GBV Management Committee

The Government of Ekiti State’s response to Gender Based Violence (GBV) is based on five key intervention areas, closely monitored by a State GBV Coordinating Mechanism.

1. POLITICAL WILL 

At the inception of the Fayemi Administration, the government adopted a zero-tolerance policy for all forms of violence against women and children. This is the official policy of the State Government. The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. John Kayode Fayemi leads by example by enabling clear and appropriate messaging in a manner that ensures that State Executive Council, Government Ministries, Departments, Agencies and citizens have no doubt about the Government’s commitment to the eradication of all forms of GBV.

Mr. Governor is supported on this issue by all political appointees and elected officials, including members of parliament and Local Government Chairs. The Government inaugurated a high level, multi-sectoral GBV Management Committee to oversee the implementation of the GBV Law and related matters. This committee is the implementation mechanism for the GBV law in Ekiti State. It is made up of statutory agencies as well as civil society representatives. The Wife of the Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, a renowned Women’s Rights Advocate, Chairs this Committee. The Committee has oversight of all aspects of the implementation of the GBV law, including access to justice for GBV victims, treatment and care, education and sensitization and community engagement for prevention.

2. LEGAL AND POLICY FRAMEWORKS.  

• Ekiti State has the most robust legal and policy frameworks in Nigeria for the promotion of Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment. Ekiti has the FGM Law (2002), Widowhood Practices Law (2002) Child Rights Law (2003) Gender and Equal Opportunities Law (2013), GBV Law 2019 (revising the 2011 GBV Law) and the Treatment, Care and Protection of Sexually Abused Minors (2020). Ekiti State was the first State to domesticate the National Gender Policy in 2011.
• Government has harmonized existing GBV Laws for clarity and to ensure effective prosecution of offenders. Specifically, key provisions in the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law is included in the Ekiti State Gender Based Violence (Prohibition) Law, 2019
• Ekiti State is the first state in Nigeria to establish a register of sex offenders. The primary purpose of the register is to ensure that the information on convicted sex offenders in the custody of the Director Public Prosecutions is fully up to date.
• It is Government policy to name and shame convicted sex offenders. Government has adopted a community notification policy permitting the public dissemination of information about convicted sex offenders via official Internet site or the pasting of the profile of the convict in prominent places in his/her community. This is meant to act as a deterrent to potential offenders

3. ACCESS TO JUSTICE

• Government of Ekiti State believes that laws alone are insufficient to address the deep-rooted problem of violence against women. Acts of violence against women must be professionally investigated and prosecuted in a manner that enables access to effective remedies and reparation.
• Government is continuously strengthening the Ministries of Justice and that of Women Affairs to provide effective prosecution and monitoring on matters of GBV. Both Ministries have a clear mandate to identify and respond to cultural, legal and institutional failures that allow GBV to happen and go unpunished.
• Government recognizes the important role of the Police in achieving effective investigation and prosecution of GBV matters. Government has provided the police with the necessary material support to facilitate the process of prosecuting GBV in our state.

4. PROTECTION AND CARE OF GBV SURVIVORS

1. Government has established a Sexual Assault Referral Center – Moremi Clinic, to serve as a one stop medical facility for victims of sexual violence. This facility is located within the Ekiti State Teaching Hospital. Efforts are underway to ensure that additional SARCS and shelters are available in other senatorial districts, so that services are not limited to the State capital alone.
2. In response to the evolving needs of victims, Government commissioned a 208 Bed Transit Home and Vocational Center for women and girls in distress in November 2020
3. The Ekiti GBV Law has provision for a Survivors’ Fund, which is used to support survivors of GBV as they rebuild their lives. So far this fund has supported over 250 women.

d). The Government takes a dim view to the rampant cases of sabotage of sexual violence cases, mostly caused by people close to the victims. Efforts are made to ensure that victims feel safe and protected, and families are discouraged from interfering with law enforcement processes.

 5)     SPECIAL INTERVENTIONS.  

• Government recognizes the relationship between poverty and GBV. The economic empowerment of women is a priority for the state government.  Women’s economic empowerment is critical for inclusive poverty reduction in Ekiti state.  Government’s women economic empowerment programs is not about handing out money but creating opportunities for women to lift themselves out of poverty.
• Government will continue to promote policies and interventions that keep the girl child in school. Government institutions are constantly monitoring the   numbers to make sure that at the end of every school year the numbers of girl child school dropouts are limited.
• Government has prioritized public education and awareness on GBV. Government awareness programs are not limited the State capital. Local government councils are actively involved in the state public education program. Government has also formed creative partnerships with a variety of persons, civil society associations and organizations with message transmitting capacity.

The Ekiti State GBV Law makes provision for an inter-agency and multi-sectoral Management Committee to monitor the implementation of the law. The GBV Management Committee was operational during the 1^st term of HE DR Kayode Fayemi (2010-2014) and began the process of implementing the law through partnerships with various stakeholders. The GBV Committee did not function during 2014-2018. In July 2019, HE DR Kayode Fayemi reconstituted the Ekiti GBV Management Committee. The Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development is the secretariat for the GBV Committee, and it is Chaired by HE Erelu Bisi Fayemi, the First Lady. Since then, the Committee has been working hard to recover lost ground and ensure that all the legal and policy frameworks in place do not remain on paper.

Since July 2019, the Ekiti State Coordinating Mechanism for GBV issues, the GBV Management Committee, has worked effectively in all these areas.  The Committee has the following Working Groups:

• Access to Justice
• Treatment, Care and Protection
• Education and Orientation for Prevention
• Information and Communication
• Monitoring and Evaluation

Even though the COVID19 crisis slowed down work, the GBV Committee has been able to achieve the following:

• The GBV Management Committee has developed a two-year Strategic Plan which will enable effective planning and implementation of relevant programs, as well as the mobilization of partnerships and resources. The plan contains short-medium-long term strategies to mitigate GBV in Ekiti State, and also has a number of sustainability measures.
• The speedy passage of the revised Ekiti State GBV Law October 2019. By harmonizing the previous Ekiti GBV Law of 2011 with the 2015 VAPP ACT, Ekiti State now has a stronger GBV Law.
• The Compulsory Treatment and Care for Sexually Abused Minors Law 2020, the first of its kind in Nigeria. This legislation was signed into law by HE DR Kayode Fayemi on June 5^th
• Through the Office of the Attorney-General, the Sex Offenders Register of 2013 was reactivated in 2019. In addition, Ekiti State now has a ‘Name and Shame’ policy which publishes the names and photographs of convicted sex offenders in the State. The Attorney-General has also introduced a Victim’s Charter which outlines the rights of victims and survivors of GBV in Ekiti State.
• A comprehensive referral pathway for GBV Victims has been developed, which enables victims or whistleblowers report cases via a number of channels and receive the prompt treatment and legal support required.
• Training and capacity building has been provided for members of the GBV Management Committee
• Operation of the Survivors’ Fund which has supported over 250 women
• Comprehensive guidelines have been developed for the running of the Ekiti State Transit Home in accordance with global best practices.
• Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is a harmful traditional practice that is also a violation of the bodies of women and girls. Ekiti State has one of the highest prevalence rates in Nigeria. In September 2019, a ‘Drop the Blades’ campaign was initiated by the Office of the Wife of Governor in collaboration with the National Orientation Agency and Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development. This campaign saw 120 women from 6 local governments drop their circumcision tools in exchange for capital to start a small business. This campaign attracted recognition and an award for Ekiti State from UNICEF in March 2020, as a model of good practice in the fight against FGM..
• The GBV Management Committee has embarked on a series of advocacy engagements with various stakeholders such as the Chief Judge, Attorney General, Council of Traditional Rulers, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), Commissioner of Police, Chairmen of all Local Government Areas, Ekiti State University, Head of Service, School Principals, Media Chiefs, Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and several others. The outcome of these visits has been very promising and will go a long way in ensuring the much-needed ownership of GBV responses.
• On Tuesday June 23 2020, the Ekiti State Sexual Assault Referral Center (SARC) known as Moremi Clinic, was launched at Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital. A permanent site for the SARC was launched on November 25^th The Moremi Clinic (SARC) is a one stop, free, survivor-centered initiative that prioritises the rights and needs of survivors of sexual violence. The SARC has emergency response, medical, legal, counselling, police and community outreach teams. This enables the SARC to provide prompt medical treatment, collection and analysis of forensic evidence, counselling and psycho-social support as well as legal services. The Ekiti SARC is managed by the GBV Management Committee.
• In February 2021, Ekiti State joined Niger, Edo and Abia States in a pilot project called ‘Pathways to addressing Sexual and Gender Based Violence’, supported by the Ford Foundation. This initiative will enable the Ekiti GBV Committee develop Standard Operating Procedures for GBV interventions, organize advocacy outreach programs to tertiary institutions, Town Hall meetings with community leaders, training of relevant stakeholders, radio programs and social media campaigns.

• In March 2021, Gender Desk Officers were inaugurated across the Ekiti State public service in order to provide a means of monitoring and supporting gender mainstreaming efforts.

1. New Initiative for Social Development

Program Head: Olamide Martins Ogunlade

Address: New Imitative Building, Plot 3, Road 4, behind Fayose Housing Estate,

Off Afao Road, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. Email: nisdekiti@yahoo.com Website: www.nisdnigeria.org.ng

Tel: 07036648776

2. Gender Mobile Initiative

Contact Person: Omowumi Ogunrotimi Email: info@gendermobile.org

Phone number: 08068732019 Website: www.gendermobile.org

Address: Wuraola House, Ori Apata, Ado-Ekiti

3. Gender Relevance Initiative Promotion (GRIP)

Rita Ilevbare Executive Director

Suite 5, Afe Babalola Bar Centre, High Court Premises Ado-Ekiti

Tel: 08033581144, 081593542727

Email: grimwomen@yahoo.com

4. FIDA EKITI,

Contact Person: Blessing Ajileye Esq. (Secretary) Tel: 08068083296, | Email: fidaekiti@gmail.com

5. Balm in Gilead foundation for Sustainable-Development (BIGIF).

Contact Person: Adedeji Tumininu,

Executive Director. | Address: Flat 2, Plot 6, Adamolekun

Estate, Ado-Ekiti. | Tel: 08062190556

Email: bigif4development@gmail.com

6. Ekiti Development Foundation (EDF)

Contact Person: Mrs. Bunmi Alonge

Address: Adunni Olayinka Building, Fajuyi, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Email: ekitidevelo ment@gmail.com

Tel: 08023068391

TOLL-FREE LINES FOR

• SARC/REPORTING CASES
• 07039786904, 08033581144,
• 07050752287, 07050752287,
• 08198311361 08151641554,
• 08108311361

• FGM

08000088888

TOLL-FREE LINES FOR

• SARC/REPORTING CASES
• 07039786904, 08033581144,
• 07050752287, 07050752287,
• 08198311361 08151641554,
• 08108311361

• FGM

08000088888

TOLL-FREE LINES FOR

• SARC/REPORTING CASES
• 07039786904, 08033581144,
• 07050752287, 07050752287,
• 08198311361 08151641554,
• 08108311361

• FGM

08000088888

Gender Based Violence (GBV) Brochure Revised Version