Two NGOs, International Alert, and Global Peace Foundation, have sought for a space to establish a women and girls ‘safe-space’ (structure) to address Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in Kudansa Community, Chukun LGA of Kaduna State.
The request was made at a meeting by officials of the two NGOs, with Head of the community on Thursday in Kaduna.
Mr Sunday Jimoh, the Senior Project Officer of International Alert, explained that the safe-space would serve as a referral center for women and girls, especially survivors of SGBV to get referred to places they could get counselling.
He said the referral, either to the Police or other agencies as the case might be, would be determined by the kind of the SGBV.
Jimoh noted that the two NGOs had trained first responders in Kudansa community.
He explained that the first responders would be saddled with the task of providing first response services to survivors of SGBV in the community.
“The safe-space is going to be manned by the first responders and dialogue facilitators that have been trained to provide psychosocial and psychological support survivors of SGBV in the community,” he said.
The senior project officer, noted that the Kudansa Community had been reported to have high and increasing number of SGBV over the years.
He said some of the discussions and assessment the International Alert and some key stakeholders carried out, highlighted the increase in cases of SGBV.
He, therefore, said the safe-space would provide a safe heaven for women and girls to come together and get referral and also serve as a space for discussion of security issues of importance to them.
Jimoh also said the space would serve as point of strategy for the women and girls to explore opportunities for inclusion in decision making processes in their community.
He noted that the space, if donated, would be for a permanent use of the community to ensure sustainability and continuity of the dividends of the initiative.
“We are open to a workable space which the community can donate. We are also ok with ensuring finishes of what ever they have to donate for the safe-space, be it a land or a structure,” he said.
Responding, the Village Head of Kudansa, Mr Auta Ganyi, welcomed the idea of having a safe-space in the community, noting that it would help in addressing some of the challenges tied to SGBV.
He promised to discuss with his cabinet members regarding the space (structure or land) to be given to the NGOs for a befitting safe-space.
Ganyi assured the NGOs of his timely response.
He called on the government to address some of the challenges being faced in the community, especially insecurity and other forms of criminality.
