The wife of Ogun State Governor, Southwest Nigeria, Mrs Bamidele Abiodun, has advocated for strong support, care and justice for victims of gender-based violence.
Mrs Abiodun has therefore hailed the determination of the state government under the World Bank-supported Ogun State Economic Transformation Project to build a Sexual Assault Referral Centre at Ijebu Ode to provide a support and care centre for survivors of gender-based violence.
The First Lady disclosed this during the commissioning of the SARC building on Wednesday.
Mrs Abiodun described the construction of the SARC as a bold step taken by the state government to achieve the vision of a society where every survivor has access to the needed support from all stakeholders.
She noted that as Chairperson of the VAPP Law Management Committee, she had been involved in addressing several cases of rape, sexual assault, and child abuse, and the experiences had shown the importance of referral centres as survivors needed more than just a promise of hope but justice with immediate care and emotional support.
She said, “The Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, which we have worked tirelessly to implement, is already yielding results.
“It has given survivors a voice, empowered communities to stand against perpetrators, and ensured that offenders face the full weight of the law. Through this law, we have not only witnessed an increase in reported cases but also a rise in successful prosecutions.
“The Nigerian Police and other law enforcement agencies have been exemplary in their role, and I commend their efforts in ensuring that justice is served.
“With each case, we have seen how the coordinated response of healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and social workers can change lives for the better”.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Adijat Adeleye, said that the Sexual Assault Referral Centre is far more than a physical structure but an edifice that symbolizes hope, healing, and the triumph of resilience over adversity.
Adeleye described the centre as a safe haven where survivors of sexual violence will find compassion, professional care, and the tools to reclaim their lives.
She also urged all stakeholders, government institutions, civil society organizations, community leaders, and every individual to stand together in the fight against sexual violence so as to build an inclusive society where survivors are empowered, perpetrators are held accountable, and everyone can live free from fear and discrimination.
In her remark, the World Bank team lead, Ma Pamela Chebiwott Tuitott, stated that the World Bank-supported project was aimed at driving economic growth and development in the country.
She said that the project also focuses on improving the business enabling environment to strengthen the agri-food value chain and upgrading skills as well as gender gap assessment.
Also speaking, the Project Coordinator, OGSTEP, Mrs Mosunmola Owo-Odunsi, emphasised the need to support gender-based interventions in order to help the survivors put the past behind them and look forward to a more rewarding future.
SOURCE PUNCH NEWS
