AMILOADED MEDIA HUB NEWS UPDATE
The wife of Osun State Governor, Kafayat Oyetola, has inaugurated the Osun State Sexual Assault and Referral Centre (SARC), AMILOADED reports.
Speaking at the event held in Osogbo, the Osun State capital on Tuesday, Oyetola said SARC was part of efforts to combat the “ugly” problems of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the state.
The Osun First Lady added that the campaign against SGBV was triggered by the epidemic cases of rape across Nigeria.
“The situation became so alarming in the year 2020 that the Forum of Wives of Governors in Nigeria, (NiGWF) raised collective national campaign in all states of the Federation.
“Members of the Forum in each state were mandated to key in the GBV Campaigns into their advocacy and development program. We gave ourselves certain measurable goals upon which we are to peer-review. I must say here that Osun has been at the top of meeting these goals.
“One such goals is the setting up of Referral Centres which can help to mitigate the suffering of survivors of SGBV. I am happy that our own Centre is being inaugurated today. I cease this opportunity to thank the NIGWF, for its collective efforts at ensuring that we meet these goals through our development partners, Mc Arthur Foundation,” she said.
Oyetola added that the campaign against SGBV in Osun State started with raising the awareness about the need to ensure that there is absolute protection for girls and women against sexual violence in the state.
She said the advocacy led to series of strategic engagements with the leaders of the three arms of government, adding, “Myself and some of our many concerned women engaged with the Speaker and members of the House of Assembly. The visit brought about the strengthening of the various laws against violence in the state and the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act.
“Afterwards, we proceeded to engage with our leader, Governor Gboyega Oyetola, who has been quite supportive on issues of women development and gender equity. The Governor promptly set up the State Gender-based Management Committee (GBV Committee) to coordinate with relevant ministries and departments in arresting the menace of SGBV.
“Now that we have a Referral Centre in place, our next mission is to facilitate the operations of SGBV Service Providers in the State through a well-reviewed and codified Standard Operating Manuals. We are working on this. Our aim is to completely eradicate Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in our state.
“We must not mistake that SGBV is limited to Rape alone. It manifests in Child Sexual Abuse, Domestic Violence, Harmful Traditional Practices (such as FGM), Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Slavery and Transactional Sex among others. These affect the survivor’s psychological and physical health with the likelihood of future health impairment.
“Few Complications include unwanted pregnancy that blight the future of girls, unsafe abortion, female sexual arousal disorder, impotence and Sexually Transmitted Infections not excluding HIV, depressions, drug and substance abuse as well as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) among others. We therefore cannot go to sleep until we make Osun completely free from SGBV.”
The Osun First Lady, therefore, thanked the Hospitals Management Board, the State Specialist Hospital, “especially the Chief Physician, Dr Tolulope Opakunle for your immense support and efforts at making this place a reality.”
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