iMarch4Children… Breaking the culture of silence

To mark National Children’s Day, thousands of people from all over Nigeria including celebrities will march to shine a spotlight on the plight of the millions of children who suffer violence every year in Nigeria, calling on communities to break the culture of silence.

The  Nigeria  Violence Against Children Survey (carried out by the National Population Commission, with the support of UNICEF and US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), launched by Government of Nigeria in September 2015, highlighted the  prevalence of sexual, physical, and emotional violence suffered by  children in Nigeria. The survey estimates that half of all children in Nigeria experience physical violence, one in four girls and one in ten boys experience sexual violence and one in six girls and one in five boys experience emotional violence before they reach the age of 18 years.

The majority of children never tell anyone what has happened to them. Less than 4% get the help they need to recover.

“This culture of silence must be broken”, said Oluwadamilola Apotieri-Abdulai, Convener of the iMarch4Children and CEO of Playback Nigeria.  “At the launch of the Presidential Year of Action to End Violence Against Children on 15^th September 2015, His Excellency President Buhari called upon every Nigerian to play their part to END VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN in Nigeria. #iMarch4Children is our response to raise social awareness of this acute problem facing millions of children and to mobilize communities to take action”.

Playback Nigeria, with the support of UNICEF, has partnered with Civil Society Organizations across 12 Nigeria states and the FCT to march for children.

The #iMarch4Children art-based project will take place in Lagos, Kaduna, Gombe, Cross River, Plateau, Ebonyi, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, Delta, Rivers State, and Abuja on the 27^th of May 2016 by 8am, bringing together children and young people of different age groups and backgrounds, religious and cultural leaders, the general public, celebrities and public figures who have been identified as #iMarch4Children Ambassadors.

All participants will dress in a way that depicts the impact of violence against children, in order to shed a light on the silent suffering of millions of Nigerian children. A communique would be delivered to the Government in each state and at the Federal level on behalf of the CSOs after which a Die-In activity would be conducted, a process which will involve participants lay on their back to reflect on millions of children that have died as a result of violence against children. A daily tweet-meet was launched on social media through tweeter handle @iMarch4Children on the 1^st of May 2016 to afford different stakeholders the opportunity to share their views on issues related to VAC.

“No one Ministry or Organization can effectively address violence against children alone”, said Jean Gough, Representative UNICEF Nigeria, “Violence against children can only be ended through a united and concerted effort by Government, CSOs, religious and traditional leaders, the media, communities and families”.

To participate in the march, citizens are encouraged to contact their state mobilizing partners or contact Playback Nigeria on twitter: @iMarch4Children, @PlaybackNigeria or call 08038288609, 08056579266, 08053287588. or email envacng@playbacknigeria.com.

About Playback Nigeria

Playback Nigeria is an art-based organization dedicated to using interactive arts for psychosocial support, community interaction, enhancement, development and capacity building. It is one of the leading organizations in promoting mental health awareness, community engagement and alternative therapy through art in Nigeria, Playback Nigeria runs interventions in fields including: sanitation and hygiene; transitional justice; human rights; refugee and immigrant support; disaster recovery; climate change; HIV/AIDS education; conflict resolution; good governance; and development.

Partners

The nation-wide #iMarch4Children is being anchored by Playback Nigeria, with support from UNICEF as part of the Year of Action to End Violence Against Children. Implementing partners across states include Media Advocacy and Development Initiative (MADinitaitive), Office of the Deputy Governor of Rivers State, Budget Transparency and Accountability Initiative Nigeria (BTAN), Nigerian Child Advocacy Initiative. THE HAVIDS Centre for Environment & Development, Foundation For Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD), Women United for Economic  Empowerment, ZERO TOLERANCE, ANPPCAN Nigeria, Gombe State  Ministry of Women Affairs And Social Development, Gombe State Child Protection Network.