The Kaduna State Government has reported about 500 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) to the National GBV Panel, of which five cases have been prosecuted as of the end of September.
Jamilu Ladan, UNFPA State Coordinator at the state Planning and Budget Commission (PBC), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kaduna on Sunday.
Mr. Ladan, Program Officer at PBC, explained that the feat was achieved with the support of other development partners and civil society organizations (CSOs) working in the field of gender-based violence.
Mr. Jamilu Ladan, State Coordinator of UNFPA Secondary Implementing Partners, Kaduna State Planning and Budget Commission
He described the effort as one of the milestones recorded, explaining that the state was initially behind in terms of the number of cases reported to the national dashboard.
“But at the end of September, Kaduna State was among the top states in terms of reported cases of gender-based violence, which numbered about 500, of which five cases were prosecuted,” he said.
For his part, Elvis Evborein, reproductive health analyst at UNFPA Kaduna, said gender-based violence was a multi-sectoral outcome, with civil society organisations, government agencies and other partners playing different roles.
Mr Evborein said UNFPA supported the state government to create a GBV Technical Working Group where relevant stakeholders come together to ensure synergy and coordination in the GBV response.
The objective, according to him, is to have a common front and be able to achieve the desired objectives.
READ ALSO: UNFPA supplies family planning products to 700 health centers in Kaduna – Official
He said the fund had been supporting the technical working group to hold quarterly meetings to review developments in the sector, document results and find solutions to challenges.
“This association’s main objective is prevention, so that people understand that beating women and psychosocial abuse are violations of women’s rights.
“This also applies to girls, boys and even men.
“We are working to address these negative social norms, correcting myths and referring survivors of gender-based violence to available services.
“We are also supporting the referral mechanisms available in all communities in the state,” he said.
(YAYA)
