By Muyideen Aliyu, Ilorin
The Kwara State Government, in collaboration with ActionAid Nigeria, has inaugurated Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Prevention Committees across all 16 local government areas of the state to intensify efforts in curbing the scourge.
At the inauguration ceremony held in Jimba-Oja, Ifelodun Local Government Area, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Chief (Mrs) Opeyemi Oluwakemi Afolashade, reaffirmed the government’s dedication to combating SGBV. She stated that committee members had undergone training to strengthen their capacity to respond effectively to reported cases.
Afolashade observed that while women and girls remain the primary victims of sexual and gender-based violence, boys are also affected, often suffering in silence. She emphasised that stigma, fear of reprisals, and lack of confidence in the justice system contribute significantly to underreporting.
She explained that the committees would act as community-based response mechanisms for preventing SGBV, reporting incidents, and ensuring follow-up actions. Members, she added, will collaborate with law enforcement agencies, healthcare providers, and civil society organisations to guarantee swift and coordinated interventions.
The Commissioner praised Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the First Lady, Ambassador Professor Olufolake AbdulRazaq, for establishing two Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in the state. The centres, she noted, are equipped to provide psychological support, legal assistance, and medical care for survivors.
Afolashade also commended the Chairman of Ifelodun Local Government, Hon Abdulrasheed Femi Yusuf, for demonstrating a strong commitment to eradicating SGBV in his jurisdiction.
In his remarks, Yusuf applauded the state government, the Ministry of Women Affairs, and ActionAid Nigeria for initiating what he described as a highly impactful intervention. He pledged that the Local Government Assembly would pass legislation to provide the committees with the legal authority required to fulfil their mandate.
Mrs Oluwatoni Adeleke, Chief Executive Officer of the Olive Community Development Initiative, advised the committee to ensure the local government allocates sufficient funding to enable it to function effectively as a first responder in SGBV cases.
Similarly, Mr Olufemi Adeleke, Chief Executive Officer of Save the Future of Children Initiative, called on the committee members to operate in full compliance with the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law and the Child Rights Law. He stressed that perpetrators of sexual and gender-based violence must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
