Nigerian government trains officials on tackling gender-based violence in schools

The Federal Ministry of Justice, with help from the European Union and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, has started training officials from important law enforcement and child protection agencies. This training aims to improve how Nigeria prosecutes those involved in school-related gender-based violence.

This initiative seeks to make it easier for child survivors of abuse to get justice. It also aims to ensure that offenders are prosecuted more effectively as concerns grow about rising violence, exploitation, and harassment in schools.

Participants in the training include officials from the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Federal Ministries of Justice, Education, and Women Affairs. Civil society organizations that focus on child protection are also involved.

The training program, called the First Training of Trainers on the Standard Operating Procedure on the Legal Pathway for the Prosecution of Perpetrators of School-Related Gender-Based Violence, took place in Abuja on Tuesday.

This program is part of the EU-funded Support to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Programme, which is implemented by International IDEA in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Elizabeth Achimugu, the Executive Director of Protect the Child Foundation, mentioned that participants are expected to pass on what they learn to their colleagues. Future phases of the program will include teachers, caregivers, and other school staff.

Melissa Omene, the GBV Policy and Strategy Development Specialist for the ESGBV Programme, said the training aims to fix gaps in how the Standard Operating Procedures developed in 2024 are carried out. These procedures guide how to report, refer, manage, and prosecute cases of school-related gender-based violence.

Ms Omene noted that gender-based violence in schools is a big problem in Nigeria. Children often face sexual harassment, abuse, exploitation, bullying, corporal punishment, and violence through technology.

"Strengthening the legal pathway for prosecution is also about accountability. It sends a clear message that violence, especially against children in schools, will not be tolerated. Institutions are ready to respond properly," she said.

She added that survivors often deal with long-lasting emotional, psychological, and educational impacts. Girls and other vulnerable groups are affected the most.

In her welcome address, Yewande Gbola-Awopetu, the Head of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Unit at the Federal Ministry of Justice, said the training aims to create a network of trainers within participating agencies. This network will help improve responses to school-related violence.

Mrs Gbola-Awopetu described the Standard Operating Procedure as a useful tool for ensuring accountability and cooperation among agencies that investigate and prosecute offenders.

"Today, we are not just professionals from different institutions. We are partners with a shared goal: to protect children and ensure safe learning environments across Nigeria," she said.

Augustina Apakasa, an Assistant Director from the Federal Ministry of Education, shared that the ministry has given the SOP document to all 115 Federal Unity Schools in the country. The ministry has also talked to school principals about how to implement it.

Ms Apakasa stressed that teachers and school leaders play a key role in spotting and reporting abuse cases.

"There is no way to effectively stop gender-based violence without training school staff. Schools are where many of these cases happen and are reported," she said.

Ms Omene explained that the EU-funded ESGBV Programme will run for four years, from 2025 to 2029. The program aims to improve legal and policy frameworks, boost survivors' access to quality services, and encourage positive social norms to reduce gender-based violence in the Federal Capital Territory and in Benue, Oyo, and Kaduna states.

She revealed that suitable places in hospitals in the FCT have already been found to be used as Sexual Assault Referral Centres and are being assessed.