SUG Leaders Urged To Lead Fight Against S3xual, Gender-Based Violence In Niger

Leaders of Student Union Governments (SUGs) across various tertiary institutions in Niger State have been charged to work closely with their school authorities to address the growing challenge of S3xual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in the state.

This appeal was made by Hafsat Kusherki, the Gender-Based Violence Desk Officer at the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, during a one-day training session organised in Minna by the Global Promoters for Community Initiative (GPCI) for selected SUG executives.

Kusherki stressed the importance of sensitising students to speak up and report any form of violence, noting that the objective is to amplify the voices of women and students, promote women’s rights, and eradicate violence against women and girls in Niger State.

Also speaking, GPCI Project Coordinator, Olasukanmi Kalejaiye, called on the National Assembly to expedite the passage of the bill on s3xual harassment, which seeks to prevent, prohibit, and provide redress for s3xual harassment in tertiary institutions. He further urged the Niger State Government to enact the Gender Equal Opportunity Law and establish a commission to protect the rights of persons with disabilities.

On her part, Hajara Achibi, GPCI’s Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, explained that the training aimed to raise awareness about the dangers of harmful behaviours, stereotypes, and the impacts of GBV on survivors and communities, while emphasising the role individuals and societies play in prevention.

Meanwhile, student leaders drawn from institutions such as the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna, and Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University (IBBU), Lapai, among others, advocated for similar training sessions to be organised on their campuses. They noted that such initiatives would empower students and survivors of SGBV to speak out and seek redress through the appropriate channels.