In a bid to address and mitigate the far-reaching effects of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), especially given the current pressing social and economic conditions, the Adolescent Girls Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) project in Katsina State organized a two-day consultation and validation meeting. This event brought together key service providers and stakeholders from multiple sectors, with a focus on creating a collaborative framework to better support survivors and prevent GBV across the state.
The primary objective of the consultation was to establish a cohesive network among the various service providers that respond to GBV incidents. By fostering synergy across these layers of support, the project aims to enhance coordination, improve response times, and ensure that survivors receive comprehensive and continuous care. Participants included representatives from security agencies, legal professionals, medical and health service providers, civil society organizations, religious leaders, and youth groups, among others.Over the course of the two days, stakeholders engaged in in-depth discussions, critiquing existing mitigation strategies and identifying areas for improvement. They also reviewed current litigation practices and discussed ways to streamline legal and support processes, so that survivors of GBV have easier access to justice, medical assistance, and psychosocial support. The consultation underscored the importance of community involvement, especially through the engagement of youth and religious leaders, to drive social change and challenge norms that contribute to GBV.This event represents a critical step toward developing a coordinated, community-centered approach to addressing GBV in Katsina State, ensuring that survivors receive timely and effective support and that preventive measures are strengthened through unified action.
Katsina State, Nigeria