The Economic and Social Empowerment of Rural Communities (ESERC) participated in the UNDP Spotlight Initiative Implementing Partners Lessons Learned and Success Stories Documentation Workshop held in Lagos on October 13, 2023.
The workshop brought together implementing partners from across Nigeria to reflect on the achievements, challenges, innovations, and lessons generated during the implementation of the European Union–United Nations (EU-UN) Spotlight Initiative, a global programme aimed at eliminating violence against women and girls and other harmful practices.
The event provided a valuable platform for organizations to document evidence of impact, exchange best practices, and identify effective strategies that can strengthen future programming. Participants shared experiences from their respective states, highlighting interventions that have contributed to improved survivor support services, strengthened institutional capacity, increased community awareness, and enhanced collaboration among government agencies, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders.
As an implementing partner in Ebonyi State, ESERC presented key lessons from its work in strengthening community-based advocacy, building the capacity of frontline responders, promoting the implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, enhancing referral pathways, and supporting coordinated efforts to prevent and respond to gender-based violence.
The workshop also focused on capturing success stories that demonstrate the transformative impact of the Spotlight Initiative on individuals, communities, and institutions. These documented experiences will contribute to strengthening future interventions, informing policy, and promoting evidence-based approaches to ending violence against women and girls.
ESERC expressed gratitude to the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and all partners for their continued commitment to advancing gender equality and protecting the rights of women and girls across Nigeria.
The organization remains committed to sustaining the gains achieved through the Spotlight Initiative by continuing to work with government institutions, civil society organizations, community leaders, and development partners to build communities where women and girls can live free from violence, discrimination, and harmful practices.
Together, we move closer to a Nigeria where every woman and girl lives in safety, dignity, and equality.
