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From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi
Worried by the numerous cases of violence in the state, the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) has called for stronger collaboration with the Benue State Government to address gaps in the state’s response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
Juliet Olumuyiwa-Rufai, the GBV Cross-Sector Service Provision and Protection Specialist at International IDEA made the call in Makurdi on Monday during a courtesy visit to the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Theresa Ikwue, in Makurdi.
During the visit, it was disclosed that even with the numerous cases of GBV in the state, Benue has no state owned shelters and just one Sexual Assualt Referral Center (SARC) which is equally not functioning optimally.
Olumuyiwa-Rufai, who is leading the Component 2 of the European Union-funded Support to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV) Programme, said the programme was designed to prevent SGBV, strengthen institutional responses and improve access to essential services for survivors.
She said SGBV affected people across age and gender groups, adding that the programme had encountered cases involving children, elderly women and male survivors.
According to her, the programme has three components focusing on strengthening legislation, improving survivor services and promoting positive social norms aimed at preventing SGBV.
She said Component 2, which she leads, focuses on healthcare, psychosocial support, justice, referrals, shelters and protection services for survivors.
Olumuyiwa-Rufai said although Nigeria had about 52 Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), the priority should be to ensure that existing centres were functional, adequately equipped and accessible to survivors.
She said International IDEA would work with the Benue State Government to strengthen leadership and coordination of the state’s SGBV response without taking ownership of government institutions.
She added that the programme would support improved GBV data collection, referral pathways, shelters, psychosocial services and community-based interventions, particularly in hard-to-reach communities and Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
The specialist also called for GBV-responsive budgeting and capacity building for service providers, including measures to address vicarious trauma and secondary traumatization among professionals who work with survivors.
She said the programme, expected to run for about four years, would provide an opportunity for sustained collaboration and the institutionalization of SGBV interventions in the state.
The Benue State Coordinator of the ESGBV Programme, Mrs Gloria Bai, identified inadequate shelters and non-functional survivor service facilities as major gaps in the state’s SGBV response.
Bai called for a dedicated space within the Ministry of Women Affairs for an SGBV unit, which she said could be supported and equipped under Component 2 of the programme.
She also called for an assessment of the existing SARC to determine whether it had the required doctors, counsellors, social welfare personnel, medical services and functional forensic equipment among others requirements.
According to her, there was need for proper collection and preservation of forensic evidence which is critical in rape cases saying it could strengthen survivors’ efforts to obtain justice.
Also, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Martha Edor, disclosed that Benue currently had only one SARC, describing it as inadequate to cater for survivors across the state.
Edor appealed to International IDEA and other development partners to support the establishment of additional centres and shelters to strengthen the capacity of service providers.
She said the government could not tackle SGBV alone and appreciated development partners for their continued support and collaboration.
The Permanent Secretary further disclosed that Benue had no government-owned shelter for SGBV survivors, explaining that existing shelters were operated by Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).
She described the absence of a government-owned shelter as a major gap requiring urgent intervention by development partners and expressed readiness to partner with International IDEA to ensure that survivors of SGBV in Benue received the required services.
