FIC Report ( Benue State) – The Benue State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting government and development partners in the prevention of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) through sustained public enlightenment, behaviour change communication and grassroots community mobilization.
The Benue State Director of NOA, Comrade Mark Ucha Dewua, made the commitment during the two-day Benue State Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Response Team Coordination Meeting organised by the Benue State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Welfare in collaboration with the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) at Eyah Hotel and Suites, Makurdi.
Represented by the Head of Media and Communication, Aja Daniel Ikpegi Aja, the State Director stressed that addressing SGBV requires a whole-of-society approach that goes beyond law enforcement to tackling harmful social norms, cultural practices and attitudes that fuel violence against women, girls and other vulnerable groups.
He noted that, by virtue of its statutory mandate and extensive grassroots presence, the National Orientation Agency is strategically positioned to drive public awareness, influence positive behavioural change, promote shared national values and mobilize communities in support of efforts to prevent Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
The coordination meeting brought together representatives of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), security agencies, the judiciary, development partners, traditional institutions and civil society organisations to strengthen institutional collaboration and develop a comprehensive framework for the prevention of and response to SGBV in Benue State.
In her opening remarks, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Welfare, Hon. Theresa Odachi-Ikwue, described Sexual and Gender-Based Violence as a serious violation of human rights and called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders to build a coordinated, survivor-centred response system capable of preventing abuse, protecting survivors and ensuring perpetrators are brought to justice.
She urged participants to make meaningful contributions towards developing practical frameworks that would enhance institutional collaboration and improve service delivery across the state.
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of the Office of the Secretary to the State Government, the Ministry of Justice and Public Order, the Bureau for International Cooperation and Development, the Benue State Commission for Peace and Reconciliation, and International IDEA.
The speakers unanimously emphasized the need to strengthen institutional partnerships, improve access to justice and psychosocial support for survivors, promote public awareness and ensure effective implementation of existing legal and policy frameworks on SGBV.
Technical sessions featured presentations on the objectives and expected outcomes of the European Union-funded End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Programme, assessments of existing laws and institutional coordination mechanisms, and strategies for strengthening monitoring, evaluation, learning and accountability to improve programme implementation and service delivery.
A major outcome of the meeting was the resolution to establish the Benue State Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Team (SRT) instead of creating a parallel structure, following observations that the state already has a Technical Working Committee on SGBV. The Response Team will coordinate operational response and implementation among relevant stakeholder institutions.
Participants also developed a draft Terms of Reference, proposed the membership composition of the State Response Team, defined institutional roles and responsibilities, prepared an Action Planning Matrix and developed a draft Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Accountability (MELA) Framework to guide implementation and measure progress.
During the deliberations, participants approved the inclusion of the National Orientation Agency in the membership of the Benue State Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Response Team, acknowledging the Agency’s statutory responsibility for public enlightenment, behaviour change communication and grassroots mobilization as essential to preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
At the end of the meeting, participants resolved to reconvene in August 2026 to review, validate and formally adopt the revised Terms of Reference, membership composition of the State Response Team, the Action Planning Matrix and the Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Accountability Framework.
The meeting is expected to strengthen inter-agency collaboration, enhance survivor-centred service delivery and provide a more coordinated and sustainable framework for preventing and responding to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across Benue State.
VERONICA AZEMBA
For Head of Center Makurdi
