PGI on VIN
Stephanie Orji10 points from PGI’s work on Volunteerism in Nigeria
Proactive Gender Initiatives (PGI) “is a non-governmental organization that promotes effective, and inclusive democracy through human rights advocacy, research, citizens political participation, public interest litigation and innovative approaches.”1
It is focused on defending and advancing the rights and inclusion of women, children, youth vulnerable persons and marginalized groups.
PGI on 13th of September, 2024, launched its research work on Volunteerism in Nigeria (VIN).
The research work is one of the fruits from its Volunteering for Democracy (VFD) programs. Volunteering for Democracy came about to encourage and foster youth participation and women inclusion in the governance process, for a vibrant and yieldful democracy. Here are 10 points from the research –
1. Definition
The work draws on the definitions provided by 2 sources, one of which is reproduced below –
“The United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/RES/56/38), cosponsored by 126 Member States and adopted on 5 December 2001 refers to the terms volunteering, volunteerism and voluntary activities as “a wide range of activities, including traditional forms of mutual aid and self-help, formal service delivery and other forms of civic participation, undertaken of free will, for the general public good and where monetary reward is not the principal motivating factor.”2
The research also gives us a brief sense of volunteering, voluntary work, volunteer, voluntary worker in the United Kingdom, as espoused in a fact sheet by the Royall (sic) Holloway, University of London.
See page 11
2. Volunteerism around the Globe
The work points out volunteerism trends in different parts the globe such as – North America and Europe, Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean. It notes that volunteerism in Africa is part of communal cultures and traditions. It also points out that volunteerism in Nigeria manifests in the local cultures and traditions of the various tribes that make up the country. In the country, communal labour and age grade systems promote volunteerism. Volunteerism is also practiced and promoted in the religions of the people.
It did not leave out the role of the arrival of the early Christian missionaries in the 19th century who established schools, hospitals, and orphanages, and that they were able to achieve these with the help of both local and expatriate volunteers.
See pages 13 and 14
3. National Youth Service Corps
The work lauds the volunteerism element of the National Youth Service Corps, for although this is a Government program established to promote national unity and development in Nigeria especially amongst the youth. It bears elements of volunteerism, which can be seen especially in the Community Development Service (CDS) which are undertaken by corps members. Corps members undertake positive projects to improve and advance the host communities where they have been deployed to serve.
See page 36
4. Online Volunteerism
The work points out that the digital age has given rise to online volunteerism. Volunteers volunteer their time and skills online on activities such as tutoring, social media advocacy, fundraising, etc. Here, geographical location is hardly a barrier.
See pages 19 and 41
5. Security Volunteerism
Security volunteerism arose as a means for citizens to deal with the insecurity situation in the country. It also highlights the contributions of citizens in this regard, such as – rapid response, etc.
See pages 19 and 20
6. Laudable Volunteerisms Championed by Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)
The work points out that there have been successful volunteer programs both globally and locally and highlights some, including some Organisations that have recorded successes in the area of volunteerism. They include –
Globally – Habitat for Humanity, The Peace Corps, Teach for All, African Union Youth Volunteer Corps (AU-YVC).
Locally – Slum2School Africa, Lagos Food Bank Initiative (LFBI), Hacey Health Initiative.
See pages 30 and 31
7. Election Observation by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs)
In Nigeria, election observation is one major way CSOs have made their footprints on the sands of volunteerism. They monitor the electoral process, they look out for changes in the law, report irregularities, they make their voices heard with regards to any proposed law reforms and even in the appointment of officials, etc.
See page 30
8. Challenges in Volunteerism
The work points out some challenges and barriers to successful volunteerism. They include –
Socio-economic barriers such as poverty, unemployment.
Organizational challenges in areas such as funding, management.
Policy and regulatory issues
Just to mention a few.
See pages 33 and 34
9. Gains of Volunteerism
The work notes that volunteerism has made positive impacts in – job creation, skill development, enhancing civic engagement, improving fairness and transparency in the electoral process.
See pages 28 – 30
10. Recommendations
Chapter 10 of the research work contains recommendations for enhancing volunteerism in Nigeria. The recommendations – at the Government and policy level, for NGOs, for the private sector, at the community level. Some of the recommendations include –
i. Enact legal framework for volunteer protection.
ii. NGOs should establish robust monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems to assess the effectiveness of their volunteer programs.
iii. Private sector could provide funding and support to volunteer organizations.
iv. Provision of incentives (awards, stipends, etc.) to community members which may in turn motivate community members to volunteer.
See pages 43 – 46
The work is filled with rich insights, available for download here – https://progender.org .
Thank you.
Stephanie Orji lawyers at Heptagon & Associates, a full service law firm in Abuja, Nigeria.
31-October-2024.