The NEEM Foundation has said that over 1,172 people faced Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and Adamawa State.
The Technical Lead, Neem Foundation, Evelyn Terund Ugbe, said this on Thursday in Abuja at a stakeholders’ round table on strengthening SGBV responses organised by NEEM foundation with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), European Union (EU), UN Spotlight Initiative Project.
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She said that sexual and gender-based violence is not only a consequence of gender inequality but also a constant reminder of women’s low status in society and the multiple disparities between genders.
“Research show that girls living in Nigeria could have experienced at least one form of sexual assault by the time they reach 25. Governments and development organisations have supported interventions to curb the menace, particularly with the passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law in Adamawa, FCT and across the 33 states of Nigeria.
“Also are the supported designated courts to gender-based violence, establishment of Sexual Assault and Referral Center, One Stop Centers, GBV Data Dash Board, sexual offenders and service provider registers among several other interventions. Despite the extensive commitments and intervention, SGBV still persists,” Ugbe said.
She said that the National SGBV dash board shows that, 513 GBV incidents were reported in the FCT, within the period of January 2021 to June 2022, while in Adamawa State from January 2021 to May 2022, 659 cases have been reported from the 21 LGAs in the state with Yola North, Numan, Yola South, Demsa and Gerei recording the highest incidents.
She said, “In light of this, Neem Foundation is working with the Ministry of Women Affairs to implementing the coordinated response to sexual and gender-based violence project with financial and technical support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) EU UN Spotlight Initiative Project.
“The project is focused on strengthening the capacity of service providers and to making essential services available and accessible, acceptable and of quality standards. Furthermore, providing technical support to the one-stop centers where survivors can access holistic services such as medical care, psychosocial support, legal assistance, safe space and livelihood support.
“The centre is crucial especially at a time when there is an increasing gap and demand for services to survivors of GBV. The intervention is also providing coordinated, multi-sectoral and quality essential services for SGBV survivors in a coordinated manner.
“However, we still have a long way to go. We recognize that the issue of GBV is complex, affects women, children, families and Nigeria at large. Therefore, coordination and cooperation within all sections of our society have an important role to play in preventing GBV. No one is safe till we are all safe. Let us make it our responsibility to voice up GBV in the community. Today, we share the following important key messages.”
Also, the representative of the Ministry of Women Affairs, a Deputy Director, Victoria La’ah, said that their centres to take care of rape victims are free without charges attached to it and that curbing SGBV is a collective responsibility by all Nigerians.
