The federal government and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) have intensified efforts on support systems for survivors of gender-based violence (GBV).
The government and the stakeholders are to develop more effective, survivor-centred interventions across Nigeria as preparations for the Global Fund Grant Cycle 8 (GC8) gather momentum.
This is one of the outcomes of a one-day National Consultative Workshop on IPV/GBV Programming in Nigeria, organised yesterday in Abuja by UNDP with support from the Global Fund and in collaboration with key government institutions and development partners.
The workshop was organised under the theme “Strengthening Coordinated Pathways to GBV and IPV Programming within the Global Fund Framework in Nigeria.”
On behalf of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of Justice, the director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), said Nigeria’s fight against HIV, tuberculosis and malaria could not succeed without addressing the underlying drivers of gender-based violence, stigma, discrimination and structural inequality.
He noted that although Nigeria’s national HIV prevalence had declined to 1.4 per cent, key populations and their partners, who constitute less than five per cent of the population, account for about 40 per cent of new HIV infections.
Oyedepo also highlighted the plight of inmates in correctional facilities, saying it’s one of the most neglected populations in health programming.
He observed that overcrowding, poor ventilation, inadequate nutrition and limited healthcare access in custodial centres create conditions that accelerate the spread of HIV and tuberculosis.
“The Global Fund’s GC8 framework must include targeted interventions for persons in closed settings, not as an afterthought but as a programme priority,” he said.
Also, the head of HIV at the Global Fund, Ms Izukanji Sikazwe, said gender-based violence and intimate partner violence is major barriers to ending the HIV epidemic.
She said the Global Fund was working with the Federal Government, state institutions and communities to identify practical ways of addressing violence that fuels HIV transmission and prevents individuals from accessing prevention, treatment and care services.
Sikazwe commended the Federal Ministry of Justice for taking a leadership role in highlighting the legal and policy dimensions of the challenge.
“As we launch into Grant Cycle 8, we are trying to determine where critical investments should be made to reduce the threat of gender-based violence and intimate partner violence so that individuals can access HIV prevention and treatment services without fear,” she said.
On her part, Ms. Krittayawan Boonto,
Country director, Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, Nigeria, acknowledged the countries’ efforts in enacting laws such as the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and the Child Rights Act, but noted that implementation and enforcement remain inconsistent.
Boonto warned that without concrete plans and dedicated funding, commitments to addressing GBV and IPV could remain vague and ineffective.
