The Plateau State Gender and Equal Opportunities Commission (PLASGEOC), in collaboration with the Women for Positive Peacebuilding Initiative (WOPPI), has inaugurated the Plateau State Technical Working Committee on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) and Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV) to strengthen coordination, accountability and survivor-centred responses across the state.
The inauguration took place on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, at Enayi Hotels and Suites, Jos, on the second day of a two-day capacity-building workshop supported by SPRING and funded by UK International Development. The committee is expected to improve collaboration among government agencies, security and justice institutions, health and social welfare providers, and civil society organisations in preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence.
Speaking on the operationalisation of the committee, the Chairperson of PLASGEOC, Olivia Dazel, said members must translate their new responsibilities into practical action. She disclosed that the committee’s first assignment would be for every represented organisation to maintain a dedicated file on the committee’s activities to ensure proper documentation and continuity.
Dazel also expressed appreciation to SPRING and other development partners for their support, assuring them that the committee would work to justify the investment and strengthen efforts to prevent and address SGBV and CRSV in Plateau State.
The Executive Director of WOPPI, Lantana Abdullahi, highlighted the committee’s standard operating procedures and terms of reference, outlining the framework for its activities and responsibilities. She announced that the committee’s first meeting would hold in the first week of December 2026 and emphasised the importance of documentation, consent procedures and coordinated engagement among members.
Representing SPRING’s regional leadership, Samson Ishaya called on members to sustain public awareness and strengthen their response to gender-based violence, particularly in conflict-affected communities where women and children face heightened vulnerabilities.
He noted that the workshop was an opportunity to reinforce the responsibilities of stakeholders already working in affected communities, urging them to approach their duties with renewed commitment and sensitivity.
In a goodwill message on behalf of the Plateau State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mrs Shetak Beklang, Director of Legal Drafting at the state Ministry of Justice, said the establishment of the committee reflected a collective commitment to protecting the rights, dignity and safety of women, children and other vulnerable persons.
She stressed that sexual and gender-based violence remained a serious human rights violation and an obstacle to peace and sustainable development, particularly during communal clashes, displacement and other security emergencies.
“The technical working group to be inaugurated today is therefore expected to serve as a platform for effective coordination,” Beklang said, emphasising the need for information sharing, policy development, proper documentation and measurable action plans.
She urged committee members to approach their responsibilities with professionalism, compassion, integrity and a strong sense of duty. She also called for stronger justice systems, survivor-centred services, safe houses and improved coordination to ensure that perpetrators were held accountable while survivors were protected from stigma, intimidation and retaliation.
Beklang further stressed the importance of maintaining institutional records, warning that proper documentation would preserve knowledge and ensure continuity even when personnel changed.
In her closing remarks, Dazel reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to the committee’s objectives, expressing confidence that the collaboration would help reduce incidences of SGBV and CRSV in the state.
She thanked the development partners, facilitators and participating organisations for their contributions, urging members to sustain the commitment demonstrated during the two-day workshop.
The inauguration marks a step towards establishing a coordinated platform for prevention, survivor support, referrals and access to justice, with stakeholders expected to work together to strengthen the response to sexual and gender-based violence across Plateau State.
