The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), FCT Council, has urged the Federal Government to build a dedicated referral centre for survivors of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).
The Chairman of the NANNM FCT council, Comrade Deborah Yusuf, made the call on Friday at a peaceful protest to register the association’s displeasure as part of the 16 Days of Activism against SGBV.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 16 Days of Activisim against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign to raise awareness and generate action to end violence against women and girls in communities around the world.
It  begins on Nov. 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs through International Human Rights Day on Dec. 10.
According to Yusuf, it is not that victims are not getting the right treatment from the hospital facilities especially at the associate general services and psychotherapy level, but that there is need to allow for a uniform statistics.
She said that a dedicated referral centre would also give room for specialised treatment for victims and to give victims confidence to speak out against the menace.
“What I mean by referral centre is to have a dedicated one; this will make us to have harmonised statistics. Victims are afraid of talking as a result of the fear of the unknown.
“You need not to forget that by the time they speak out, they are going to the same environment, but with a referral centre, a lot of issues about the victim will be taken care off.
“Globally, we do have a referral centre where they provide accommodation for the victim’s in case the victim’s don’t want to go back to the same environment.
“They usually have vocational centres, schools and others where government will take full responsibility, but in Nigeria, we are not yet there.
“So, what the government needs is to collaborate with NANNM to have a referral centres where victims can access care, and be given psychotherapy and have a number and followed-up,” she said.
The chairman, while quoting statistics, stated that no fewer than eight million women in Nigeria have experienced one form of violence or the other, and urged them to speak out instead of remaining in silence.
According to her, men who assault  women, girls are mentally derailed, and that a right thinking man will not raise his hand on a woman or girl.
She called on the  Federal Government to domesticate Convention 190 held in Geneva were equal right was declared for all and sundry irrespective of sex.
According to her, Nigeria is part of the African countries with International Labour Organisation (ILO) who ratified the convention, but has yet to domesticate the content there-in.
She said that Nigeria Labour Congress was strictly against violence in the work place saying that government must also recognise that principle and put the women in the right of place.
The chairman called on governments to recognise the importance of women and carry them along in the political schemes of the country, saying that they would perform well if the opportunity was given to them.
She called for gender equality for women on the ratio 50/50 between them and men or at least 35 per cent affirmative action, adding that women must be given the chance to perform their part. (NAN)