Empowering Muslim Religious and Community Leaders as Gatekeepers and Champions Towards Addressing Gender-Based Violence
My Reflection on the Impact of Step-Down Training Two (SDT2)
~ Musa El-thani Muhammad
As Programme Manager of the Development Initiative of West Africa (DIWA), I reviewed the Monitoring and Evaluation findings alongside the Project Narrative Report for Step-Down Training Two (SDT2) conducted in Nigeria in preparation for final submission. What emerged from this review was not merely a record of indicators achieved, but a clear and credible story of change that validates the project’s theory of action. SDT2 in Nigeria represents a decisive moment in the implementation of the project Empowering Muslim Religious and Community Leaders as Gatekeepers and Champions Towards Addressing Gender-Based Violence, where earlier investments in the Training of Trainers, SDT1, and structured advocacy translated into observable shifts in knowledge, confidence, and intent at community level. These reflections are drawn from the Nigerian experience and will be further enriched as corresponding SDT2 reports from Ghana become available in the next phase.
From Knowledge through Conviction to Action
SDT2 Nigeria was conducted from 9 to 14 November 2025 across Benue, Kogi, Kwara, and Niger States, engaging a total of 211 participants, comprising 143 men and 68 women. Participation was well distributed, with 55 participants in Benue, 56 in Kogi, 52 in Kwara, and 48 in Niger. The trainings were facilitated by 32 ToT graduates, including 25 men and 7 women, whose involvement ensured fidelity to content, methodological consistency, and quality assurance across all locations. From an M&E perspective, this structure confirmed that the step-down model functioned as designed, enabling trained facilitators to effectively transfer knowledge while being supported through supervision and standardized materials.
What stood out most clearly in the reports was the depth of cognitive and normative shift recorded among participants. Across all four states, participants entered the sessions holding views on menstruation, women’s leadership, domestic violence, and child marriage that were largely shaped by entrenched cultural practices. As the training progressed, facilitated engagement with Qur’anic texts, Sunnah, and jurisprudential sources enabled participants to critically reassess these assumptions. The M&E narratives repeatedly document moments where participants openly acknowledged that practices they had long defended as religious were in fact cultural. One participant in Kwara captured this shift succinctly when he noted that many beliefs he had previously considered Islamic were actually rooted in tradition rather than scripture.
By the conclusion of SDT2, all 211 participants had acquired scripturally justified narratives that directly counter harmful norms and promote gender-equitable interpretations within Islam. The training clarified key issues including consent, maturity and agency in marriage, the permissibility of women’s participation in mosques during menstruation, and the Islamic position on non-violence in family and community life. These outcomes align directly with the project’s core indicator on equipping trainees with credible faith-based evidence to dispel GBV-supportive narratives. Testimonies reviewed in the report further confirm this shift. A male imam in Niger articulated a clear transformation in his sense of responsibility, stating that addressing gender-based violence is not only a legal obligation but an Islamic duty.
The reports also show a marked increase in participants’ confidence to speak publicly and authoritatively against GBV, particularly among women leaders. A Da’wah leader from Niger explained that she now engages her community with confidence, something she previously felt unable to do. Similar reflections were recorded in Kogi and Benue, where participants described their renewed ability to address sensitive issues from the pulpit and in community forums, supported by sound scriptural grounding. From an M&E standpoint, these testimonies strongly substantiate the indicator on increased confidence resulting from credible faith-based evidence.
One account from Niger, in particular, underscores the depth of impact achieved. A male participant reflected on how the session on forced and early marriage reshaped his personal decisions regarding his daughter. He stated his commitment to protecting her right to grow, learn, and choose, rejecting coercion in marriage. This testimony illustrates how doctrinal clarity can move beyond abstract understanding to influence concrete household-level decisions, which is a critical pathway to long-term impact.
Beyond individual change, SDT2 strengthened inter-sectoral understanding and collaboration. Participants demonstrated improved awareness of survivor referral pathways and the complementary roles of faith leaders, legal practitioners, health workers, traditional authorities, youth groups, and women’s organisations. The multilingual delivery of the training in English, Hausa, and Yoruba enhanced inclusivity and ensured meaningful participation. While the report notes attendance challenges linked to relocation, work commitments, and family obligations, these did not undermine overall outcomes, due largely to strong supervision, adaptive facilitation, and sustained engagement.
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In reflecting on the evidence presented in the M&E and narrative reports, I am confident that Step-Down Training Two achieved its immediate objectives. The strengthened knowledge, corrected misconceptions, increased confidence, and renewed commitments demonstrated by the 211 trained leaders provide credible evidence of emerging behavioural and attitudinal change grounded in authentic Islamic teachings. These leaders are now better positioned to influence families, congregations, and community structures across Benue, Kogi, Kwara, and Niger States, contributing meaningfully to a more informed, faith-consistent, and sustained response to gender-based violence
I sincerely appreciate the commitment of all participants whose openness, courage, and willingness to reflect made the outcomes of SDT2 possible. I also acknowledge our partners, funders, supporters, and the Project Management Team for their trust, professionalism, and steadfast dedication in translating vision into measurable and lasting impact.