughtandaconvictionreceived,thiscanbeintheformofafewmonths’imprisonmentorafine.UNHCRis planning on convening an access to justice technical working group bringing together allrelevantactorsincludingtheCommissionerofJustice,chiefjudge,magistrate,MOJ,DirectorateofPublicProsecution,FIDA,MuslimLawyersAssociationandtheNBA.AsofJune2017,theTORforthisgroupwasyettobefinalisedbutaspectstobeconsideredincludefilingfeesinshariacourts,sentencinglevels,strengtheningcapacityofactorsandchangingattitudesofvictimblamingofsurvivorsbysecurityandjusticesectoractors. Livelihoods:NoactorwasfoundtobeworkingonlivelihoodsspecificallyforsurvivorsofVAWGortobeintegratingunderstandingofVAWGintotheirlivelihoodsworkwithmanylivelihoodsactorsevenunawareoftheexistenceandcontentofreferralpathways.Coordination,casemanagementandreferralpathways:CommitteemeetingsonGBV(ledbyMOWAwithUNFPAsupporting)andchildprotection(ledbytheMinistryofYouth,Sports,SocialandCommunityDevelopmentsupportedbyUNICEF)areheldmonthlyinDamaturuaspartofthePSWG.Actors attendingmeetings include FIDA,NCWS,MOWA,MOH,MOJ aswell as securityactors suchasNSCDCandpolicecoveringaholistic rangeof services.Thepeoplewhoattendcharacterisecasemanagementasfairlyefficient.However,somehealthservicessometimestaketimetoaccessandsomereferralpathwaysarenotactive.Forexample,whilesecurity,health,legalandpsychosocialservicesareworkingtosomeextent,therearenolivelihoodssupportastheagenciesdoingthiswork,suchasActionAgainstHunger(ACF),CooperazioneInternazionale(COOPI)andSEMA,arenotprovidingsupporttoVAWGsurvivorsorintegratingVAWGintotheirwork.OutsideDamaturu,thesituationismuchworsewithlackofcoordinationbetweenactorsandweaktonon-existentreferralpathways.TherearesomeactorswhoareplanningtotrytostartcoordinationworkinGashuaandPotiskumtoservesurroundingareasbut,asofApril2017,thishadnotyetstarted. Sensitisationandstigma:AsintherestofNigeria,fearofstigmaisastrongbarriertoreportingand accessing services. Women’s rights organisations have done a lot of work encouragingwomen and girls, and their families, to come forward to report cases, particularly using themedium of radio. Efforts have beenmade to reachwomen leaders, community leaders, kekeridersandothersincommunities,whoareencouragingpeopletoreport.Thisworkhasledtosomeincreaseinreportingofviolenceandabuseagainstyounggirls.Thedevelopmentofreferralpathwaysandstrengtheningofserviceshasmeanttherearesomeservicesavailabletothosewhodoreport,atleastinDamaturu.However,manypeoplestilldonotknowexactlywhattodoandwheretogoiftheyorsomeonetheyknowexperiencesVAWG.Furthermore,despitestigmabeingamajorissueforthewomenandgirlsconcernedaswellasabarriertoaccessingservicesandjustice,veryfeworganisationsaredoinganyworktotacklestigma.Prevention:MostofthepreventionworkdonetodateinYobehasbeenwithcommunityandreligiousleaders,encouragingthemtopreachinchurchandmosquestellingcongregations ‘tofearGodinwhattheyaredoing’andwhatBibleandQuransayaboutVAWG,withteachers inschools andwith the NURTW to take themessage to their drivers.While all of the above iscommendable,thepreventativeworkneededwithmenandboysthemselves(asopposedtotheirleaders),andwithwomenandgirlswhooftencolludeorperpetrateVAWGthemselvesismissing.As inAdamawaandBorno, thisarea isonethat isworth investigatingandwhereanewactorseekingtogoVAWGworkcanaddvalue.

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OpportunitiesforEngagementAfterhavingexaminedtrendsacrossthethreestatesanddiscusseddynamicsineachstate,thissectionnowturnstolookingatopportunitiesforengagement.Itissplitintotwoparts:involvingwomeninrebuildingcommunitiesandaddingvalueonVAWGpreventionandresponse.Involvingwomeninrebuildingcommunities• Workwithcommunitiestodocumentthecrucialroleswomenhaveplayedduringtheconflict

andfindwaysforcommunitiestoacknowledgeandrememberthislegacysowhatwomendidandwhathappenedtothemisnotwrittenoutofhistorybutrememberedbycommunities,combatsgenderstereotypesandservesasrolemodelstogirlsandboysastowhatwomencando.

• Explorewaystolinkwomenwithjobopportunitiesthatwillariseasaresultofdevelopment

funding to the region, for example with infrastructure, agriculture or livelihoodsprogrammes,asincomeearningandeconomicempowermentiscrucialtohaveinfluenceinfamiliesandcommunities.

• Work with women’s associations as entry points to build confidence and skills in

peacebuilding and exploreways they canwork for peace, social cohesion and building ofcommunity relations. This includes through mobilising across lines of religious, ethno-linguisticand/oroccupationaldivisionandcomingtogetherinacommonplatformoffaithgroups, cooperatives and business associations such as those of market women, womenfarmersandwomentailorstodiscussandidentifyissuesofconcernanddevelopplanshowtousetheirdifferentspheresofinfluence.TheseplatformsshouldbemeaningfullyintegratedintocommunityandLGApeaceandsecuritystructures.

• Supportwomentobuildaninterfacewithandbepartofcommunityleadershipinstitutions

by1)mobilising in groups to articulate concerns and solutions that need to be raised, 2)identifying strong leaders to talk with community leaders, 3) exploring possibilities forleaderstohavemeetingswithgroupsofwomenratherthancallingonewomantorepresentthem all, 4) advocating to institutions for their meaningful inclusion as advisers and oncouncilsand5)showcasingtheexampleof leaderssuchastheEmirofKaltungainBauchiwhoincludeswomeninemiratelevelsofdecisionmaking.IfMCNisplanninganyworkwithcommunityleadershipinstitutions,theprogrammeshouldreachouttowomeninthesystemaswellasmentoseektheiranalysisandtoexplorerolestheycanplayinchannellingissuesandconcernsfromwomeninthecommunitytocommunityleaders.

• Train women in negotiation, mediation, conflict resolution and peacebuilding skills and

ensure ongoing mentorship so they are able to put these skills into practice in theircommunities,learningfromandbuildingontheworkofNSRPpeaceclubs.

• Holdinter-generationaldialogueswithgirlsandyoungwomen,boysandyoungmen,middle

agedwomen,middleagedmen,elderlywomenandelderlymendiscussingtheirconcernsandviewpointsseparatelybeforebringingthemtogethertomeaningfullyparticipateandlistentoeachotherinordertoaddressgrievancesofyoungpeopleanddealwiththesocialrupturethathascomeaboutasaresultoftheconflict.

• Helpcommunitiesunderstandanddealwithchanginggenderpowerrelations,workingon

masculinities,particularlybreadwinnermasculinities,byhavingopenandhonestdiscussionsabout the changing nature of household and community relations to forestall potential

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backlash to increased women’s rights and freedoms and bring gendered expectations ofwomenandmeninlinewiththeirrealities.

• Ensure MCN’s gender approach also includes awareness of what men and boys have

experiencedduringtheconflict,forexamplebyworkingonthelong-termeffectsofdetention,abductionsandaftermathofhumanrightsabuses.

• SupportWPSNinallthreestates,nowtheyhaveorwillsoonhaveaSAPWPSinplace,tore-

strategisewaystoensurenetworksinfluencedecisionmakingonpolicyandpracticeacrossstate and federal MDAs, with focus on increasing women’s participation and ensuringinclusionofgenderperspectives.

• Fundwomen’srightsorganisationsandwomen’sassociationstoworkonpeaceandsecurity

issuesatcommunity,LGAandstatelevels.Forexample,inAdamawa,MCNshouldtalkwiththeNorthEastRegionalInitiative(NERI)abouttheirworksupportingtheKirchingaWomen’sAssociationtoworkaroundtensionmanagementandreintegrationofAOGfightersintothecommunitytodrawlessonsandseeifthisworkcanbereplicatedinotherpartsofAdamawa,inBornoorinYobe.

• InYobe,providecapacitybuildingandmentoringtotheYobeStateGovernmentonhowto

foster community engagement in upcoming programming funded by theWorldBank andIslamicDevelopmentBankandensurethisisdoneinawaythatprioritiseswomen’sinclusionand conflict sensitivity in decision making and engagement. While the Yobe StateGovernment’sHeadofRecoveryandPeacebuildinghasspecificallyrequested thisofMCN,there may be opportunities to similarly engage with the Ministry of Reconstruction,RehabilitationandResettlement(MORRR)inBornoState.

• Ensure ways to meaningfully include women who are from particularly marginalised,

excluded and disadvantaged social groups into the above activities. This may requirefacilitating platforms for these women to help them organise separately, for example asdisabled women, increasing awareness of other MCN beneficiaries as to their realities,challengesandconcernsandfacilitatingtheirinclusioninallMCNprogramming.

AddingvalueonVAWGpreventionandresponseAlmost every part of VAWG prevention and response mechanisms have major gaps but thissection will focus on areas where MCN can add value, where other actors are currently notworkingandarenotlikelytostartworkingandwherepositiveimpactislikely.Giventhenumberofactorsalreadyworkinginhealthcare,PSSandbuildingreferralpathwaysandtheirparticularexpertiseinthesefields,theseareasarenotincludedbelowasMCN’saddedvaluelieselsewhere.• Workwithwomen’srightsorganisationsandallies(includingUNagenciesandINGOs)inthe

threestatestobringabouttheconditionsnecessaryforthefulldomesticationoftheVAPPAct,CRAandGEOBill,includingaclearinfluencingstrategyaroundprovisionsthatmaybecontroversialsuchasmaritalrapeandageofmarriage,understandingthatitmaytakeyearsforlegislationtopass.

• Support women’s rights organisations to launch an anti-stigma campaign tackling the

narrativesaroundiskanciforallformsofVAWGinallMCNfocalLGAs.Thiscampaignwouldnotonlyencouragewomenandgirlstoaccessservicesbutwouldalsolessentheirstigmaanddiscrimination.Itwouldbefocusedonwomenandmenincommunitiestoseektopersuadethemtochangetheirattitudesand,giventhewaysthatwomenaresocialisedintopolicingotherwomen, includeworkwitholderwomenwhocanperpetuatestigma,youngwomen

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who tend to exclude survivors from social networks andwith women’s associations andsavingsgroups.

• Build awareness of VAWG that not just encompasses generic sensitisation but includes

informationaboutwhattodoandwheretogoforhelpinthecommunity(sopeoplearecleartheyhavemoreoptionsthatjusttoreporttothepolice),rightseducation,howtoraiseboysand young men not to be perpetrators, how to recognise signs of abuse and changingknowledge,attitudesandpracticesaroundVAWG.Thisinformationshouldbedisseminatedusingcreativewaysamongcommunities,includingparents,teachers,schooladministrators,unionofficials, community leaders, religious leaders,women inparty structures,women’sassociationsandwomenleaders.

• Fundshelterprovisionwherewomenandgirlscangotoforholisticsupportthatincludesnot

onlyhealthcare,psychologicalcareandaccesstojusticeservicesbutalsobuildsconfidenceand skills and links survivors to livelihood options in a way that ensures transition toindependent living.MCNshouldlinkupwithothersdoingVAWGworkinitsfocalLGAstobring joint resources to bear and ensure women’s rights organisations with a history ofworkingonVAWGareinchargeoftherunningoftheseinstitutions.

• Work with institutions, particularly the military, police, NSCDC and camp management

officialstotrainthemonVAWG,particularlyinYobeandAdamawawherelargecapacitygapshave been self-reported, and to combat SEA bymembers of their institutions, looking atpolicy,trainingandaccountabilitymeasures.

• Engage inVAWGprogrammingaroundpeer topeer influencingandnetworkswithyoung

people,findingwaystohelpthemspreadmessagesaboutconsentandhealthyrelationshipsandbuildresilienceintheirfellowyoungwomenandyoungmen.

• Explore ways to integrate education around consent, sex and healthy relationships into

educationalinstitutions,whetherthesebegovernmentschools,Islamiyyaschoolsortsangayainstitutions,andintoconversationsparentshavewiththeirchildreninawaythatisawareofandtakesintoaccountsensitivitiesaroundthesetopics.

• In Yobe, join the access to justice working group anchored by UNHCR and explore

opportunitiesthatmayarisefor(joint)programmingandpolicyinfluencingwork.Inallthreestates,jointhePSWGanditsGBVandchildprotectionsubsectorworkinggroupstomaximiseopportunitiesforinformationsharingandjointpolicyinfluencingandprogrammingwork.

• SupportandtrainVAWGcaseworkersoutsidestatecapitalstobeabletoworkwithsurvivors

and their families to help them access services, combat stigma and refer to specialists ifnecessary.

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