A gender-based violence (GBV) Policy and strategy specialist, Melissa Omene, says 44 per cent of Nigerian female students are experiencing school-related gender-based violence (SR-GBV).

Ms Omene said this on Wednesday in Ibadan, during a Stakeholders’ Validation Workshop on the Oyo State Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for responding to SR-GBV.

The programme was facilitated by International IDEA, with funding from the European Union (EU).

The programme seeks to strengthen the legal, policy, and institutional frameworks required to prevent and respond to violence against women, men, girls, boys and other vulnerable populations.

The specialist said evidence showed that SR-GBV remains a challenge in Nigeria.

She said that an estimated 44 per cent of female students and 35 per cent of male students are experiencing physical or sexual violence perpetrated by teachers or classmates.

According to her, additionally, one in four girls in Nigeria experienced sexual violence before 18.

She said that the violations not only undermine children’s rights and well-being but could also negatively affect school attendance, educational outcomes and future opportunities.

Ms Omene said that research further shown that children who experienced violence were more likely to drop out of school.

She added that sexual violence was associated with poorer mental health and an increased risk of early marriage.

She said that schools are supposed to be a safe space where children can learn, grow and achieve their full potential.

“Unfortunately, Nigerian children continue to face different forms of violence around the education sector,” she said.

Ms Omene listed those forms of violence to include sexual harassment, sexual abuse, exploitation, bullying, harmful disciplinary actions, online abuse and other forms of gender-based violence.

“It is within this broader commitment that International IDEA has partnered with the Oyo State Ministries of Justice, Education and Women Affairs and Social Development to support the development of this important SOP on SR-GBV.

“The SOP that we are validating today seeks to address the challenges by providing a clear and coordinated framework for the prevention, identification, reporting, referral and management of SR-GBV cases. The SOP is intended to guide the actions of educational authorities, school administrators, teachers, counsellors, welfare officers, law enforcement agencies, health service providers and other relevant stakeholders.

“This is to ensure that children affected by violence receive timely, appropriate and survivor-centred support, and ultimately resulting in the increase of the prosecution, or successful prosecution of perpetrators,” Ms Omene said.

In his remarks, the Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olusegun Olayinwola, called for the support of relevant stakeholders in the effective implementation of the SOP.

Mr Olayinwola, represented by the Director of Senior Secondary Schools, Aderonke Ogunsina, said the only way to prevent SR-GBV was to work together as a team.

The Head, SGBV Response Unit, Federal Ministry of Justice, Yewande Gbola-Awopetu, said the ministry remained committed to the fight against school-related gender-based violence in Nigeria.

Ms Gbola-Awopetu said that the ministry would continue to support the implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP), the Child Rights Act, and other relevant legislation.

She said that her ministry would work closely with state governments to domesticate and coordinate the SOP on SR-GBV.

The Oyo State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Abiodun Aikomo, said that the SOP has come to stay in the state.

He promised that his ministry would work tirelessly to ensure its implementation.

Mr Aikomo, represented by the ministry’s SGBV Coordinator, Kashifa Oloso-Olayinwola, commended International IDEA, the EU, Civil Society Organisations and other technical teams for their dedication and expertise in producing the SOP. 

(NAN)