As the 2025 Face of The Smile Outreach “Voices Against Violence” campaign, on November 29, 2025, the founder of Safe Haven Foundation, Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi delivered the keynote address titled “The Power of Youth in Advocacy; Bridging Generations to Combat GBV” at Smile Outreach Africa’s 16 Days of Activism event an inspiring convergence of youth advocates, students, community leaders, and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) experts united in the fight to end violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
Hosted by The Smile Outreach Africa, the event highlighted the growing momentum behind youth-led movements for justice and protection. The organization, founded by the dynamic young visionary Bidemi Adedire, has become a catalyst for community engagement. Her leadership reflects the power of a generation that refuses to remain silent in the face of abuse, discrimination, and inequality. Through innovation, compassion, and determination, Bidemi and her team are shaping a new model for youth-driven advocacy in Nigeria.
In her keynote speech titled “Voices Against Violence: The Power of Youth in Advocacy; Bridging Generations to Combat GBV,” Professor Waziri-Azi reaffirmed that gender-based violence is not a women’s issue but a profound human rights crisis that affects individuals, families, and entire communities. She emphasized that GBV in Nigeria continues to thrive due to silence, stigma, lack of accountability, and limited access to justice for survivors.
Drawing on real cases that shook the nation including the tragic deaths of Queen Igbinevbo, Vera Uwaila Omozuwa, Barakat Bello, and Ochanya Ogbanje, she illustrated the urgent need for structural reforms, stronger community responses, and survivor-centered services. These stories were a reminder that behind every statistic is a life, a family, and a future violently interrupted.
Professor Waziri-Azi’s address underscored the power of young people as the driving force behind meaningful social change. She challenged the audience to see themselves not as the leaders of tomorrow, but as the change infrastructure of today; a generation equipped with creativity, digital influence, and the courage to challenge harmful social norms. Her message reinforced that youth advocacy becomes transformative when it merges with experience, institutional memory, and multi-sector collaboration.
The keynote further introduced the 5Cs Framework for Effective Advocacy; Courage, Competence, Community, Creativity, and Consistency, offering a practical roadmap for young activists, students, and organizations working to prevent GBV and promote accountability. She encouraged participants to build coalitions across generations and professions, innovate through storytelling and technology, and sustain advocacy beyond annual campaigns.
Professor Waziri-Azi also emphasized accountability as a cornerstone of prevention, noting that laws such as the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, the Child Rights Act, and other protective frameworks must be implemented consistently across states. She highlighted the importance of holding systems accountable, supporting survivors through safe and confidential reporting pathways, and investing in youth-led solutions that foster resilience and long-term cultural change.
The Smile Outreach delivered an exceptional event, rich in insight, energy, and community engagement. Congratulations to Bidemi for her vision, commitment, and leadership. Her passion continues to inspire a new generation of advocates committed to creating communities where safety, dignity, and justice are non-negotiable.
Events like this reaffirm that the future of GBV prevention in Nigeria is bright, powered by youth, strengthened by collaboration, and grounded in a shared determination to end violence in all its forms.
