Stakeholders on sexual and gender-based violence have called for more commitment from the Rivers State government and concerted effort from all, towards effectively addressing the menace which is on the rise in the state.
The call was part of resolutions taken at the end of a one-day multi-stakeholder meeting put together in Port Harcourt on Tuesday July 22 by Healthy Life Development Initiative, a non-governmental organization.
The essence of the high-level gathering was to deliberate on strengthening Sexual and Gender-based Violence response systems and establishing Local Government Area synergy in Rivers State.

The venue was the Small Conference Hall of the Primary HealthCare Board Rivers State, Port Harcourt and in attendance were representatives of Ministries of Education, Health, Justice, Social Welfare, Water Resources, UNICEF, NAPTIP, NOA, Police, Civil Defence, CAN, the Muslim Community, other paramilitary services, Rivers State SGBV Response Team, Community leaders and the media.
Welcoming participants, executive director of HELDI, Dr Mfon Uti stated that HELDI chose Eleme, Onelga and Etche as its focus for the SGBV project because of the record of incidents of abuse there, noting that sensitization and high level advocacy have been ongoing with some level of success recorded.
She however highlighted some challenges but expressed hope that working in synergy by all concerned stakeholders will bring about much desired result. She called for collaboration in making the society safe for everyone.
The HELDI ED also charged the SGBV Response Team set up in the three target LGAs to adhere to laid down principles acquired during their training to ensure proper delivery of services.
Dr Uti took participants through her organization’s journey via a video documentary, promoting an end to SGBV through community sensitization and advocacy to stakeholders including visits to traditional rulers, police, permanent secretaries of related ministries and agencies.

According to her, HELDI’s main concern is in promoting synergy between all organs seeking to effectively address the SGBV in the state as well as getting government to support local government centers in its three target areas of Onelga, Etche and Eleme.
Permanent Secretary Ministry of Social Welfare, who chaired the meeting commended HELDI for trying to bring all together. She lamented that working in silos has not helped the state as it has made having a comprehensive data on work done and being done difficult.
She demanded that if nothing, the meeting should set the ball rolling for a Data Dashboard on SGBV in Rivers State.
The issue of sexual and gender-based violence especially in the communities generated much discussions with line actors pledging support for HELDI. A few critical observations were however raised:
*Although many civil organizations are sensitizing the public, much work still needs to be done while there is no harmonized status of groups working on SGBV in the State.
*Some level of success has been recorded by HELDI in the campaign to end SGBV with two major challenges- lack of safe centers for survivors and prosecution of violators.
*Lack of synergy between frontline government officials and civil society groups working in the field impedes progress.
*The absence of data on incidents was stressed noting, that this has robbed the state of funding opportunities from international partners.
*The state does not have a standard data imputing format. Men and boys are not being integrated in the dialogue to improve understanding of challenges and what to do.
*Gender education should begin from the home to promote equality between boys and girls.
*Participants agreed that there is need for more awareness especially, among community and religious groups on SGBV, to encourage survivors in speaking out to end abuse.

*Although incidents of abuses occur in the communities, medical facilities are not functional in many, making access to relevant healthcare and response that might be helpful in handling cases like rape, difficult.
*The ministry of Social Welfare reported that it has an operational Safe Center and soon to be commissioned Sexual Assault Response Center equipped with health, social and legal facilities, to deal with SGBV issues.
*The Primary Healthcare Board also provides offering some of the services Doctors Without Borders was offering for abuse survivors in the past.
The representative informed of the existence of response centers in four places- Orogbum, Eliozu, Oyigbo and Ayama.Health personnel have been trained for 17 more centers soon to be opened while every LGA would eventually have one, DR Green who represented the Rivers State Primary Healthcare Board stated.
*Local Government response coordinators in their reports rendered at the meeting, indicated challenge with logistics for tracking, and poor response from police and related stakeholders.
*They expressed the need for more strategies on how to tackle SGBV especially in the communities.*The cultural and religious dynamics on SGBV was also identified as not being addressed.
*Campaign not yet reaching all, as banks and other private sector zones are yet to be fully sensitized while violence is arising from new angles like the herders challenge.
After well-reasoned deliberations, the following resolutions were arrived at:
*All must work in concert to address SGBV in the State.

• There should be a comprehensive record of all organizations working on SGBV
  *The Rivers State Government should be the number one driver of the campaign and give response priority attention.
• A reporting format for data collation must be developed and adopted.
  *Parents should begin the required social norm change by teaching boys and girls equally in role assignments, respect for girls. This should be continued in schools.
• Step up on the engagement of men and boys in programmes on gender based violence.
• There should be capacity strengthening and sensitization to improve survivors’ ability to report cases so violators can be properly brought to book.
  *The Rivers State government should show commitment towards ending SGBV by committing more funding to SGBV.
  *Government – state and local governments-should bring Community and Religious leaders together to fashion out how to align cultural and religious matters with present day realities to reduce developing conflicts.
  *Government at state and local levels must address rising incidents of herders assault which is affecting mainly women and farmers.
  *Hotlines from the Ministry of Social Welfare for reporting on abuse cases
  Rehabilitation Hotlines: 07040410523 07040410081should be spread among the media and SGBV response coordinators for ease of operation.
  *Register of offenders should be regularly published to shame offenders.
  *For success and sustainability, there must be synergy among all the key stakeholders.
  *The Rivers State Government should launch Local Government SGBV Response Centers beginning with Onelga, Eleme and Etche already set up.by HELDI.#End SGBV Now!