As part of activities commemorating the 2025 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, the Centre for Family Health Initiative (CFHI) in collaboration with MonClub International conducted a targeted GBV awareness and sensitization outreach at King Fahad Hospital in Gusau, Zamfara State. The session which held during the facility’s Antenatal Clinic (ANC) day, formed part of CFHI’s intensified advocacy to reduce violence against women and girls and strengthen community-level prevention systems within maternal health settings.
More than 120 pregnant women and caregivers in attendance received comprehensive enlightenment on the various forms of GBV including domestic violence, emotional abuse, harmful traditional practices, and sexual abuse. Facilitators also emphasized key prevention approaches, early disclosure, available medical and psychosocial support systems, and safe channels for reporting cases. Questions raised by attendees were addressed to promote improved knowledge, confidence, and help-seeking behavior.
Stakeholders present at the outreach included CFHI and MonClub International staff, ANC matrons, facility health workers, and a UNICEF supervision team. During the sensitization, attendees were educated on the impact of gender-based violence on maternal health, emotional wellbeing, and household stability, and further enlightened on its wider social and economic repercussions. Their participation reinforced collaborative support for survivor-centered response mechanisms and validated the effectiveness of the outreach on facility-based clients.
Facility staff expressed appreciation, noting that GBV remains an underlying barrier to maternal health outcomes, and that continuous sensitization helps improve disclosure and access to services.
The outreach was successfully executed and well-received by both participants and the facility leadership, who commended CFHI’s timely engagement during the global campaign period. CFHI reaffirmed its commitment to advancing stronger advocacy, providing information, enhancing survivor referral pathways, and working with institutional partners to scale GBV prevention initiatives across Zamfara State