By Titilayo Kupoliyi
School Related Gender-based Violence, (SRGBV), is an issue threatening the well-being and future of millions of children worldwide.
It encompasses harmful acts such as bullying, psychological abuse, and sexual harassment of children in schools.
While SRGBV targets children regardless of their gender, girls remain the most vulnerable because they face heightened risks of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse within educational environments.
The desire to liberate children from SRGBV, prompted a non-governmental organisation, YouthCare Development and Empowerment Initiative, (YCDEI), to embark on a project aimed at tackling the menace.
Professor Adefunke Ekine, the Executive Director of YouthCare Development and Empowerment Initiative, (YCDEI), noted that victims of School Related Gender Based Violence are mostly between ages 6-11.
Professor Ekine said the victims of SRGBV often dropped out of school or repeated classes.
She maintained that schools ought to always be safe spaces for learning and growth for children and this was what prompted YCDEI to embark on the project in 45 Public Primary Schools in Ibadan, the Oyo State Capital.
The project which commenced in August 2024 was divided into 3 phases. The Baseline or Survey phase, the intervention or treatment phase and, the End-line phase.
“We are working with 45 government schools in Oyo state with the permission of the Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board”
Professor Ekine disclosed that the programme is expected to end in July, 2025, while the report of the survey would be submitted to the Ministry of Education for implementation.
She added that, desk officers will be appointed among the teachers to follow up on the pupils who were victims of SRGBV to forestall future occurrence, while the organisation will pay regular visits to the schools for follow-up on the pupils to counsel and guide them.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Professor Salihu Adelabu while commending YCDEI for its mission to safeguard the future of children, said the project was timely as cases of SRGBV have been on the increase.
“You are doing our job and we don’t take it for granted, you need to see how these children are been violated, even teachers are involved. If you look at the concept of cultism for instance, most of these children are initiated by their teachers”.
Professor Adelabu said the Ministry was looking forward to receiving the result of the survey for quick implementation.
Earlier, the representative of the Donor Partner of YouthCare Development and Empowerment Initiative, Ms Anushka Chawla pointed out that gender based violence often started early in life and in different forms, which require special ways of handling.
Stakeholders present at the programme included representatives of Ministry of Education, Ministry of Women Affairs, SUBEB, as well as teachers and pupils.
The event featured interactive sessions, testimonies from teachers and group photograph of participants.
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