Edo govt expands awareness on women’s legal rights, abuse reporting – commissioner

Benin: he Edo Government says it has intensified awareness and outreach programmes to educate women and girls on their legal rights and the channels available for reporting abuse across the state.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Eugenia Abdallah, disclosed this in an interview on Tuesday with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin.

Abdallah said the administration of Gov. Monday Okpebholo remained committed to protecting and empowering women and girls through awareness creation, economic empowerment and strengthened response systems for Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

She said sensitisation campaigns were carried out through community leaders, schools, religious organisations, town halls and civil society groups to educate women on their rights, reporting mechanisms and available support services.

According to her, the initiative also promotes awareness of protections under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, 2021, and other government-backed services for survivors.

Abdallah said Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in Benin and Uromi, with another, being developed in Auchi, provided integrated medical, legal and psychosocial services to survivors of abuse.

She explained that survivors received immediate medical attention, counselling and legal assistance, including free medical examinations, treatment of injuries, post-exposure prophylaxis where necessary, and documentation for legal proceedings.

She added that emergency shelter is also available through partner organisations, where survivors’ homes are unsafe.

Abdallah said the ministry worked with legal partners to provide free legal representation and assist survivors in obtaining protection orders against offenders.

On psychosocial support, she said trained counsellors offered confidential care, while support groups helped reduce stigma and aid reintegration.

She said survivors are not abandoned after reporting cases, as follow-up mechanisms are in place to monitor their recovery.

Abdallah further noted that survivors and vulnerable women benefited from skills acquisition, vocational training centres in Evbomodu, Uromi and Igarra, as well as start-up support and microfinance programmes to promote economic independence.

She added that child protection services, including counselling and intervention in unsafe home situations, were also integrated into the system.

The commissioner stressed that confidentiality is strictly maintained under the VAPP Law, while measures are in place to protect survivors from intimidation and victimisation.

She said the government’s response goes beyond prosecution to focus on recovery, empowerment and reintegration.

Abdallah urged residents to report abuse promptly through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Police Gender Desks and SARCs, assuring that support and legal remedies are available.

She further explained that under the VAPP Law, survivors could access immediate medical care at SARCs without a police report, while legal and counselling supported follow thereafter.

She reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding awareness on women’s rights and strengthening institutional support systems across Edo.