Benue urged to improve SARC over rising gender violence

A Non-governmental Organisation, Concerned Women International Development Initiative (CWIDI), has urged the Benue State Government to strengthen the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) to better respond to rising cases of gender-based violence, particularly against female sex workers in the state. Executive Director of CWIDI, Mrs. Bridget Okeke, made the appeal during the close-out event of the organisation’s two-year Amplify Change-supported project, Enhancing Protection from Gender-Based Violence for Female Sex Workers, held over the weekend in Makurdi. Represented by Mrs. Becky Gbihi, Okeke said many survivors of sexual violence are unable to seek help due to weak referral systems and inadequate legal protection. She disclosed that CWIDI has, over the past two years, referred 25 cases of gender-based violence against female sex workers to the Human Rights Office, NAPTIP, and FIDA. She noted that the project focused on improving knowledge of legal protections and strengthening access to justice for survivors. Okeke explained that CWIDI trained and supported at least 120 female sex workers across five vocational trades and equipped them with knowledge of their rights under the Revised National Gender Policy and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, VAPP, 2015. She added that the training was later stepped down to benefit more than 600 others in Makurdi, Gboko, and Gwer East local government areas. “Female sex workers face daily discrimination, harassment, and violence from clients and even law enforcement officers. Fear of arrest and stigma prevent them from reporting abuses, especially in the absence of functional protection systems,” she said. Okeke, therefore, called on the government to strengthen the SARC and expand legal awareness among vulnerable groups. In her remarks, the Director of Women Affairs in Benue State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Magdalene Andor, commended CWIDI for championing the fight against gender-based violence and improving the lives of female sex workers. Andor, represented by Mrs. Afatar Esther, assured that the ministry would continue to collaborate with organisations working to advance the rights and welfare of women in the state.

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