Dinidari Africa Partners NHRC on SGBV Response in Nigeria
- A one-day workshop organised by Dinidari Africa has created more awareness on the menace of SGBV in Nigeria
- The workshop is part of activities under the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Collaboration, Advocacy, Awareness and Protection Project
- The project seeks to solicit the cooperation and collaboration of different government arms with gender and human rights focus for a more robust SGBV response in Nigeria
FCT, Abuja - Nigeria's frontline non-profit organisation for women's rights and women's political participation, Dinidari Africa Foundation, has partnered with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) as part of efforts geared toward ending the menace of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the country.
Speaking at a one-day workshop on inter-agency collaboration on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Abuja, the Executive Director of Dinidari Africa, Ndi Kato, noted that there has been an increase in SBGV cases across the country since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Source: Facebook
Kato blamed the rise in SGBV cases on prevailing cultural norms, poor awareness of the framework for reportage of crime, and shortcomings in the justice framework.
She said:
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“Despite the high incidences of SGBV in Nigeria and the associated impacts on victims, SGBV victims in Nigeria have a low reportage and help-seeking behaviour. Only 32% of women who have been victims of violence sought help, and help was mainly sought from the victim's own families.
“This is a result of prevailing cultural norms that discourage reportage of SGBV, poor awareness of the framework for reportage of crime, and shortcomings in the justice framework. Also, informal means of seeking help (i.e. through family and community heads) dampen the SGBV response outlook in Nigeria.”
While appreciating the support of the CommonWealth Foundation and the NHRC, she called for improved collaboration among key government and non-governmental organisations towards ending the scourge of violence against women and girls in Nigeria.
In his opening speech, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu ESQ, highlighted the efforts of the commission towards SGVB response.
Ojukwu, who was represented by the commission's director, Women and Children Department, Harry Obey, noted that the NHRC had launched the Unsub Platform which links victims to the nearest responders, toll-free lines among other interventions.
CSOs concerned about rising cases of violence against women
Earlier in the year, a coalition of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs under the aegis of #StateofEmergencyGBV Movement, raised an alarm over the rising cases of violence against women in Nigeria.
The CSOs stated that the cases have been on the rise despite the State of Emergency on Gender-Based Violence, declared by Nigerian governors in 2020.
The groups made their concerns known at a press conference in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
FG to review Nigeria’s national gender policy
Meanwhile, the federal government is currently undergoing the review of Nigeria's National Gender Policy.
The head, Gender-Based Violence and Data Management Branch in the ministry of women affairs, Mrs. Udeme Abia disclosed this recently.
Mrs. Abia added that the African Development Bank is supporting the national gender policy situation analysis with support from the ministry's consultant Professor Olabisi Aina, stressing that the review is long overview since the last one was held in 2006.
Source: Legit.ng
