The Safe Cities Campaign (SCC) was one of ActionAid International global campaigns that was aimed at improving safety, mobility and access to public services for women and girls living in poverty and exclusion. The campaign among other objectives sought to reduce violence against women and girls through enactment and implementation of gender inclusive urban policies and legislation that can result in reduction of violence and fear experienced by women and girls in various public spaces. In Nigeria, the SCC focused on the university environment with the single purpose of responding to the issue of safety needs and rights of university students, especially female students.
Part of key activities of the campaign was evidence generation. In 2012, the project team conducted an audit in two selected Nigerian universities- University of Agriculture Makurdi, Benue State and Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. The information generated from the audit was used in the preliminary design of the campaign framework. In 2016, AAN conducted a Baseline Study expanding the targeted universities to include Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Benue State University, Makurdi; and Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. The baseline further provided evidence that informed programmatic decisions on the Campaign.
Across the three universities, the SCC was led by young people called Activistas. They raised awareness on the safety needs and rights of students using key moments like the 16 Days of Activism to End Gender Based Violence
