Bauchi Govt, Foundation to establish counseling center for SGBV survivors

By Ahmed Ahmed

An NGO, Attah Sisters Helping Hand foundation (ASHHF) in Collaboration with the Bauchi state Ministry of women affairs and child development to establish a psychosocial counseling center for sexual gender based violence survivors in Bauchi.

Speaking at the stakeholders meeting on Friday in Bauchi, Mrs Comfort Attah, Executive Director of the foundation said the counseling office was supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

According to her, all arrangement have been concluded with the state Ministry of women affairs for the establishment of psychosocial counseling center within the Ministry.

She said the office would provide psychosocial support that involves providing emotional and psychological care to an individual who is a survivor or victim of any form of SGBV.

“All actions taken would be guided by respect for the choices, wishes, rights and dignity of the survivor.

“The safety and security of the survivor is the number one priority for all actors.

“People have the right to choose to whom they will or will not, tell their story,” Attah said.

According to her, the services provided include psychological first aid, emergency contraception, post-exposure prophylaxis for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among others.

On his part, Alhaji Aliyu Sulaiman, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, said it is a welcome development to establish within the Ministry counseling center, saying that it would go a long way in the transformation of the SGVB survivors in the state.

He noted that the establishment of the counseling center would complement the efforts of the Ministry towards curbing gender based violence in the State.

The Permanent Secretary pledged to brief the commissioner for Women Affairs on the relevance of the office and the effort of the foundation and UNESCO in fighting the dreaded menace of gender-based violence in the state.