The United Nations has praised the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) for its integrated approach to combatting all forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
Dr Najat M’jid, the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General on Violence against Children, expressed her appreciation during her visit to the Awyetu Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Abuja on Tuesday.
Established in 2020 by the British Council on behalf of the European Union under its Rule of Law and Anticorruption (ROLAC) Programme, the SARC, located at Bwari General Hospital, aims to provide comprehensive medical, psychological, and legal support to survivors of sexual violence, particularly focusing on children and vulnerable groups.
M’jid conveyed her enthusiasm regarding the collaboration among various sectors working together to eradicate all forms of SGBV in the FCT. “I am happy today because of what I have seen – many ministries are onboard supporting the fight against SGBV. This is because the problem is not only the problem of FCT Women Affairs; the issues are also in health, in Justice, and in communities,” she stated.
She further mentioned that her visit aimed to understand the initiatives being implemented to address SGBV, “and how together, we can move forward”. M’jid noted that Nigeria is among the leading countries in the quest to end violence against children and highlighted the nation’s commitment to this cause through various pledges.
“Visit to Nigeria is to see how we can move ahead, how we can support and how we can achieve set targets from the many commitments the country has made. We want to see how we can translate those commitments into concrete services that will prevent and address all forms of violence against children,” she emphasised.
The special representative underscored the importance of tackling the root causes of SGBV, detecting and responding to reported cases, and ensuring that such incidents do not recur.
“It is really important to make sure that the victims can be heard, be considered and be seen as victims and make the perpetrators accountable. There is also the need to stop justifying violence against children and women through poverty and through social norms,” she remarked.
Earlier, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Mrs Adebayo Benjamins-Laniyi, highlighted that a multisectoral issue necessitates a multisectoral solution. She asserted that stronger collaboration among key stakeholders is required to implement effective interventions from the local to the state level, aligning with global best practices.
Benjamins-Laniyi described M’jid’s visit as a “positive disruption” that ignited a desire to enhance partnerships and collaboration among various stakeholders to better serve women and children in the FCT. She also indicated that the FCT Administration has initiated plans to enhance the SARC centre to provide quality integrated services to survivors of SGBV.
Additionally, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, remarked that M’jid’s visit reaffirmed the global commitment to protecting children from violence. Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the secretariat, Dr Baba-Gana Adam, Fasawe described the visit as highly encouraging.
She added that the visit reinforced the role of the sexual assault centre in ensuring access to care, justice, and dignity for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Fasawe disclosed that the hospital has continued to provide services at the centre even after the ROLAC support concluded, although it faces numerous challenges.
Among these challenges, the mandate secretary identified the need for funding for essential drugs and kits, staff training and incentives, inconsistent collaboration with law enforcement, and the lack of prevention and community awareness programmes.
