The Kaduna State Government with support from United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) is deepening actions to address Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the state.
The state commissioner for Human Services and Social Development, Hajiya Hafsat Baba, said this in Kaduna on Friday at the ongoing five-day training of trainers on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support for GBV survivors amidst COVID-19 and insecurity.
Baba said that UNFPA was UN’s lead agency working to further equality and women’s empowerment and to address the physical and emotional consequences of GBV.
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She explained that the state government with support from UNFPA partners have put relevant laws and policies in place to adequately respond to GBV issues in the state.
“For example, we have the Child Welfare and Protection Law, Violence Against Persons Law, as well as the Disability Law currently at the final stage of being passed by the State Assembly.
“We also have a Gender Equity and Social Inclusion Policy and just finished developing a Youth Policy and will soon be sent to the Executive Council for approval.
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“We equally have Four Sexual Assault Referral Centres, a Shelter that caters for women in distress where they receive psychosocial support and counselling,” she said.
She added that a Women and Children Centre was also under construction to serve as a one-stop shop for various services to women and children that were violated.
Baba said that the state had also created a N50 million budget line for Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) patients to cater for the patient’s health needs, food and skills when they get healed.
The commissioner said that the government would continue to work with partners in addressing the challenge of GBV and responding to the needs of survivors.
She described the training as “crucial” in ensuring that survivors access the needed support to enable them to live a happy and quality life.
“This training also allows us to share experiences and lessons learnt in our different approaches to responding to the needs of survivors of GVB.
“I commend UNFPA for leading the GBV response and supporting Kaduna State to adequately address gender-based violence related issues and find ways to curb the trend in our communities,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that UNFPA had on Tuesday began a five-day training of trainers on MHPSS for GBV survivors.
The training is part of the series of UNFPA’s interventions to support the states to mitigate the impact of COVID-19, especially among the most vulnerable.
The participants consist of medical doctors, social and frontline workers working directly with GBVs in Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna and Sokoto States.
Others are civil society organisations and officials from ministries of health and women affairs from the states. (NAN)
