The Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission (PLASGEOC), in collaboration with the Women for Positive Peacebuilding Initiative (WOPPI), has commenced a two-day capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening institutional coordination, referral pathways and survivor-centred responses to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Plateau State.
The workshop, supported by SPRING and funded by UK International Development, is holding from October 27 to 28, 2026, at Enayi Hotels and Suites. The second phase focuses on Bokkos, Bassa and Barkin Ladi local government areas and brings together representatives of government institutions, security and justice agencies, health and social welfare professionals, civil society organisations, traditional institutions and other stakeholders.
Speaking during her welcome address, the Chairperson of PLASGEOC, Olivia Dazel, described the initiative as an important step towards improving the protection of survivors and strengthening cooperation among institutions responsible for responding to cases of sexual and gender-based violence.
Dazel stressed that survivors deserved compassionate, confidential and professional assistance, rather than stigma, repeated questioning and delays in accessing services.
“When the survivor finds the courage to seek help, what kind of response does our system offer?” she asked, emphasising that a survivor-centred approach must prioritise dignity, informed consent, safety, confidentiality and respect for individual choices.
She urged participants to use the workshop to identify gaps, clarify institutional responsibilities and develop practical strategies for improving responses to survivors. She also called on members of the Technical Working Committee to treat their forthcoming inauguration as a serious responsibility rather than a mere formal ceremony.
The WOPPI Programme Manager, Dung Hwere, said collaboration and government ownership were essential to ensuring the sustainability of efforts to address sexual and gender-based violence.
“If there is no synergy in this job, in this technical working group, believe you me, the work is already dead on arrival,” Hwere said.
He highlighted the prevalence of trafficking, child sexual abuse and exploitation in mining communities, calling for stronger community protection systems and improved referral mechanisms.
Hwere recounted an encounter with a young girl from Bokkos who was travelling to Port Harcourt without clearly knowing whom she was going to meet, describing it as an example of the dangers facing vulnerable girls.
He urged stakeholders to pay greater attention to abuses associated with mining activities and conflict-affected communities, stressing that the response must address both community-based sexual and gender-based violence and violence associated with prolonged conflict.
Justice Mary Izang of the Plateau State Gender Court commended the organisers, describing the workshop as timely and necessary for improving cooperation among stakeholders.
“This workshop is timely and is apt,” she said, expressing hope that participants would share experiences, develop effective strategies and strengthen efforts to protect vulnerable members of society.
Izang explained that the Gender Court handles serious criminal matters, including rape, sexual assault and other cases involving gender-based violence. However, she identified the shortage of dedicated psychosocial support workers as a major challenge, noting that survivors often require professional counselling alongside access to justice.
She also advocated expanding specialised gender courts to other geopolitical zones of the state and establishing additional courts at lower levels to improve access to justice. She highlighted the potential of virtual proceedings in protecting child survivors from further trauma during court processes.
The traditional institution also expressed support for the initiative. Cholom Gyan, the Dara Gwok of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area, said communities continued to grapple with cases of child rape and other forms of abuse.
“Those of us in Barkin Ladi community, we have constant cases of child rape, and this programme helps us with how to handle it and access to authorities, so when we go back, we know who to contact,” Gyan said.
He called for the training to be extended to grassroots communities, adding that parental neglect and the exposure of children to unsafe environments, including mining sites, were among the concerns requiring urgent attention.
Edward Swubi of the Child Protection Network identified coordination and fragmented referral systems as major gaps in child protection efforts.
“One of the major issues we are having is the issue of coordination,” Swubi said, noting that the network brings together more than 50 civil society organisations working on issues including child abuse, trafficking, violence and neglect.
He advocated a common referral pathway that would connect agencies working on gender-based violence, child protection and other related interventions, making it easier for survivors and affected families to access appropriate services.
Similarly, Edileola Igbekele, an administrative and human resources representative of CWEENS, stressed the need for stronger collaboration among non-governmental organisations, particularly when individual organisations lack the capacity to manage cases independently.
She observed that some organisations attempted to handle difficult cases alone instead of seeking support from other members of the network.
“One of the biggest things that I think we actually find as a gap is that collaboration,” Igbekele said, calling for improved cooperation and a shared referral framework among service providers.
A representative of Queens, an organisation providing support to women and girls affected by gender-based violence, explained that its services include psychosocial support, temporary shelter and legal assistance. The organisation has also extended some of its services to boys.
The representative described the organisation’s approach as holistic, stressing that survivors needed more than legal intervention to recover from abuse.
“The healing starts from within,” she said, explaining that psychosocial support helps survivors regain stability while they consider their options for justice.
However, she identified delayed responses, communication gaps and incomplete information from referring agencies as challenges affecting effective case management.
Representatives of the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also highlighted institutional and community-level challenges.
A police representative said interference from relatives, community members and traditional leaders sometimes undermined investigations after cases had been referred to the police.
“If only they can allow us to do our bidding, it will help us to reduce this menace in our society and also prosecute the perpetrators accordingly,” the representative said, calling for improved community cooperation and adequate funding.
The NSCDC representative identified inter-agency rivalry and the absence of an effective system for tracking cases across institutions as significant obstacles.
“The major gaps we face is inter-agency rivalry,” the representative said, explaining that multiple agencies sometimes received reports of the same case without adequate coordination.
A representative of the Ministry of Justice identified unwilling witnesses, poorly investigated cases, interference from relatives and inadequate evidence as challenges affecting successful prosecution.
Agiya Maimuna I. Abdullahe of the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN) similarly emphasised the importance of thorough investigations and witness cooperation in securing justice for survivors.
“When a case is fully investigated, you will see that you have a very beautiful case. But because the case was not well investigated, you have challenges and then the perpetrator will be discharged,” she said.
She also raised concerns about poor documentation and the lack of centralised data on cases handled by different institutions, noting that some referrals were made verbally without adequate written records.
Abdullahe called for improved documentation, standardised reporting templates and stronger collaboration among stakeholders to ensure that cases could be properly tracked and followed up.
Representing the Plateau State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Sunday Dombin, Director of Child Welfare, outlined the ministry’s interventions, including support for survivors, shelter supervision, family reintegration, repatriation, adoption and foster-care services.
He disclosed that the ministry was also working on a data bank to improve the collection and management of information relating to gender-based violence and child protection.
Dombin said the state government had increased budgetary provisions for gender-based violence interventions, noting that more than ₦4 billion had been defended for the 2027 budget for related interventions.
He expressed optimism that the inauguration of the Technical Working Committee would strengthen coordination and ensure continuity in efforts to address gender-based violence across the state.
During the technical sessions, Barrister Na’ankus Fyaktu examined the concepts, drivers and consequences of SGBV and CRSV, alongside the legal and policy frameworks guiding prevention and response in Plateau State.
The session addressed structural inequality, harmful gender norms, impunity, displacement, economic vulnerability and power imbalances as factors that can increase exposure to abuse. Participants also examined the importance of the state’s Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, the Gender and Equal Opportunities Law and the Third State Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
The discussions highlighted the need for safer reporting channels, accessible medical and psychosocial services, stronger accountability, improved legal assistance and the protection of survivors’ privacy.
Another technical session, facilitated by Dr Prince Charles Dickson, focused on safe disclosure, informed consent, confidentiality, survivor safety and effective referral pathways.
Dickson warned that inappropriate institutional responses could expose survivors to further harm, stressing that trust was central to successful case management.
“The first response must not become the second harm,” he said, urging participants to listen without interrogation, respond without judgement, report without violating trust and coordinate referrals without exposing survivors’ identities.
The session also examined how institutions could improve cooperation in referring survivors to medical, psychosocial, legal, security and protection services while ensuring appropriate follow-up.
The Plateau State Technical Working Committee on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence is scheduled to be inaugurated on Wednesday, October 28, the second day of the workshop.
The committee is expected to provide a platform for sustained engagement, information sharing, coordinated referrals and accountability among relevant institutions, with the overall aim of improving access to protection, support and justice for survivors across Plateau State.
