The Honorable Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Inclusion ; Hon( Mrs) Toyin Balogun was privileged to represent our dear State at the Validation of Program Design for an interventionist funding support by the European Union to End Sexual & Gender Based Violence(SGBV) in Nigeria between 2026 and 2030,a program which took place in Abuja recently
The Oyo State contingent to this strategic engagement comprised:
1.Commissioner for Women Affairs & Social Inclusion; Hon( Mrs) Toyin Balogun
2.Commissioner for Justice & Attorney General of the State; Barrister Abiodun Aikomo
3.The Chief Judge of Oyo State; Justice Iyabo Yerima
4.Judge of the State Family Court;Justice Adeeyo
This is a collaborative intervention between the European Union and Idea International,an NGO with core competence in advocating the rights and interests of the female demographic.
This strategic intervention will see the European Union deploying the sum of £18million (Eighteen Million Euros) between 2026 and 2030 towards supporting just 3 states of the Federation out of the 36 plus FCT in order to support and scale up their capacity to tackle the hydra headed Sexual and Gender Based Violence menace between now and the timeline specified
This Support Fund is expected to be devolved towards scaling up capacity of beneficiary states to address lacunas or challenges in the SGBV State response in terms of Social Welfare Infrastructure like Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCS), Skills Acquisition Centres etc and Capacity Building/Training programs for critical stakeholders in the response ecosystem.
The representative teams of the EU/International Idea had hitherto visited different states of the Federation where pitches were made by critical stakeholders in the SGBV Response Ecosystem,Need Analysis conducted and this Abuja engagement served a dual purpose.It was both:
1.A grand finale pitch/competition for the grand prize by the 5 finalist states and
2.A validation meeting for the Program Design
At the end of the engagement, only 3 states of the Federation scaled the hurdles to clinch the grand prize; £18million to be accessed by the 3 sub-nationals who came tops; Oyo, Benue and Katsina with Oyo State leading the pack.
