Ekiti State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) recently joined other key stakeholders at a State Validation Workshop to address the critical role of social norms in combating Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
The workshop, held at the All Saints Anglican Church Guest House Hall, PETIM Estate, Ado-Ekiti, was organised by the Gender Mobile Initiative. It brought together traditional rulers, civil society organisations, law enforcement agencies, government officials, and media representatives to validate the GBV Policy Implementation Gap Report. The NOA State Director, Mrs Oluwakemi Akomolede, was present as a special guest and emphasised the agency’s commitment to reshaping public values and narratives around GBV. She noted that collective responsibility and intentional advocacy were key to transforming communities into safer spaces for women and girls. “Changing harmful social norms begins with awareness and action. The National Orientation Agency is committed to working with grassroots stakeholders to ensure that the messages of equality, respect, and justice are not just heard but lived,” she said.
Participants at the workshop identified several social norms that continue to sustain gender-based violence and called for stronger enforcement of community bylaws that reflect zero tolerance for such practices. Representatives from the Ministry of Women Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Local Government Affairs Commission also made significant contributions, urging for survivor-centred justice and government-backed support systems.
One of the major outcomes of the session was a firm commitment from traditional rulers to challenge entrenched harmful practices, local government officials to empower community-based GBV response committees, and civil society groups to continue leading advocacy efforts in both urban and rural areas. Media professionals were also charged with amplifying educational content that shifts public perception and breaks the culture of silence around GBV.