"Kebbi State Govt Boosts Fight Against GBV with Plans for New SARC Centres"

By Umar Faruk Birnin Kebbi

The Kebbi State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling Gender-Based Violence (GBV) with plans to establish four additional Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) across the state's Emirates. This announcement followed a high-level stakeholder engagement meeting held at the Government House, Birnin Kebbi, chaired by Her Excellency, Hajiya Zainab Nasare Kauran Gwandu, First Lady of Kebbi State and Chairperson of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on GBV.

The meeting brought together key government officials, consultants, and sectoral leaders to deliberate on the modalities for training SARC personnel and strengthening social work services in the state. Hajiya Amina Ibrahim Bamalli, Lead Consultant from Pearl Services Ltd, lauded Kebbi State for its leadership role in GBV programming in Northwestern Nigeria. "The role of social workers in addressing trauma from violence is indispensable," she emphasized, proposing the creation of skill acquisition centres to support survivors' economic independence.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Suwaiba Salihu, raised concerns about adequately equipping the planned SARC centres. Stakeholders were assured that consultations with NGOs are ongoing to ensure full resource mobilization for the SARCs' operational readiness.

Barr. Aishatu Abbas, Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, announced the upcoming inauguration of a multi-stakeholder committee to guide GBV policy implementation. Dr. Nura Mohammed Kangiwa, Director and Medical Consultant of the Maitalle Tara SARC in Kalgo, shared detailed requirements necessary for operationalizing each centre.

Former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Basic Education, Hajiya Rafaatu Hammani, reiterated the importance of robust social services. Her Excellency, Hajiya Zainab Nasare Kauran Gwandu, thanked all participants and reaffirmed her dedication to ensuring the new SARCs are fully operational before the end of 2025.

The First Lady stressed the importance of grassroots accessibility and cross-ministerial collaboration, calling for sustained media engagement to increase public awareness around GBV prevention, survivors' rights, and legal consequences for perpetrators. The meeting concluded with a collective resolve to advance Kebbi State's GBV response framework.

With these new initiatives, the Kebbi State Government is taking significant steps towards combating GBV and providing support to survivors. The planned SARC centres will play a crucial role in providing accessible and comprehensive services to those affected by GBV.