As stakeholders push for stronger prosecution of offenders and justice for survivors
The Federal Government, the European Union (EU), and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) have intensified efforts to combat the growing menace of school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV) in Nigeria, amid concerns that institutions designed to nurture and protect children are increasingly becoming environments where abuse, exploitation, and violence occur.
The renewed commitment emerged during the First Training of Trainers Workshop on the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for the Legal Pathway for the Prosecution of Perpetrators of School-Related Gender-Based Violence, held in Abuja on Tuesday.
The workshop, organized under the EU Support to End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV) Programme and implemented by International IDEA in partnership with the Federal Ministry of Justice, brought together stakeholders from the justice, education, security, and child protection sectors.
Participants included representatives of the Federal Ministries of Justice, Education and Women Affairs, the Nigeria Police Force, the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), civil society organizations, and child protection advocates.
Speaking at the event, Gender-Based Violence Policy and Strategy Development Specialist for the ESGBV Programme at International IDEA, Mrs. Melissa Omene, described school-related gender-based violence as one of the most serious threats facing Nigeria’s education sector.
According to her, children across the country continue to experience sexual harassment, abuse, exploitation, bullying, corporal punishment, and technology-facilitated violence within school environments.
“School-related gender-based violence remains a deeply concerning reality within Nigeria’s education system, affecting children at both basic and secondary levels,” she said.
Citing recent studies, Omene revealed that 18 percent of reported sexual violence cases occur within schools, while one in four children have experienced corporal punishment from teachers.
She warned that beyond the statistics lie painful human experiences that negatively affect children’s safety, dignity, academic performance, and long-term well-being.
“Girls and other vulnerable groups bear a disproportionate burden, making our collective response both a professional obligation and a moral imperative,” she added.
Omene explained that although the Federal Ministries of Justice and Education developed a Standard Operating Procedure in 2024 to guide the reporting, referral, investigation, case management, and prosecution of school-related gender-based violence cases, limited awareness and inconsistent implementation have weakened its impact.
She noted that the current training seeks to bridge those gaps by equipping participants with practical skills to strengthen accountability and improve institutional responses to cases involving children.
According to her, the EU-funded ESGBV Programme, which will run from 2025 to 2029, aims to strengthen legal and policy frameworks, expand survivors’ access to quality support services, and promote social norms that discourage violence. The programme targets the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Benue, Kaduna, and Oyo states, alongside federal-level interventions.
She further disclosed that selected hospital facilities within the FCT are currently being assessed for conversion into Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), which will provide comprehensive medical, psychological, and legal support for survivors of abuse.
In her remarks, Head of the Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Unit at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Yewande Gbola-Awopetu, stressed that every child deserves access to education in a safe and supportive environment.
She described the SOP as a critical tool for ensuring coordinated institutional responses and strengthening accountability mechanisms against perpetrators.
“Every child enters a classroom with dreams, aspirations, and the expectation of safety. When violence enters those spaces, it does more than disrupt education; it diminishes confidence, weakens trust in institutions, and threatens the very foundation upon which young people build their futures,” she said.
Representing the Federal Ministry of Education, Assistant Director Mrs. Apakasa Augustina announced that the SOP had already been distributed to all 115 Federal Unity Colleges nationwide. She disclosed that school principals had also been sensitized on the framework to facilitate its effective implementation.
“There is no effective way to end gender-based violence without training school personnel because schools are among the primary places where such cases occur and are reported,” she said.
Also speaking, Executive Director of Protect the Child Foundation, Mrs. Elizabeth Ebulejonu Achimugu, observed that many abuse cases fail to progress beyond the reporting stage due to inadequate knowledge of legal procedures and referral pathways among first responders.
She emphasized that participants in the training would serve as trainers within their respective institutions, helping to expand awareness and strengthen institutional capacity across the country.
Stakeholders at the workshop expressed optimism that stronger collaboration among government agencies, educational institutions, civil society organizations, and law enforcement bodies would help close existing justice gaps, improve prosecution outcomes, and create safer learning environments for Nigerian children.
They agreed that protecting children requires not only robust laws and policies but also effective implementation, coordinated action, and a justice system capable of ensuring accountability while providing survivors with the support, protection, and justice they deserve.
