Achieving Equality for All with Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi

Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi is 2019 TIME 100 NEXT honoree and the 2019 Commonwealth Young Person of the Year. As a gender equality advocate with over five(5) years' experience in sexual and gender-based violence prevention and response programming s well as sexual reproductive health and rights advocacy, Oluwaseun has worked with vulnerable groups and led several projects in IDP camps, schools, communities with the aim to find sustainable home-grown solutions to SGBV and facilitate system-level prevention and interventions. To further promote the well-being of survivors and vulnerable groups, Oluwaseun's organization, Stand to End Rape Initiative (STER) - provides pro bono medical, legal and psychosocial support to survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.

Below is a summary of the interview Achieving Equality for All with Oluwaseun Ayodeji Osowobi

Seun is a gender equality advocate who as a child had always questioned the relevance of gender roles and the disparity in gender norms. Always asking questions she grew up to understand certain roles were expected from the different genders and why it was so. She finally got involved in 2013 when she had enough of the injustice against one gender. She reveals that the world has grown from a place where conversations about sexual violence and domestic violence could not be held and survivors coming out were seen as taboo and because of this she hopes to build knowledge and help people unlearn certain attitudes and practices that have become part of them.

When asked as to the number of sexual violence cases that solved successfully, Seun revealed that not all gender-based violence cases come requiring legal action. She said that some victims would oftentimes ask that there be no legal action but, they are later counseled so they can see reasons why taking legal action was necessary.

She also reveals that Mental health therapy is usually involved when integrating victims back into society. She stated that the survivor’s mental and medical health was very important in their processes as well as preventing STIs and removing any unwanted pregnancies. She revealed that in cases where victims are to meet with their abusers in court, they are prepared mentally and with minimal questioning so they wouldn’t get to relive the abuse in the process.

Replying to a question about creating safe spaces for victims online she said that it required a change in attitudes, knowledge, and practices in the society so each party is held accountable for their actions. She maintained that some narratives and miscommunications needed to be dropped so that sexual violence cases do not continue as an endless cycle of violence. She revealed that they had cases where men would come forward saying they had been raped when they were younger. She was of the opinion that everybody had a role to play in ensuring that such crimes are stopped and the accused are brought to book. She gave credence to the fact that social media has helped in creating awareness around sexual violence and changing the narrative of individuals in the present generation.

She also spoke about the need to protect oneself in the workplace notwithstanding the fear of losing one’s income. She spoke to the fact that the HR department in every company was responsible for protecting the human rights of their employees. She maintained that for one to be able to garner the interest of the majority on such cases they would need to strengthen policies, communities and support systems.

Following the reaction of a caller into the show, she dismissed the saying that all ‘men are scum’ reiterating that men were not always to blame as there sometimes were cases of false rape accusations. She shared the optimism that equality was achievable even as the present generation was setting the pace with women getting into positions of power.