By Desmond Ejibas
Port Harcourt – The Roost Foundation, an NGO, says it is worried over rising cases of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in schools across the country.
Dr Godwin Morka, a Consultant to the Foundation, expressed the concern in Port Harcourt at a training organised by the foundation for NGOs in Ebonyi, Oyo and Rivers.
Morka said the World Bank Supported Programme sought to fast track the implementation of GBV, Sexual Exploitation Abuse (SEA) and Sexual Harassment (SH) in schools.
He said, “We organised this training to address the increasing rise in GBV, SEA and SH in Nigerian schools.
“This menace is on the rise partly because we operate a system in this country that does not punish sexual offenders.
“So, this programme seeks to tackle impediments to the educational aspirations of girls and boys as well as ensure the school environment is safe for both sexes.”
Morka also expressed worry over low enrolment and high rate at which girls are dropping out of schools in the country.
“So, we are working with NGOs in Ebonyi, Kaduna, Katsina. Kebbi, Oyo, Rivers and Zamfara towards ensuring the school environment is safe for both boys and girls.
“We want an increase in enrolment and retention of girls in schools and the provision of a good learning environment to enable both sexes to excel in their education.
“So, the NGOs that are being trained today will go back to their states and spread the message through engagement with teachers, students, education authorities and communities,” he said.
He said the foundation was currently setting up a Grievance Redress Mechanism in schools, to allow for effective reporting of abuses to the authorities.
According to him, the government must put in place structures and systems that are sensitive to the needs of gender, especially the female gender.
“We need to create an enabling environment that lets boys know that it is wrong to slap girls on their bums or touch them on their sensitive parts.
“We must discourage teachers who exploit women without their permission as well as harmful traditional practices that dehumanise our girls.
“The good thing is that many states are now creating awareness as well as coming up with laws to punish offenders,” he added.
One of the trainees, Dr Adeyemo Adeyemi, said the training had equipped him with knowledge that would enable his organisation effectively tackle the GBV menace in his community.
He identified stigmatisation as one of the main reasons why victims do not report cases of GBV and sexual harassment to the authorities.
Another trainee, Ms Emilia Ujunwa, said her organisation would immediately set up a committee to receive reports of GBV in schools in Ebonyi, to enable victims to seek justice. (NAN)
