By Lizzy Carr, Bauchi
Multi sectoral stakeholders working on gender-based violence, GBV, in Bauchi state have developed a referral pathway that will facilitate easy response to victims.
The pathway come up at a three-day USAID Integrated Health Program, US-IHP, workshop on developing a multi sectoral gender-based violence referral pathway in Bauchi.
The Technical Director of IHP, Dr Ibrahim Kano said referral pathway is an important approach to tackle GBV as it will guide victims on where to go and seek response.
“Multi sectoral approach that include Health, Shelter, Psychosocial support, security and legal sector response will give the victim or the public direction on how to look for response in case of any gender-based violence.
“The question is why is GBV given less attention in our community? Is it because most of the victims are from poor home or what”.
Kabo said the referral pathway will improve coordination and collaboration between stakeholders working on gender-based violence in the state.
“Stakeholders need to come together and push for justice for victims.”
The executive chairman, State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed said parents must be vigilant and teach their children good morals.
“Ethics and values are key to development and thus the community must abide by these. Domestic violence is a component of GBV that families don’t want to talk about, they refer to be silence a factor that has continued to promote it in our society.”
A director at the Bauchi State Ministry for Women Affairs and Child Development, Fatima Abdullahi said the workshop will activate and strengthen stakeholders’ views to ensure pro-active and effective handling of GBV cases.
Abdullahi said the ministry has introduced a dashboard to facilitate the collation of data and reported GBV cases.
Also speaking, the gender, social inclusion and community engagement Advisor of IHP, Helen John said the referral pathway will help map out GBV service points, response and contacts of stakeholders that survivors and victims can link up to for help.
The stakeholders were drawn from the State GBV technical and Action committee, Civil Society Organisations, the media and government agencies.
