From Ighomuaye Lucky, Benin
The Edo State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee says it has commenced modalities for the setting up of a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) and a Gender-Based Violence Management Task Force across the eighteen Local Government Areas of the state to tackle abuses of girl-child.
Chairperson of the Committee Edo First Lady Betsy Obaseki gave the directive at the 4th Quarter meeting of the Committee which was held at the Festival Hall of the Edo State Government House, in Benin City.
Mrs Obaseki said the SARC Centre would be set up in the biggest Primary Healthcare (PHC) in each local government, taking advantage of “not just the physical space, but the staff to man them”.
The governor’s wife who also tasked the committee to raise a task force in every local government gave the criteria for individuals who would be suitable.
“We are looking for reliable people, people who believe in the work, and who are upright, who will stand for justice and equity; not the ones who will beg for suspects,” she said.
She also called for the harmonisation of the activities of Civil Society Organisations in the state for the purpose of collating verifiable data.
She stressed that “all the CSOs no matter how belligerent they are must come under the regulating ministry’s framework, otherwise the ministry would blacklist them” adding that the relevant federal ministries will be informed of this directive.
Members of the Edo State Gender-Based Violence Management Committee comprise officials of the Ministries of Justice, Education, Youth and Gender Issues; the Police, NSCDC, SUBEB, NGOs and the Sexual Assaults Referral Center all of whom presented their quarterly reports and recommendations as regards the activities in the same