By Melody Addo
Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) through her project titled “Protecting Women and Girls from Sexual Violence through Changes in behaviour, practices and Attitudes has called for easy access of survivors to quality care.
Commencing the project, Bose Ironsi, Executive Director, WRAHP said that the NGO would be implementing a 24 month project aimed at preventing sexual violence among women and girls and increasing access of survivors to quality care and psychosocial support services.
Ironsi said that community Members in Alimosho, Ojo and Oshodi/Isolo with support from African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) would be offered a platform to access professional, confidential and compassionate legal advice.
“Beyond providing legal advice, the clinic will serve as an educational platform, empowering participants with knowledge about their rights under key legal frameworks, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) etc.
“The clinic offers comprehensive services to ensure survivors receive holistic support. Participants will access counselling services on human rights, SGBV laws, and practical safety planning.
“Through knowledge-sharing sessions, survivors and community members will gain invaluable insights into their legal rights and the resources available to them, fostering greater awareness and resilience within the community” she said.
Contributing, the centre manager of WRAPH, Mrs Precious Eberechukwu, explained that gender violence is any violence happening as a result of your gender.
Eberechukwu said a lot of women and children fall victim of physical and sexual abuse hence the community legal clinic which aims to create awareness on physical and sexual violence.
Eberechukwu said that WRAHP, Manager of Ireti Resource Centre was established to help resolve sexual violence based cases.
She gave instances on various sexual violence based cases, the effects on the family and community, most especially women and girl child.
Legal practitioners and experts at the clinic sensitised and educates participants on their rights, duties and functions at scenes of sexual violence.
They advised that sexual victims should see something, say something, do something immediately and eliminate the culture of silence.
They also stated the various forms of domestic abuse which includes emotional and psychological abuse, sexual abuse, verbal abuse, financial abuse, neglect and technological abuse.
The legal experts also sensitised participants that cases of sexual and physical abuse should be reported to the police, family support unit, Human rights agencies, Ministry of women affairs, Legal Aid Council of Nigeria, Ireti Resource Centre and other supporting agencies.
