Katsina (Nigeria): The Katsina Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) says it has recorded about 110 cases of sexual assault since its establishment in December 2023.
Of the cases recorded during the period, 60 have been uploaded to the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS).
Mr Aminu Badaru-Jikamshi, the Permanent Secretary, Department of Girl Child Education and Child Development, disclosed this at the opening of a 3-day training in Katsina on Tuesday.
The training is organised by the department in collaboration with UNICEF, for stakeholders from Jigawa, Kano and Katsina States.
Key stakeholders in the training include: Medical Personnel, Personnel from Justice, Police, Social Workers, GBV Officials, Ministry of Women Affairs and SARC personnel.
According to Badaru-Jikamshi, the exercise aims to strengthen access to services for survivors of sexual violence (child-centred/survivor-centred approach).
He said: “This progress reflects our growing ability to document, monitor, and respond to child protection concerns with professionalism and transparency.
“We deeply value UNICEF’s continued support and partnership in this journey, as it has not only provided us with the tools and knowledge needed to serve survivors better, but also strengthened our coordination among key stakeholders in the child protection system.
“Looking ahead, we are also exploring the possibility of organising a study tour to some states that have already established and operationalised their SARC centres.
“This is to learn from their experiences and adopt best practices that will ensure the full and effective operation of our own centre here in Katsina.”
He therefore urged participants to take full advantage of the training to listen, learn, and share experiences, so that, together, “we can further strengthen access to timely, coordinated, and survivor-centred services for our children and communities.”
The permanent secretary further appreciated UNICEF, other partners and participants for their unwavering commitment to building a safer environment for every child in Katsina.
UNICEF’s collaboration with our department has been instrumental in strengthening our capacity to respond effectively to cases of sexual and gender-based violence.
“Through their generous support, our SARC centre has been equipped with essential working tools, which have greatly enhanced the quality of care we provide to survivors,” he noted.
Earlier, Mr Ibrahim Sesay, Chief Child Protection, UNICEF, Abuja, represented by Pragna Chakma, a specialist, assured Nigeria of all the necessary support to end violence against children.
According to him, in 2024, the Minister of Women Affairs pledged Nigeria’s commitment to end violence against children, and UNICEF came in to support the government in achieving that target.
He noted that UNICEF had supported the centre by providing some essential items to enable it to operate and deliver services to its full potential.
