GRA: Weekly Highlights

27th – Edition (1st – 7th, July 2024)

Highlights from the Conflicts  Zone: Suicide Bombing Incidence:

On June 30, 2024, a wave of attacks in Maiduguri, Borno state, Nigeria, left many injured and at least 18 dead. The attacks targeted a wedding, hospital, and funeral, with a female suicide bomber detonating an IED in a market pack. The attacks are part of a string of attacks by Boko Haram, known for using young girls and women as suicide bombers. The attacks violate women’s freedom and dignity and call for further action to stop terrorism and protect the region’s civilian population. 

Highlights from Donors: Onboarding of the UNDP Jubilee Fellows 

The Grassroots Researchers Association (GRA) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have launched the Nigeria Jubilee Fellows Programme (NJFP), a one-year fellowship for Nigerian graduates aged 18-30. The program aims to connect them with local opportunities and provide hands-on training, skills, coaching, and mentoring to prepare them for the job market. 

 Highlights from the  Stakeholders:   Excellence Awards  to Women Champion 

The Grassroot Researchers Associations (GRA) recently witnessed  an award of excellence event, where a commissioner was recognized for her public service in empowering women and children affected by conflicts in North-eastern Nigeria. The Nigerian Excellence Awards in Public Service (NEAPS) were held on July 6, 2024, at the State House Conference Center in Abuja. The event, hosted by TBS, honored 42 distinguished individuals, including Zuwaira Gambo, Commissioner for Women and Social Development in Borno State, who supported the campaign against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and the Women and Children Conflict Survivors Foundation in partnership with Ministry of women affairs.  

Highlights from the  Communities:   Closure of the Internally Displaced Camps 

Several camps in the LGAs of Jere, Konduga, and MMC were closed between May 2021 and June 2024, which resulted in the return of some internally displaced people (IDPs) to their home LGAs. To determine the relocation destinations of the 34,721 households, or 169,829 IPs, living in these camps, the IOM DTM carried out assessments. 93% of the people that were monitored were in secondary or return relocation regions. It is anticipated that the remaining IDPs would be included in later assessments