The Adamawa One Stop Centre which handles cases of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) said it received 19 active cases within three months of its establishment in Yola, Adamawa State capital.
The Manager of the centre, Chigozie Precious, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Sunday in Yola that nine of the SGBV survivors are minors, while 10 are above the age of 18.
He disclosed that the centre has different units which include: shelter, medical, psychosocial, vocational skills and access to justice, all of which offer free services to SGBV survivors in the state.
He added that “the centre is women-friendly, where we provide multi disciplinary, multi sectorial and coordinated services for survivors of SGBV and harmful practices.
“The medical unit provides medical attention to survivors and takes samples for police to convey to the Adamawa DNA Forensic Laboratory at the Modibbo Adama University for investigation.
“We have shelters for the SGBV survivors while the case is ongoing; we also have vocational angle for entrepreneural skills and financial literacy component part of the project.
“What we did was to identify the needs of survivors, put them through skill acquisition, and identify how they can sustain businesses.
He explained that the structures were provided by the state government with fund from the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative through the UN Population Fund (UNFPA Nigeria), with support from the state’s ministries of health, justice, education, women affairs and FIDA.
The Manager added that the centre provides 24 hours service, with a toll-free number — 08002200100 — for virtual response on SGVB cases.
Precious further said that the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) have desks at the centre for investigation and handling of evidences to fast track prosecution of perpetrators in court.
“The aim is to make sure that justice is served at the right time,” he said.
The Centre manager, therefore, urged parents to take good care of their children, especially the girl-child against SGBV and to report any bad/negative incidences to the centre for prompt action.
NAN