Applying a Gender Lens in Nigeria

November 14, 2017

Applying a Gender Lens in Nigeria

To address gaps identified during a gender mainstreaming assessment exercise for HIV/AIDS service providers, and to accelerate achievement of gender-based violence (GBV) and gender norms targets, the Care and Treatment for Sustained Support (CaTSS) project conducted a gender mainstreaming training for CaTSS technical staff and state government counterparts.

[Participants carry out a role play between a patient and a male doctor with a nonchalant attitude toward his female patients.]Harmful gender practices remain a challenge within communities and facilities in Nigeria. Patriarchal beliefs that males are superior to females lead to discrimination against females delivering and receiving public health programs and services, including HIV and AIDS services. To help address this issue, we must not assume that our interventions and programs affect women and men in the same manner, as this could increase gender inequities unintentionally. Training and retraining on GBV and gender norms for service providers at least once a year is imperative for addressing identified inequities.

The leadership team of MSH’s Care and Treatment for Sustained Support (CaTSS) project recently renewed its commitment to gender mainstreaming in HIV and AIDS programs at supported health facilities and communities across the five CaTSS supported states. On September 11-15, a gender mainstreaming training was facilitated for 25 CaTSS technical staff and five state government counterparts. The training was designed to address gaps identified during a gender mainstreaming assessment exercise for service providers, and to accelerate achievement of GBV and gender norms USAID targets.

Commenting on next steps, Amaechi Okafor, Senior Technical Advisor and the project’s gender focal person, reiterated the need for trainees to facilitate step down trainings for service providers in their respective states to share the skills learned and yield the targeted results.

Appreciating MSH for organizing the training, Dr. Michael Oyilo of the Niger State Agency for the Control of AIDS (NGSACA) stated, “We thank the leadership of MSH’s CaTSS project for inviting us and ensuring that we have this gender mainstreaming knowledge. With my gender lens on, I can now perform my duties and responsibilities more inclusively.” 

[Twenty-five CaTSS technical staff and five state government counterparts participated in the gender mainstreaming training.]