Bauchi: Committee urges parents, families to report incidences of sexual and gender based violence

From Paul Orude Bauchi

Bauchi State Action Committee on Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) has urged parents and guardians to report acts of sexual and gender based violence to the appropriate authorities.

Chairperson of the committee, Hajia Talatu Musa gave the advice while speaking with journalists in Bauchi on Tuesday during a one-day meeting to develop a work-plan for the year 2024.

Musa identified lack of reporting as one of the main challenges of addressing sexual and gender-based violence in the state.

 “We are having challenges with parents and guardians in terms of reporting because  most still have the idea of keeping quiet when it comes to sexual gender-based violence issues”, she said.

“People don’t want to speak out, they are always thinking that the survivor will be stigmatized or if the perpetrator is a friend or family member will be exposed to shame, so people always think it’s better to remain quite to protect the survivor or the perpetrator”.

The Chairperson disclosed that the Committee was established by the Bauchi State First LADY Hajia AAISHA Bala Mohammed in July 2020 to create awareness regarding SGBV.

She said that the Committee is saddled with the responsibility of taking proactive measures in collaboration with stakeholders in the state to curb the crime of sexual and gender based violence.

“We will design a work plan for 2024 that will include series of activities to be carried out,” she said.

Musa explained that the work plan would guide the committee to carry out activities such as sensitization, creating awareness, providing medical assistance, visitation to survivors, among others activities.

The Secretary said the Committee had been collaborating with stakeholders adding that tremendous achievements had been recorded since its establishment three years ago.

“We have established a center with the support of the First Lady to provide free and confidential medical care to survivors of SGBVs at the Specialist hospital”, she said.

She said that the Committee has also established a shelter to serve as a temporary home for survivors of SGBV, adding that services is free.

“In that regard, even transporting victims from remote areas is free of charge, when you bring a survivor to us, we refund all that you have spent on the survivor,” she said.

According to her, the Committee has intervened in more than 300 cases, ranging from sexual assault, deprivation, child abuse and other issues relating to sexual or gender based violence.

She said the committee is working with the police and other law enforcement agencies in order to ensure justice for SGBV survivors in the state.

“We also have response teams across the 20 local government areas of the state,” she disclosed.

“Any time we a case, we report to the police and the police acts on it”

She appreciated Governor Bala Mohammed for the approval and release of funds to the Committee for running its affairs and pleaded for more in view of the enormity of the tasks before the committee.

She said that the stakeholders of the Committee includes, ministry of women affairs, justice, human Rights Commission, ministry of religious affairs and social welfare, NAWOJ, ministry of justice, hospitals management board, among others.