The USAID-Integrated Health Project (USAID-IHP) has developed a multi-sectoral referral pathway to promptly support Gender Based Violence (GBV) survivors in Bauchi state.
This was announced on Wednesday, at the end of a three-day stakeholders meeting organized by the USAID-IHP in Bauchi.
Newsmen reports that the meeting brought together stakeholders from ministries of Health, Women Affairs, Justice, alongside civil society organizations, security and the media.
Speaking at the meeting, Mrs Helen John, USAID-IHP Advisor on Gender, Social Inclusion and Community Engagement, said that the referral pathway would provide services to GBV survivors.
”Referral pathway assures of a multi sectoral approach to service response, this is because GBV survivors require a variety of support.
”They need support such as clinical, legal, psycho social, safety and security and shelter,” she said.
John said that mapping was undertaken on GBV services, response and prevention with addresses and mobile contacts from community to state level.
She said that the effort would enhance communication for quality support and service to GBV survivors.
Also speaking, Dr Ibrahim Kabo, USAID-IHP Technical Director in the state, said that the multi-sectoral approach would generate information on the best ways to tackle GBV.
He said that the approach would improve coordination and collaboration among stakeholders in the campaign against the menace.
In his speech, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, Executive Chairman, Bauchi State Primary Healthcare Development (BSPHCDA), stated that adherence to ethics and positive values would help reduce the prevalence of GBV.
According to him, the referral pathway would change the narratives concerning survivors’ ability to access services.
”People have left the good morals and values embedded in us, thereby creating chaos in the society.
“Parents should be more vigilant, efforts should be made to break the culture of silence by survivors,” he said.
Mrs Fatima Abdullah, Director, Women Affairs, Bauchi state Ministry of Women Affairs and Child Development, said that the state had introduced a dashboard to collate all GBV cases in the state.
She said that the data generated would provide a headway and proper coordination against the menace in the state.
