…holds 3 days stakeholders training

…global organisation worried over prevalence of GBV in camps

By Peter Duru, Makurdi

The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, in collaboration with JASPI Health and Gender Development Initiative and the Benue State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, BERWASSA, have conducted a three-day training for stakeholders to check Gender Based Violance, GBV, and sexual exploitations in Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps in Benue state.

Speaking during the training in Makurdi, the Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Enugu Field Office, Mr. Victor Atuchukwu
said the essence of the gathering is to push momentum in the prevention and response to violence against children as well as Sexual and Gender Based Violance, SGBV, sexual exploitation and abuse in humanitarian settings.

He said “and we also decided to set how we can engage, because UNICEF at some point received some reports that the prevalence of GBV were actually becoming alarming in IDPs camps in Benue state.

“Some camps were mentioned in Guma Local Government Area, LGA, so with engagements with the Ministry of Women Affairs, and discussions with the Benue State Emergency Management Agency, BSEMA, we are now working with our CSO partner and other partners working in these IDPs camps to see how we can support interventions to prevent and respond.

“So it is a three-day stakeholders engagement and training. It is basically for us to discuss and acknowledge that these are occurrences and it should not be allowed, it shouldn’t be accepted in the IDPs camps and at the end also forge the way forward.

“Therefore the idea is to build the capacity of this community actors who are managing the affairs in the camps so that they can go and do the sensitisation and awareness and get the support which will help them lead the campaign to change the narrative.

“Most importantly it is to also see that complainants and reporting mechanisms are in place. And when reporting is taking place, sensitisation and awareness is also in place, hence prevalence will definitely be reduced to the bearest minimum.

“We are also discussing on how we can strengthen complaints and reporting mechanisms which will also attract prompt response and service delivery for survivors of violence.

“So this is about building the capacity of the local actors to bring down issues of GBV, sexual exploitation and abuse and all forms of violence against women and children.”

Continuing he said, “I have engaged with the participants and one of the things that have become obvious from that is the issue of ignorance. Especially when they don’t know having been forced out of their ancestral homes and living in camps, but from our discussions so far, especially the women, they are better informed.

“The awareness is there now especially on the issue of sexual exploitation and abuse, because from the discussions sexual exploitation and abuse is a big thing in the camp. And they now understand that even within the humanitarian actor’s space it goes with a serious penalty irrespective of who is involved.

“So the complaint and reporting will be increased and the community actors including the camp chairmen will be leading in the front to check the menace.”

On her part, the Executive Director, JASPI Health and Gender Development Initiative, Doosuurshater Agbatar noted that the three-day training on GBV, Mental health and Psychological Support and Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Abuse was put together to help enlighten stakeholders and address the challenges in the camps.

She explained that the participants were drawn from three IDPs camps in Uikpam, Ortese and Mbawa which is also known as Daudu II.

“We also brought to the training, representative from the Benue State Ministry of Women Affairs, the Director Child Development and the Director Women. We brought their Desk Officers as well.

“We brought the Gender Focal Person from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP. We also brought a Gender Focal Persons from the Police and Civil Defence. We have representatives from Benue State Emergency Management Agency, BSEMA, another from Benue State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency, BERWASSA.

“We also have the IDPs camp managers, GBV Focal Persons in the camps, camp chairmen, women and men leaders in the camps. So it’s complete house.”

She explained that the gathering was to sensitise the targeted persons on the SGBV and GBV response implementation. “We are sensitising government institutions and also building the capacity of the IDP camp members.

“And one remarkable thing about the training is the fact that the women have chosen to open up. They usually are reserved and would not want to speak. But since coming here to participate in this training they have opened up and are speaking out.

“Initially they refused to talk and it was like you needed to press to have them speak but after participating in the first day of the three days training they have all started speaking out. They have picked up courage and are speaking their minds which is one of the things we wanted to achieve with this training. It is a good take away for me.
“Moreover, they are all saying they are going back to cascade what they have learnt here to others in their respective camps.”

The Executive Director hinted that presensitisation sessions had earlier been conducted in the IDPs camps before the stakeholders training. “And so, this is more like to come build their capacity which is just like a train the trainer session. So they are now trainers themselves and they will go back to the camps and sensitise and take prompt action by doing what they have learnt.”

Also, the General Manager of BERWASSA, Mr. Tony Mkpen, represented by the  UNICEF Assistant Desk Officer in the agency, Mr. Patrick Ihuma commended UNICEF for it various interventions in the state.

He urged participants to go back and implement all that they learnt from the three days training.

Speaking on the benefits participants gained from the training, the Campaign Chairman of Uikpam IDPs Camp, John Uvia said, “I have leant from this workshop that no matter who we are dealing with in the camp he is not allowed to break the law. If he breaks the rules of the camp he should be reported to the relevant authorities.

“I also now know that I should not overlook issues of GBV. Before now I didn’t know the channel of reporting such incidents but now I have learnt alot of things that would help me ensure peace and orderliness in the camp.

On his part, the Camp Manager of Ortese IDPs camp, Mr. Mark Terver said “this training has further opened my eyes to some issues I didn’t know about before now. Child protection in the camp is very very important in the society and particularly as it concerns the IDPs.

“We have been exposed to the Child Protection Act. Also, GBV and SGBV can never be tolerated for any reason whatsoever. On our own part we have learnt so much and it is about implementation now. As we go back we will ensure strict implementation of what we have learnt.

“We have been taught how to tackle issues of sexual exploitation and how to protect children from all forms of exploitation in the camp. I think that the organisers of the training deserve the commendation of all for bringing us together to expose us to these issues that would help us ensure peace and sanity in the camps.”

Mwarga Nyive, a Block Leader at Daudu IDPs Camp II said, “I appreciate this training because it has opened my eyes to what my responsibilities are in the camp.

“Now I know that I should report any untoward happenings including sexual abuse and GBV in the camp which out of fear I could not report in the past. If I go back I would also educate others about what we have learnt here to ensure that anyone who breaks the rules are reported accordingly without fear.”