Not fewer than 300 survivors of gender-based violence (GBV) have received the needed care and attention to rehabilitate and rebuild their confidence in Bauchi State.
The disclosure was made by the Secretary of the State Action Committee on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Talatu Musa while fielding questions from journalists at the NUJ Press Center in Bauchi on Tuesday.
According to her, “We have provided intervention for more than 300 victims since its establishment, ranging from sexual assault, deprivation, child abuse, and other related issues like domestic violence.”
Talatu Musa added that “we are collaborating with the police; the police gender desk officer is a member of the committee, and the PPRO too is a member of the committee. We also have response teams in all 20 LGAs.”
She further said that “anywhere, anytime we have a violence issue, we report it to the police, and if it is established that there is a case, like rape, it is transferred to the CID at the headquarters in Bauchi for proper investigation and prosecution.”
The Committee Secretary emphasised that all the SGBV services are free. “As I told you, the Governor has approved a certain amount of money to the Committee for the day-to-day running of its affairs; even transporting a victim from the LGA to Bauchi is free. When you bring a victim (survivor) from the LGA, we refund whatever money you spent.”
She disclosed that, “We are here to develop our work plan for the next year, 2024. The Committee was established by the First Lady of Bauchi State, Hajiya Aisha Bala Mohammed, 3 years ago to tackle headlong the menace of sexual and gender-based violence, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.”
She added that the committee came into being in July 2020 and was created to create awareness of the issues of GBV and take proactive measures in collaboration with the stakeholders in the state.
Talatu Musa explained that the Committee members were at the NUJ Press Centre to develop the 2024 work plan, stressing that the work plan is the activities that the Committee intends to do next year; it is guidance in achieving the objectives of the Committee.
According to her, the activities include sensitization in terms of creating awareness, providing medical assistance to survivors, and ensuring that they are not stigmatised in society.
The Committee Secretary stressed that the stakeholders are very committed; “in fact, it is the collaborative efforts of the stakeholders that have brought us thus far.”
According to her, “The committee is now 3 years old, and we have achieved a lot. We have established a resource centre with the support of the First Lady, situated at the State Specialist Hospital in the gynaecology ward.”
“It is there to provide free medical care to the survivors of GBV. We have also set up the shelter to serve as a temporary home for the survivors of GBV; everything there is free,” she said.
The Committee Secretary, however, said that “some of the challenges we are facing are that even though the government has approved a certain amount that will be used to run the activities of the Committee, we have the major challenge of funding because some of the activities we are doing are capital intensive.”
“Another one is also with parents and guardians in terms of reporting. People are still having the idea of keeping quiet and silent when it comes to issues of SGBV,” she lamented.
According to her, “They don’t want to speak out; they are always thinking maybe the survivor will be stigmatised or maybe the perpetrator is a friend, family member, or something else.
They always think that it is better to just keep quiet so that they will protect the survivor away from the people.”
The stakeholders in the Committee are the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, Justice, FIDA, Human Rights Commission, Religious Affairs, Social Welfare, NAWOJ, NCWS, and the Specialist Hospital Management Board.
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