CISLAC, others urge reporting, stronger measures against SGBV in security operations

By Perpetua Onuegbu
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) and other stakeholders have called for stronger measures to prevent Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) within Nigeria’s defence and security institutions.
CISLAC Executive Director, Mr Auwal Rafsanjani, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at a national multi-stakeholder policy dialogue.
The dialogue, organised by CISLAC/Transparency International Nigeria, supported by the Government of Ireland focused on strengthening human rights-centred and gender-responsive approaches to SGBV in defence and security operations.
“At CISLAC/TI-Nigeria, we believe that security and human rights are not competing objectives.
“A Defence/Security institution that protects dignity, respects fundamental rights, provides safe avenues for complaints and responds appropriately to allegations of abuse strengthens public confidence and institutional legitimacy.
“Similarly, gender responsiveness should not be treated as an additional or peripheral component of security-sector governance.
“It should be integrated into institutional standards, operational procedures, leadership and decision-making, personnel management, training, complaint mechanisms and accountability systems.”
Rafsanjani said effective security institutions must protect citizens’ rights, dignity, safety and equality, stressing that operational capacity alone should not determine their effectiveness.
He said fear of retaliation, stigma, institutional barriers, confidentiality concerns and lack of confidence often discouraged victims from reporting SGBV incidents.
The CISLAC executive director urged stakeholders to strengthen prevention, safe reporting, institutional accountability, gender-responsive security operations, coordination, oversight and mechanisms.
He called for practical and sustainable recommendations, saying survivors and affected communities must remain central to efforts aimed at preventing SGBV and ensuring accountability.
On her part, Mrs Peace Arocha, Deputy Director, Legal Services Department, Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC), said the major challenge in the fight against SGBV was underreporting.
Arocha is also the Team Lead Sexual Harassment and Abuse Response Team.
“People are scared and there are so many issues, so we encourage people to come and report, ICPC has the mandate to investigate, to prevent and if in appropriate cases prosecute, where there are violators or perpetrators are found.
“We look forward toward a defence and security institutions that are professional in conduct, firm in accountability, responsive to survivors, gender responsive in policy and practice and unwavering in their support for human rights.”
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Executive Secretary, Dr Tony Ojukwu who also spoke said SGBV remained a consequence of insecurity and, sometimes, a feature of security responses, threatening human rights and public trust.
He was represented at the dialogue by Mrs Ngozi Okorie, Director, Women and Children Department, NHRC.
Ojukwu stressed that human rights-centred, gender-responsive security operations are legally required and crucial for community cooperation, operational effectiveness, national healing, reconciliation and justice.
The commission pledged stronger accountability and complaint mechanisms, while collaborating with CISLAC and relevant institutions to prevent SGBV, support survivors and strengthen security-sector reforms.
Transparency International Defence and Security official, Yi Kang Choo, called for stronger accountability and trusted reporting systems to combat sexual violence in security operations.
He said corruption, intimidation and abuse of power could prevent survivors from reporting violence, noting Nigeria’s low whistleblowing score despite existing institutional safeguards.
Choo urged gender-responsive recruitment, safe confidential complaint mechanisms, greater women’s participation and sustained collaboration among government, civil society and security institutions.
“Change in this sector is often achieved through the trust built between the people and the relevant institutions to listen and civil society to continue bringing evidence, expertise and constructive challenge as a critical friend,” Choo said.
First Secretary Security and ECOWAS relations, Embassy of the Netherlands Dineke Traore said people must be able to report violations safely, and have the confidence that complaints will be taken seriously.
“Security institutions have a responsibility to prevent abuse and respond effectively when it occurs. This is essential for building professional, trusted and responded security institutions,”Traore said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in attendance at the dialogue were defence and security agencies, MDAs, development partners among others.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Francis Onyeukwu