How FG’s legal manual seeks accountability for abused school children

The production of a manual to deal with gender molestation in the school system has raised hopes that the federal government is set to tackle the menace using the law. The manual, known as the ‘Standard Operating Procedure for the Prosecution of Perpetrators of School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) Cases in Nigeria’, was presented in Abuja […]

The production of a manual to deal with gender molestation in the school system has raised hopes that the federal government is set to tackle the menace using the law.

The manual, known as the ‘Standard Operating Procedure for the Prosecution of Perpetrators of School-Related Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) Cases in Nigeria’, was presented in Abuja on February 7.

Some relevant ministries and agencies in this initiative are the Federal Ministry of Justice, Federal Ministry of Education, Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, and the Nigeria Police Force.

The main aim of the programme, according to the federal government, is to ensure access to quality education and a safe school environment are fundamental rights of every child and a prerequisite to socioeconomic development and security which is in tandem with Goal 4 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

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 Findings indicate that many schools, private and public, are not safe and well-protected for children and adults because of the presence of school-related sexual and gender-based violence (SRGBV) and a link between SRGBV and school absenteeism, poor academic performance, and a decline in school attendance.

During the presentation, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), assured on the determination to protect and ensure safe learning environment for children in the country.

He asserted that every child has the right to receive an education free from fear, intimidation and violence. 

 “We must spare no effort in safeguarding this fundamental right and holding accountable those who seek to violate it,” he said.

 Citing records of UNESCO and other bodies, the AGF noted that available statistics indicate that SRGBV is highly prevalent in primary and secondary schools across every region in the country.

 “It has devastating consequences for victims including low self-esteem, depression, early and unintended pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, as well as disruption or termination of education. It also increases the probability of victims experiencing or perpetrating violence in future,” he added.

In his remarks, the Minister of Education, Professor Tahir Mamman, said the SOP was produced in response to the menace of sexual abuse in schools that could impact school attendance and retention at basic levels, adding that the aim is to deter the offence, and when it happens, to have a speedy manner of dealing with it.

 He said because most schools usually seek to deal with the issue administratively, the culprits prey on vulnerable students, adding that “more often students may not report because of the complexity of redress that is available.”

He added, “What we should do is to ensure sensitization because that is our preferred choice that people should not do it at all, and they should know that there is a process, a mechanism for speedy redress on ground.

“We will get these books spread across all levels of schools,” he said.

Earlier, the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Mohammed Babadoko Abubakar, said the SOP was produced as part of the core mandate of the Ministry of Justice to ensure access to justice for the citizens.

He defined SRGBV “as an act or threat of physical or sexual violence happening in and around schools.”

He said the vice still exists due to gender norms and stereotypes enforced by the different power dynamics, which also involves psychological such as verbal abuse, teacher-perpetrated abuse, discrimination, including excessive corporal punishment sexual harassment and bullying, among others.

As in most cases, perpetrators are only sanctioned and not prosecuted, the procedure will provide a multi-sectoral response to ensure protection for boys and girls at risk.

Other objectives of the SOP include, to facilitate the establishment of a clear, safe, confidential and accessible mechanism for reporting and responding to incidents of SRGBV; facilitate child-sensitive SRGBV investigations, prosecutions and court procedures; effectively bringing together all relevant MDAs to work together and develop draft action plans to address SRGBV and its related issues;  and integrate SRGBV into national policies and education sector plans; invest in data and evidence to inform and facilitate the response to SRGBV.

Others are to support tailored responses in key MDAs by developing monitoring and evaluation mechanism for assessment of progress in response to SRGBV cases; ensure standards of professional practice are prescribed followed concerning confidentiality, information sharing protocols, recording of sensitive information and avoiding conflicts of interest; and raise awareness among all key stakeholders about SRGBV and the referral pathways. 

Civil society optimistic

Reacting to the SOP, the executive director of Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE-Nigeria), Sylvester Uhaa, said it will go a long way in curbing SRGBV in schools while calling for adequate awareness for schools and students to guarantee full implementation.

“I hope the SOP will have reporting mechanisms as well as referral pathways where all the key stakeholders are involved, and there are checks and balances and accountability to ensure reported cases are not covered up or ignored,” he said.

 “Also, a wider investigation should be done when cases of sexual abuse against students are reported because it is most unlikely that the school authorities don’t know about these abuses,” he added.

 Similarly, the executive director of Sterling Law Centre, an NGO, Deji Ajare, said the SOP signifies government’s dedication to addressing the issue of sexual violence in our educational institutions.

 “Nonetheless, it is crucial to recognize that the mere launch of the SOP is insufficient; it requires active implementation and enforcement in order to have a tangible impact.

 “Therefore, it is imperative that there is a clear and unwavering commitment to taking tangible actions in accordance with both the written guidelines and the underlying principles of the SOP,” he said.