The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on Monday began a five-day training on gender-based violence (GBV) case management for frontline responders and stakeholders in Benue.
Supported by the Government of Japan, the training aims to strengthen participants’ capacity to provide survivor-centred services, improve referrals and ensure effective management of GBV cases in the state.
Mr Christian Macaulay, UNFPA Humanitarian Coordinator and Head of the Maiduguri Sub-office, said the training was part of the organisation’s support for government efforts to address the consequences of GBV.
Macaulay said women and girls were disproportionately affected by humanitarian crises, with GBV cases reported both inside and outside displacement camps.
He said UNFPA had been working with the Ministries of Health and Women Affairs and Social Welfare to strengthen the capacity of state and non-state actors to respond to GBV.
According to him, the training would equip participants with the skills to provide essential services, including case management, psychosocial support and referrals to appropriate service providers.
He stressed the importance of following established guidelines and principles when handling GBV cases, particularly confidentiality, empathy and survivor protection.
“The training will also build on the recently developed GBV referral pathways to promote coordinated and multisectoral responses,” he said.
Macaulay expressed optimism that participants would acquire the knowledge and skills needed to manage cases in line with UNFPA’s guidelines for case management in emergencies.
The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Mrs Theresa Ikwue, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Martha Edor, expressed the ministry’s support for the training.
Ikwue described it as important to strengthening the state’s response to GBV and urged participants to engage actively in the sessions to help build a more effective and coordinated response system.
The Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Dr Margaret Adamu, said the training was timely, given concerns about GBV affecting schoolchildren, young girls and women.
Adamu, represented by Mrs Dorothy Ganyam, Desk Officer for Collaboration and Partnerships in the Directorate of Education Support Services, said schools should be safe places for learning, not sites of abuse and trauma.
“Violence against children can disrupt their education, threaten their future and undermine their dignity,” the commissioner said.
She said educators and school managers had critical roles in preventing GBV, identifying cases early, facilitating referrals and supporting case management.
Adamu urged participants to apply the knowledge they gained in schools and communities. She added that the state government remained committed to zero tolerance for GBV and to providing safe, inclusive and quality education.
Mr Daniel Adakole, Emergency Response Officer at the International Organization for Migration, also urged participants to take the training seriously and help improve response systems.
Adakole emphasised the need for empathy, understanding and effective collaboration among stakeholders handling GBV cases.
The training brings together frontline responders, educators, social workers and other stakeholders involved in supporting and protecting survivors.
It is expected to strengthen service providers’ capacity to deliver coordinated, ethical and survivor-centred interventions across the state.
