Dr. Kemi Dasilva-Ibru, Founder, WARIF
Women at Risk International Foundation (WARIF)
Nigeria is struggling with a horrific problem that affects 25% of a population of 200 million people with every 1 in 4 girls under the age of 18 experiencing at least one violent sexual encounter. The Women at Risk International Foundation; WARIF is a nonprofit organization established in 2016 in response to this; we stand in the gap and address the prevalence of rape, sexual violence and trafficking of young girls and women in communities across the country.
To achieve this overarching objective, we have adopted a unique strategy that is fully holistic, and survivor centered. The “WARIF Approach” tackles the issue under the 3 following pillars. Under the Health pillar, the WARIF Rape Crisis Centre provides post incident services with immediate forensic medical examinations and care, HIV testing and post exposure treatment and pyscho-social counselling to all beneficiaries seen free of charge. Also available is the long term provision of social welfare needs of women and children such as shelter and legal aid.
This high incidence is also addressed through the development and implementation of school related programs under our Education pillar for secondary and tertiary level students and community based pillar programs made available in both rural and urban settings.
Grassroots Awareness
54% of the population of Nigeria reside in rural areas, so a larger proportion of at-risk young girls and women are in these communities. WARIF’s response is the implementation of 2 impactful initiatives. The Gatekeepers Project is a community based project that was launched in 2017 with an aim of identifying community stakeholder who hold key roles and spheres of influence that can raise awareness, change the narrative and prevent cases of abuse. The primary Gatekeeper is the Traditional Birth Attendant -informally trained healthcare providers that are trained by WARIF as first responders to cases of rape and sexual violence. Over 200 cases have been referred to the WARIF Rape Crisis Centre from grassroot areas by these gate keepers.
Our WARIF Empowerment Program is the second initiative- this has been successfully tackling the economic constraints felt by many survivors forcing them to remain in abusive environments. It offers basic financial literacy skills, vocational skill workshops with the opportunity for apprenticeships and a start-up kits for those with an entrepreneurial drive.
The impact of the program is seen in the economic and social empowerment of the women who participated and are now making transformational decisions with a positive ripple effects on her family and her community.
Your Greatest Passion
I believe my greatest passion and drive is service and an appreciation of the transformational change this brings in the lives of the many disenfranchised women and children who may not ordinarily have access to the essential care, that I feel privileged to offer with my health background as a practicing Obstetrician and Gynecologist and through the organization WARIF. I have seen the faces of the many women and girls at their first visit to the Centre, downcast as they disclose these horrific encounters. With the proper medical attention and counselling the healing process begins. You see the transformation and it is a joy to behold. Women taking back their power and girls owning their spaces and becoming empowered.
Advise for sexual assaults
For us to be able to empower a young survivor to speak out, first we must create an enabling environment for her to do so as in our society, a rape culture exists. Providing her with safe platforms for her to speak without fear of reappraisals and community survivor shaming is important. In addition, we must also provide essential services and the opportunity to seek justice against her perpetrator(s) if this is her choice.
