Connected Development and Boys Quarter Africa through the Project SABI Initiative seeks to stimulate a nationwide movement aimed at ending all forms of violence against Women and Girls, by capacity strengthening strategic and multi-dimensional engagement lead byMen and Boys as advocates.

Project Sabi through a grassroots engagement approach with Men and Boys will directly impact and empower victims, young people across the project states, with necessary information on their roles as responders, diverse communication and reporting channels, and the need to mobilize mass voices to collectively speak out against this act. This practical cum solutions-driven project would be broken into SABI Town Hall for Men and Consent Concert for Boys.

The specific objectives of the project include:

To strengthen the capacity of 1000 men and 1000 boys as ‘he-for-she’ champions to lead strategic advocacy and multi-dimensional stakeholders engagement against gender-based violence in Nigeria, through a week-long clustered and specialized training program.

To provide a safe space for women, girls, and victims of gender-based violence to interact on the effective psychosocial support system, by thoroughly teaching 1,000 men and 1000 Boys about positive masculinity, response to gender-based violence, inclusive fatherhood, caregiving, mental health, and trauma, and domestic violence and also teaching boys on the nitty-gritty of consent, violence against women and girls, and how both Men and Boys can work on ending these varying violence.

To mobilize and create a social construct platform where men and boys are assisted to confront the age-long and culturally inherited biases via a specialized ConsentConcert for Boys and focused SABI Townhall for Men, in addressing issues like anger management, social adjustment, conflict resolution, emotional stability, and consent, in order to create an equal and safe society, where tangible results are experienced in the immediate.

Curate an engaging and educating digital social platform where Men and Boys can unpack their misogynist level and tendencies, hence, galvanizing them as major allies and change agents in the reporting and speaking up against sexual and gender-based violence, which in turn drastically reduces the race of violence against women and girl.

CODE and Boys Quarters through our effective mobilization and stakeholders engagement approach would ensure an increasingly growing number of men who will acknowledge and understand how sexism, male dominance, and male privilege lay the foundation for all forms of violence against women and girls. Through the SABI Community Town-Hall for Men, there would be a careful examination and challenge of their individual sexism and the role every man subtly plays in aiding other abusive men.

This project will also help recognize and stop the intended and non-intending collusion with other less-knowledgeable men; by helping them get out of the inherited socially defined roles that are harmful, and taking a veritable stand to end violence against women and girls. In educating and re-educating Men and Boys about their responsibility in ending this menace, it helps them get out of their socially defined role and taking a strong stance in the fight against all forms of violence against women and girls.

This project targets an engagement of 1,000 Men and 1,000 Boys within 20 Months.

Shifting Norms, Changing Futures: Engaging Men and Boys in the Fight Against Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria 

For too long, gender-based violence (GBV) has been framed as solely a women’s issue. But in Nigeria, an initiative is rewriting this narrative—bringing men and boys into the conversation as allies rather than bystanders. 

Through Project SABI, a collaboration between Connected Development (CODE) and Boys Quarters Africa, thousands of boys, road transport workers, and faith leaders have been trained, engaged, and mobilized to challenge harmful norms and take an active role in preventing GBV. The project has reached beyond individual awareness, influencing policy, institutions, and communities to create sustainable change.

A New Approach: Where and How Change Begins 

This initiative did not take the conventional route of workshops and awareness campaigns. Instead, it went to where gender norms are shaped and reinforced:

• Motor parks and marketplaces – engaging road transport workers, a group that has significant influence in public spaces.

• Faith institutions – working with religious leaders to integrate GBV prevention messages into sermons and community discussions.

• Secondary schools – equipping thousands of boys with the tools to challenge GBV and become advocates for gender equality.

The project also developed tailored training manuals for boys and transport workers, ensuring that education was not just informative but practical and action-driven.

Major Achievements: Turning Conversations into Action 

1. Engaging Boys as Champions for Change 

• 2,610 boys across multiple secondary schools were trained through the Boys Against Gender-Based Violence Club, making it one of the largest GBV prevention programs focused on boys in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• A 24-week mentorship manual was developed and integrated into school programs to ensure ongoing engagement.

• The project partnered with the FCT-UBE Board to reinforce inter-school competitions, debates, and leadership development, providing boys with continuous learning opportunities.

2. Influencing Policy and Institutions 

• Five Gender Desk Offices were created across five states, providing direct support and accountability structures for road transport workers.

• The project engaged with 11 key national and local stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, National Orientation Agency, and Enugu State Ministry of Gender Affairs, ensuring that institutional policies reflected the importance of engaging men and boys in preventing GBV.

3. Changing Narratives in Public Spaces 

• Motor park workers formed accountability groups to educate one another and intervene in cases of GBV.

• Faith leaders integrated GBV prevention messages into sermons and established safe spaces for survivors within places of worship.

• Women-led support groups in schools and communities advocated for guidance and counseling services, ensuring that young girls have access to psychosocial support.

4. Expanding the Reach Beyond Physical Spaces 

• 2.5 million people were reached through online campaigns, using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to challenge harmful norms.

• A digital social construct platform engaged 3,318 individuals, sparking discussions and knowledge-sharing on gender equality.

Lessons Learned: What Worked and What Needs to Evolve? 

What Worked? 

• Meeting people where they are – By targeting motor parks, religious spaces, and schools, the project reached people in environments where gender norms are shaped.

• Sustained engagement over short interventions – Instead of one-time training, the 24-week mentorship manual and step-down training model ensured that knowledge was reinforced.

• Multi-sector collaboration – By involving government agencies, faith groups, and transport unions, the project created a network of allies that will sustain the work beyond its official timeline.

Challenges and Areas for Growth 

• Resistance to changing norms – Some stakeholders were reluctant to acknowledge the role men play in preventing GBV, highlighting the need for long-term engagement strategies.

• Scaling step-down training models – While school-based mentorship worked well, reaching hard-to-access communities will require more localized and peer-driven training models.

• Ensuring long-term policy commitment – While advocacy efforts led to gender desk offices being set up, ongoing government engagement is crucial to ensure they remain active and well-funded.

Looking Ahead: Sustaining the Momentum 

This project has proven that when boys and men are engaged as part of the solution, real change happens. Moving forward, the initiative will: 

• Strengthen partnerships with secondary schools to integrate GBV prevention permanently into school curricula.

• Expand the Boys Against Gender-Based Violence Club model to reach more states across Nigeria.

• Continue advocacy efforts with local governments to ensure the newly established gender desk offices remain active and impactful.

• Build on digital advocacy efforts, making gender equality conversations more accessible to young people online.

One of the project leads put it best: 

“Gender-based violence is not just a women’s issue—it is a societal issue. When we engage men and boys in prevention, we build a future where violence is no longer accepted as the norm.” 

Through Project SABI, that future is already taking shape.