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…As LASG, RoLAC, WRAHP synergise

By Ebunoluwa Sessou

The European Union has promised to support the cause of women and men who are victims of Sexual Assault and Gender based Violence in the Nigeria.

EU in a delegation tour to evaluate the activities of the Idera Sexual Assault Referral Centre, SARC after one year of its establishment in Alimosho area of the Lagos state, led by the Managing Director, European Union for Africa Ms. Rita Laranjhina reiterated the commitment to ensure victims of sexual assault get justice.

It will be recalled that the Idera SARC was established in Alimosho General Hospital by the Rule of Laws and Anti-Corruption, RoLAC program funded by the European Union and implemented by the British Council in Nigeria.

According to Laranjhina, between March 2021 and March 2022, the Idera SARC has provided services free of charge to122 survivors of sexual and gender based violence and over 75 percent of them were girls under 17years old.

Her words: “It is important for us to join forces in the struggle. We will put resources together and partner with relevant stakeholders for justice to be served, with Sexual and Gender Based Violence; there are lots of issues to be addressed.

“The service demands a lot of strength and engagements and I promise that we will continue to support the cause and ensure that victims’ cases are addressed.

“This is the EU’s initiative handled by RolAC and we are working closely. The role of local actors is germane. The States and federal governments must put their resources to address SGBV.

“We always advocate gender parity and we will continue to work with CSOs”, she promised.

Also, the Reproductive Health Coordinator, Ministry of Health, Lagos state, Dr. Victoria Omoera, explained that the ministry of health in partnership with RoLAC through the support of British Council and European Union worked to establish the Idera Centre to provide a one stop shop for services required by victims of sexual assault.

“One year down the line, we realized that this has helped to provide not just case management but psycho-socio support to survivors of sexual assault and to ensure and guarantee that they have somewhere they could be given adequate care to ensure that they could grow pass the thing that has happened to them.

“We understand that gender based violence is on the increase and as a state government we have a responsive mechanism to this and be responsible to provide the support needed”, she said.

In his reaction, National Programme Manager, RoLAC, Danladi Plang, said, “Out of the122 cases reported to Idea SARC, arrests have been made in 66 of those cases with 20 cases undergoing prosecution and one conviction secured; the Idera SARC is contributing to a better justice outcome for survivors of SGBV in Lagos state.

“Idera SARC is the 4th sexual assault referral centre to be established in Lagos and all the four SARC have received some degree of support from RoLAC”, he said.

Challenges

According to the findings, there is persistently low number of prosecutions and convictions compared to the number of cases reported. There is serious immigration of doctors to seek greener pastures.

On sustainability, he said, the state is yet to take ownership of funding the cost of medical service provision, counseling and care for each survivor. Adding that, SARC Steering committee needs to lead on ensuring state budget provision to fund operational needs of that SARC.

On medical and counseling, he said, personnel posted to the SARC department should be appropriately remunerated. SARC needs to strengthen its links and referral mechanisms so as to broaden the services for its clients including shelter and support for survivors.

“RoLAC with its core objective is to enhance good governance in Nigeria by contributing to strengthening the rule of law and curbing corruption.

“It is doing this by supporting reform initiatives led by the federal and state criminal justice institutions, anti-corruption agencies, civil society, citizens and the media.

“RoLAC’s interventions are focused in five states including Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Kano, Lagos and the federal level.

“Access to justice for women, children and persons with disabilities and focus on supporting state government is the core value of civil society in the implementation of these laws and practices”, he said.

On her part, Bose ironsi, Coordinator, Ireti Resource Centre and Women’s Right and Health Project, WRAHP, said, applauded the health personnel for their efforts. “Idera Centre is something I cherish dearly. When we started nobody knew about sexual assault but by the fifth year of the engagement, the sexual referral centre was birthed, the need to take the case beyond police birthed Ireti Resource Centre. We have extended our reach beyond Alimosho, we are now in Ojo and Oshodi. It is better to allow communities to run the centre for effective operations and results