 as a significant step to address the issue.){kind=link}
The Sokoto State Government has developed an Action Plan on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) as a significant step to address the issue.
The action plan aims to provide a comprehensive and coordinated response to GBV, promote prevention strategies, and ensure access to justice and support services for survivors.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women and Children Affairs, Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting on GBV prevention in Sokoto.
He said “the action plan was developed at a roundtable meeting organised with partners in June this year.”
Alhaji said the meeting was centered on national and international frameworks, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP), the National Gender Policy, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
”This initiative was spearheaded through a multi-sectoral and participatory process involving key stakeholders from government ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), traditional and religious leaders, security agencies, and development partners.
”Through a series of consultative meetings, workshops, and technical sessions, the stakeholders identified prevailing GBV trends, existing gaps, and priority areas for intervention, ” he said.
Five Key Pillars
According to him, the GBV Action Plan is structured around five key pillars: prevention, protection, response, coordination, monitoring and evaluation.
The permanent secretary highlighted specific objectives and actionable strategies, including awareness creation, community engagement, legal reform and enforcement, capacity building for service providers, establishing referral systems, and survivor-centered care.
”A clear implementation framework has been developed, highlighting roles, timelines, and resource requirements.
”By adopting this action plan, Sokoto State demonstrates its commitment to eliminating gender-based violence, safeguarding the rights of vulnerable populations, and promoting a safer, more equitable society.
”The plan serves as a guiding framework for action and a catalyst for sustained investment and collaboration among stakeholders to end GBV in all its forms, ” Alhaji explained.
He further said that part of the recommendations at the programme included effort for effective sensitisation and stepdown of laws to surveillance team members at the ward level, while violence in any form should be preached against in all the activities of the religious leaders,
The permanent Secretary said others were rehabilitation of perpetrators, effective collaboration between stakeholders on GBV prevention and response, and capacity building for religious and traditional leaders on the concept of gender.
Hauwa Abu