EU invests 1 billion Naira and sets up 41 centres in Nigeria to treat victims of sexual assault

• The EU, in cooperation with UNDP, has allocated one billion naira to combat domestic violence and gender-based violence in Nigeria.
• 41 sexual assault counselling centres will be set up in 20 Nigerian states to provide support and legal advice to victims.

The European Union (EU) has allocated one billion Naira to combat domestic violence in Nigeria. With this significant investment, the EU aims to combat gender-based violence in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Ruben Alba Aguilera, Head of Governance, Gender, Human Rights and Migration at the EU Delegation, stated this during the premiere of the UNDP-supported film Deafening Silence in Lagos. Aguilera, who represented EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS Samuela Isopi, stressed the importance of the initiative.

“Deafening Silence”, produced under the EU-UN Spotlight Initiative, uses storytelling to shine a spotlight on gender equality, women’s empowerment and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in Nigeria.

Aguilera said: “This initiative, which is part of the EU Spotlight Initiative, is mobilising over one billion naira to raise awareness and break the silence on violence in our society. We all have a responsibility to stop it.”

He also announced the establishment of 41 sexual violence counselling centres in 20 states in Nigeria. These centres will provide victims with support, legal advice and the opportunity to take legal action against perpetrators.

“We must fight against violence against our mothers, sisters and daughters. This is unacceptable,” stressed Aguilera, highlighting the EU’s efforts to provide victims with access to basic psychosocial support and health services.

Aguilera called on the federal government to step up its efforts against gender and sexual violence, urging investment and active participation. “The government must invest and play its role. We support you, but the government must also mobilize its resources. We have worked with judges and prosecutors to achieve this,” he added.

EU Ambassador Isopi reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to combating sexual and gender-based violence. She praised the power of storytelling in Deafening Silence, which amplifies the voices of survivors and advocates and provides the impetus for change.

“The power of art lies in its ability to inspire empathy and self-reflection. It provides a platform where marginalized voices are heard and recognized,” Isopi said.

Produced by Emem Isong Misodi, the film stars Toni Tones, Kate Henshaw, Femi Jacobs, Daniel Etim Effiong, Chidi Mokeme, Bimbo Akintola, Debby Felix and Ekamma Etim-Inyang.