Sexual and Gender-based violence advocates in Gombe on Tuesday decried the lack of shelter and sexual assault referral centre, urging government to declare state of emergency.
PERISCOPE NIGERIA reports that a sexual assault referral centre is likened to a complex where victims of GBV get services all centred in one place. It provides accurate data from cases, survivors get confidential services. Shelter is a temporary place where survivors are taken care of pending when they get better or get help.
Currently, victims report to police and the operatives move survivors to the hospital, involve women affairs which usually exposes them to risks.
Recall that in November 2024, Gombe Commissioner for Health Dr Habu Dahiru disclosed that the state has recorded 388 cases of violence against women and 144 cases against men between 2021 and 2024, stressing that gender-based violence affects both genders, although women remain disproportionately impacted.
Corroborating the calls shortly after launching the state third referral pathway and state operational procedure, Team Lead Advocacy Centre for Development Ibrahim Yusuf, harped the need for SAC centre in the state especially in mitigation SGBV, “it comprises of experts, whether for psychosocial counselling, whether legal services as well as economic training. This will ensure that SGBV survivors are not stigmatised when they return to the community,” he said.
Continuing Yusuf urged government to declare state of emergency saying that it would ensure decisive actions are taken, adding “We call on the state government to declare state of emergency on this because we can’t be going on the negative trend. We need government to bring all stakeholders together most especially the security agencies who are doing their best, the healthcare providers, civil society organisations, media who have been doing their best. There is need for more collaboration, state of emergency to be declared so that more will be done to address the issue.”
Speaking further he noted that the pathway would be reviewed quarterly to make the contacts accurate.
“Some have retired in the previous referral pathway, some others redeployed to other facilities, some others exited from the government agency services. Since it’s a process we don’t need to deny survivors access to justice. Looking at the pathway it cuts across the 11 Local Government Areas and it will be reviewed after every three months,” he added.
On her part, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development Asma’u Iganus, lamented the spate of GBV.
She said, “Gombe State is in the red as it relates to GBV victims and I call on the partners to partner with the ministry let’s know how what they are doing towards curbing cases in the state. With NGOs and groups working around GBV it’s still skyrocketing as you must have heard during 16 days of activism it reduced but now it has picked up again.”
Speaking on the need for awareness Iganus noted that it was obvious many require sensitisation, “People need awareness on how to report the cases. We need safety for our children; the desk officer has declared that three in her custody were called an raped during the school hour they were called and raped. We now have enabling laws as a chairman house committee I made that Violence Against Persons Prohibition act was passed as well child protection law. The bill had spent over 19 years in the house but with the support of the governor and speaker they are now laws since 2022 and we have started the process of enlightening residents across 11 Local Government Areas of the state.
While noting the essence of sexual assault referral centre in curbing SGBV in the state Iganus added, “We need functional SAC centre in Gombe State where consumables can be free, there will be confidential treatment whereby the patient will not be exposed to everyone and no amount will be required from the parents.”
Also, member representing Kaltungo West and chairman, house committee on Women Affairs Gabriel Galadima, urged for involvement of the ministry in plans, projects of donor partners noting that the assembly would not accept denigration of values.
“If you have foreign policies that will undermine our values, we will not take it lightly with you. If you are dealing with women and girls report first to Ministry of Women Affairs because they are the custodians of the development around women development,” he said.
Speaking further he assured government’s efforts geared towards protecting the sanctity of life, vowing that perpetrators of rape would be hound, “No matter how privileged you are we will not keep quite at you destroying other people’s children. We are working hand-in-hand to ensure we come up with laws to rid the state of such acts. Some are not happy at the demolition of hotels and locations where such activities take place,” Galadima added.
