The European Union has adopted Oyo State’s proposed Standard Operating Procedure to end School-related Gender-Based Based Violence, (SGBV) in the 33 local government areas.
The initiative is being supported by the European Union-funded Support to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria (ESGBV) Programme, and being implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP).
The Stakeholder Validation Workshop on the Draft Oyo State SOP for the Prosecution of Perpetrators of School-Related Gender-Based Violence was held on Wednesday in Ibadan, the state capital.
Speaking at the event, the Head of the SGBV Response Unit, Federal Ministry of Justice, Yewande Gbola-Awopetu, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to tackling school-related gender-based violence across the country.
Gbola-Awopetu said the ministry would continue to support the implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP), the Child Rights Act and other relevant legislation aimed at protecting children and vulnerable persons from violence and abuse.
She added that the Ministry would work closely with state governments to promote the domestication of relevant laws and coordinate the implementation of the SOP on school-related gender-based violence.
According to her, effective collaboration between federal and state institutions is necessary to strengthen legal protection, improve responses to reported cases and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable in accordance with the law.
The Oyo State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Abiodun Aikomo, also reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to implementing the SOP, declaring that the initiative had come to stay in the state.
Aikomo, who was represented by the ministry’s SGBV Coordinator, Barrister Kashifa Oloso-Olayinwola, pledged that the Ministry of Justice would work tirelessly to ensure the effective implementation of the SOP.
He commended International IDEA, the European Union, civil society organisations and the technical teams involved in developing the document for their dedication, expertise and contributions to the process.
The Attorney-General’s emphasized the importance of moving beyond the development and validation of the document to its practical application by institutions responsible for protecting children, investigating allegations and prosecuting offenders.
In the keynote address, Aikomo said school-related gender-based violence remained a serious concern because of its implications for children’s safety, dignity, educational development and fundamental rights.
He said addressing the problem required more than the existence of laws and policies, stressing the need for effective implementation, clear institutional responsibilities, timely reporting, appropriate investigation and competent prosecution.
According to him, the Ministry of Justice recognised the importance of ensuring accountability for school-related SGBV, adding that cases supported by evidence and applicable law must be handled professionally, diligently and without undue delay.
He noted that the proposed SOP could clarify the responsibilities of institutions involved in receiving complaints, making referrals, investigating allegations, providing legal advice, conducting prosecutions and supporting affected learners throughout the justice process.
The Attorney-General said the framework could also promote consistency in case handling, improve inter-agency coordination, reduce avoidable delays and establish a clearer pathway from the reporting of an incident to an appropriate legal response.
However, he cautioned that the effectiveness of the SOP would depend on its practical applicability, institutional acceptance and consistent implementation.
He urged stakeholders to pay particular attention to the clarity of institutional mandates, timely referrals, preservation and handling of evidence, protection of confidential information and measures to prevent the retraumatisation of children during investigations and prosecutions.
He further emphasised that the procedure must comply with applicable laws and policies on child protection, criminal justice administration, education and sexual and gender-based violence.
“The best interests of the child must remain a primary consideration in decisions affecting child survivors,” he said, stressing the need to protect their privacy, dignity, safety and right to sensitive treatment without compromising the integrity of investigations or the requirements of a fair trial.
He urged participants to ensure that the final document was legally sound, operationally clear, survivor-centred and responsive to the realities of school-related SGBV in the state.
Reaffirming the Ministry of Justice’s commitment to strengthening access to justice and promoting accountability, he said protecting learners from school-related gender-based violence was a shared responsibility involving government institutions, school authorities, parents, communities, civil society organisations and development partners
Earlier in her opening address, Melissa Omene, GBV Policy and Strategy Development Specialist and Component 1 Manager of the ESGBV Programme, said the initiative formed part of broader efforts to strengthen the legal, policy and institutional frameworks for preventing and responding to violence against women, girls and other vulnerable groups.
Omene explained that International IDEA had partnered with the Oyo State Ministries of Justice, Education, and Women Affairs and Social Development to develop the proposed SOP.
She stressed that schools should be safe environments where children could learn, grow and realise their full potential, noting that various forms of violence continued to threaten learners in and around educational institutions.
According to her, such violations include sexual harassment, sexual abuse, exploitation, bullying, harmful disciplinary practices and online abuse.
She added that one in four girls in Nigeria experienced sexual violence before the age of 18.
The ESGBV programme official warned that school-related violence could undermine children’s rights and wellbeing, disrupt school attendance and academic performance, and limit their future opportunities.
She also noted that children who experienced violence were more likely to be out of school or drop out, while sexual violence had been associated with poorer mental health outcomes and an increased risk of early marriage.
Omene said the proposed SOP was designed to establish clear procedures for identifying, reporting, referring and managing school-related SGBV cases, while ensuring that affected children received timely, appropriate and survivor-centred support.
She explained that the document would guide education authorities, school administrators, teachers, counsellors, social welfare officers, law enforcement agencies, healthcare providers and other relevant institutions in responding to reported cases.
According to her, the framework also seeks to improve the prosecution of perpetrators through better coordination among the institutions responsible for handling cases.
She described the process as a government-led, multi-stakeholder initiative, noting that a Technical Working Group comprising relevant institutions had been established under the leadership of the state ministries of Justice, Education, and Women Affairs and Social Development.
The group, she said, drew on federal frameworks, international good practices and the realities of Oyo State to develop practical guidance for addressing school-related SGBV.
Omene added that the validation workshop provided an opportunity for stakeholders to identify gaps, make recommendations and ensure that the final document was technically sound and suitable for implementation.
She commended members of the Technical Working Group for their contributions during intensive three-day technical drafting sessions and acknowledged the roles played by Aikomo; the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the state, Olusegun Olayiwola; Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, and the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Alhaja Sanni Foasat Ajoke.
She also expressed appreciation to the European Union for its continued financial support and partnership in efforts to strengthen responses to sexual and gender-based violence across Nigeria.
In a separate address delivered on behalf of the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Olayiwola, the ministry’s representative commended International IDEA, the European Union and other stakeholders for their contributions to developing the proposed framework.
The representative said the SOP would provide a coordinated approach to preventing, reporting and responding to school-related gender-based violence, urging relevant institutions to support its effective implementation.
The representative also called on participants to ensure that the document was practical, comprehensive and responsive to the realities of schools across Oyo State.
The validation exercise is expected to contribute to the finalisation of the SOP and strengthen coordination among institutions responsible for child protection, education, law enforcement and the administration of justice.
Stakeholders, however, emphasised that the success of the initiative would depend on the adoption of the final document, adequate training of relevant personnel, sustained inter-agency collaboration and consistent implementation to ensure that allegations are appropriately handled and perpetrators are prosecuted in accordance with the law.
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