By Elvira Jordan
The Rivers State Government has commenced moves to establish a Standard Operating Procedure, SOP, for a coordinated response to gender-based violence, GBV, across the state.
The initiative, led by the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development, CEHRD, in collaboration with the Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, is aimed at clearly defining the responsibilities of government agencies, civil society organisations and other stakeholders involved in GBV prevention and response.
Speaking at a fact-finding meeting organised by CEHRD and the Ministry, The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation, Lauretta Davies-Dimkpa, said the SOP would help eliminate duplication of efforts and ensure survivors receive timely and appropriate support.
Davies-Dimkpa called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders, stressing that a unified approach would make efforts to combat GBV more effective.
She also called for greater attention to grassroots communities, noting that the Ministry was strengthening its sensitisation programmes through its zonal offices across the state.
According to her, the Ministry is yet to achieve full coverage across all 23 local government areas but is working to expand its reach.
She said the Ministry was also engaging religious, traditional and community leaders to ensure GBV awareness reaches people at the grassroots.
Davies-Dimkpa noted that many victims and survivors may remain silent because of ignorance, fear, cultural practices or intimidation, urging residents to speak out when they experience or witness GBV.
The Permanent Secretary also called for stronger partnerships with religious leaders, whom she described as influential voices capable of helping to change harmful practices, encourage reporting and promote the protection of women and children.
CEHRD Seeks Clearer Roles for Stakeholders
Project Lead of CEHRD, Josiah Egbilika, said the fact-finding exercise was designed to map the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders, identify gaps in existing GBV interventions and strengthen collaboration across the state.
Egbilika said information gathered during the exercise would form the basis for drafting the Rivers State SOP, which would subsequently undergo technical review and validation by relevant institutions.
He explained that the validation process would determine whether the responsibilities currently being carried out by different institutions fall within their mandates.
Where responsibilities are found to fall outside an institution’s mandate, he said, they would be reassigned to the appropriate agency.
Egbilika expressed optimism that the process would eventually lead to the launch of the Rivers State Standard Operating Procedure for the Prevention and Response to Gender-Based Violence.
