By BISODUN BASSEY ROXANNE
A newly trained End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV) Media Corps has been inaugurated in Oyo State under an initiative funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA) in partnership with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The initiative is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s response to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) by promoting prevention, protection and access to justice through robust legal and policy frameworks.
It is also designed to ensure that survivors of SGBV have access to quality referral pathways, healthcare, justice and safety, particularly in rural communities, with the media playing a critical role in amplifying the voices of vulnerable and voiceless persons.
The inauguration followed a two-day capacity-building workshop tagged “End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (ESGBV)”, held at JAGZ Hotel, Ibadan, from August 19 to 20, 2026.
The workshop brought together 25 practising journalists, SGBV-focused reporters and communication professionals, who were trained on ethical, responsible and survivor-centred reporting of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
Declaring the workshop open on behalf of the Director-General of NAPTIP, Hajiya Binta Lami Adamu Bello, the Head of the Press and Public Relations Unit at the NAPTIP Headquarters, Mr Vincent Adekoye, said the agency remained committed to exposing atrocities bordering on human rights violations and ensuring justice through the instrumentality of the law.
He charged members of the newly inaugurated EU-ESGBV Media Corps to challenge harmful practices, stereotypes and social norms that violate the rights and dignity of survivors and communities.
According to him, the media has a strategic responsibility to ensure that cases of SGBV are not ignored, trivialised or swept under the carpet, but reported in ways that promote justice, accountability and protection for survivors.
Representatives and facilitators at the training, including Mrs Winifred Achu-Egbuson, International IDEA Media Consultant, Mr Almsfree, Lead Facilitator, Trainer and Media Mentor, and Mrs Toyin Adewale, also emphasised the need for dedicated SGBV journalists to leverage existing legal instruments to support survivors and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
The facilitators highlighted relevant laws, including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law of Oyo State, domesticated in 2020, the Child Rights Law, women’s rights laws and other relevant statutes as critical tools for advocacy and accountability.
Participants were advised to avoid sensationalism, victim-blaming and unethical reporting in cases involving sexual violence.
They were instead encouraged to prioritise accurate reporting, survivor protection and access to appropriate referral pathways, while protecting survivors of sexual assault from shame, guilt, stigmatisation and retaliation.
The trainers stressed the importance of rapid and timely access to medical, psychosocial and legal support, urging journalists to report in a manner that can guide survivors and affected families towards available support services.
The participants were also encouraged to advocate for the establishment of functional Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) across Oyo State.
The facilitators stressed that SGBV reporting must adopt a survivor-centred approach anchored on evidence, accuracy, fairness and rural-based community engagement.
Journalists were urged to amplify the voices of survivors, while also ensuring that alleged offenders are properly investigated and, where evidence supports prosecution, brought before the law.
They were further advised to follow SGBV cases to their logical conclusions while maintaining fairness, impartiality and professional ethics.
The training also underscored the importance of protecting children, with facilitators reminding participants that a minor cannot legally give consent.
Participants were taken through professional and ethical terms required for effective SGBV reporting, while the workshop deepened their understanding of SGBV-related issues and the role of responsible journalism in improving public awareness, reducing stigma and promoting access to support services for survivors.
The facilitators described the media as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, a strong and powerful institution capable of using the pen and other communication platforms to propagate the campaign to end Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
Speaking during the closing session in an interview with Reporters at Large, the lead facilitators expressed profound appreciation for the courage, commitment and active participation demonstrated by the participants throughout the training.
They reassured the newly inaugurated ESGBV Media Corps of continuous support and mentoring as they begin the next phase of the initiative.
The corps is expected to implement a developed three-month action plan aimed at improving SGBV awareness and strengthening response mechanisms within their respective media organisations and communities.
The action plan forms part of broader efforts by the EU, NAPTIP and International IDEA to combat Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, promote accountability and advance responsible, dignified and survivor-centred journalism in Nigeria.
Also present at the training were representatives of relevant agencies and the Oyo State Commandant of NAPTIP, Mr Kayode Alfred.
The inauguration of the ESGBV Media Corps is expected to further strengthen the role of journalists as key partners in the campaign against SGBV, ensuring that survivors are heard, protected and guided towards justice and support, while perpetrators are held accountable in accordance with the law.
