The Kogi State Government says it is committed to working towards having zero tolerance for sexual and gender base violence in the society.
The Kogi State Commissioner For Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Fatima Buba, made the disclosure at two day train the trainer workshop on sexual/gender base violence/Database Management system organized by the Kogi State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development in collaboration with Community Initiative to Promote Peace with support by Mercy Corps, held at the Children Amusement Park, Lokoja.
The Commissioner who was represented at the training by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adegbola Teddy, lamented the increase rate of sexual and gender based violence in the society, reason why the partnership with Civil Society Organisations and critical stakeholders working on Sexual and Gender Base Violence on the need to synergies has become necessary.
The Commissioner explained that the worrying trend of violence in the society has made the training necessary to enable the stakeholders understanding how to report cases of violence and the use of GBV dashboard.
The Commissioner expressed the commitment of the State government to protecting the citizens against sexual and gender based violence, pointing out that the cases of violence is vice versa with no gender excluded.
While pointing out that Kogi State has zero tolerance for violence, lamented that over the years absence of Data and method of reporting violence has been non existent in the past.
The Commissioner urged the participants to take the training very seriously, maintaining that the essence of the training is geared towards making the society a better place to live in.
The Commissioner praised the efforts of the present administration in the State towards securing lives and properties, commended Gov Bello for ensuring gender equality and protection of the citizens.
Earlier in a welcome remarks, Eunice Abimbola Agbogun, Executive Director, Childhood Parenthood Initiative, described the training for stakeholders working on GBV as very apt in view of the alarming rate of violence in the society.
She explained that the training would lead to better coordination amongst civil Society Organisations on data collection, Management and better coordination in reporting GBV arising from the State to the National Central Dashboard.
While pointing out that over time the state has recorded GBV, lamented that absence of Data has served as challenge to reporting and tracking, said the training is geared towards sensitization for Civil Society Organisations.
Speaking at the occasion, the Director General, Kogi State Public Defender, Abdullahi Wahaab, says with the signing into law of the violence against persons prohibition law in the State, expressed optimism that reporting and prosecuting gender based violence which he noted is on the increase would be drastically reduced.
Speaking at the occasion, Idris Ozovehe, Executive Director of Renaissance Care and Empowerment Foundation, Prince Onuche Isaac Zico, Executive Director of Idoko Foundation as well as Deputy State Coordinator AONN, Kogi State, Mrs Henry Hellen, Executive Director, Improve Achozi Foundation, said the training is an opportunity for Civil Society Organisations in the State to learn the reporting system of GBV, pointing out that the State has overtime witnessed cases of violence, said the knowledge of not knowing how and where to report such cases to have acted as an hindrance in curbing GBV, expressed optimism that they training would impact positively in there work on GBV in the State.
In a presentation, Sunday Sanusi Agbabiaka, National Data Manager, GBV, in a brief overview of the GBV program on Pillar 5 Spotlight Initiative on GBV, said the training is to help build critical mass of DPRS, CSOs, Trainers, introduce partners to GBV National Forms for documentation.
He described major Forms of violence that needs reporting to include sexual, physical, economic, emotional and psychological and harmful traditional practice, said the training geared towards enabling stakeholders have an understanding of roles, responsibilities and of the different actors in reporting to the GBV dashboard.
The facilitator gaps in reporting GBV to lack of Data, expressed optimism that at the end of the training, participants will understand the national data flow and data quality challenges for VAGW and GBV in organizations.
Other presentation made at the training include overview of the GBV incidence and introduction to the National GBV form.