BraveHeart Initiative conducts SGBV case management training for Edo SGBV-focused CSOs

Ms. Priscilla Usiobaifo

In a bid towards enhancing the capacity and skills of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) case management, a two-day training program was organised for Edo SGBV-focused CSOs by the BraveHeart Initiative for Youth and Women (BHI), with support from the MacArthur Foundation.

In her opening remark, the Executive Director of BHI- Ms. Priscilla Usiobaifo said out of the 1000 CSOs domicile in Edo state, only 50 are SGBV-focused. She said out of the 50, 14 were invited for the training. According to her, the training was meant to fill the training gap of the SGBV-focused organisations in SGBV case management. The Executive Director said prior to the SGBV case management training, BHI also organised a training for health sector providers in Akoko-Edo. 

"The training was made up of technical sessions; documentation and data intelligence; discussions about work tools; distribution of job aids such as - power banks, electric boxes with power surge; and post-training institutional support; panel and group work discussions about institutions", said she.

Speaking through zoom, the Deputy Director of MacArthur Foundation- Dr. Amina Salihu said the Foundation felt the energy and impact of BHI's work in Edo State, saying BHI has chosen to tackle the hard issues of SGBV.

"Making violence isaue a policy and law is an amazing thing that BHI is doing in Edo State. The kind of initiative that BHI has, the state government does not have it. BHI has really done a lot in building the capacity of CSOs in the area of SGBV", she said.

While delivering a technical session on Ethical Guides for SGBV Case Management, Chairperson of BHI Board of Trustees- Lady Grace Osakue gave the following as ethical principles that must guide case managers in the course of carrying out their SGBV work: "respecting the privacy of the survivor; informed consent; cultural sensitivity; be non-judgemental; establishing boundaries with survivors; professional competence and continuous education; self care and wellbeing; collaboration and referrals; ensuring safety and security of survivors; non-discriminatory; maintaining professional integrity; survivor centered approach; empowering survivors; ethical documentation and fata management; and accountability and quality assurance".

On his part, a former Commissioner for Justice, Edo State- Osagie Obayuwana, highlighted the qualities of an effective case management worker as follows: "empathy, tenacity, courage, conviction, sacrifice, charisma and charm". 

The former Commissioner for Justice while delivering a technical session on Engaging the Justice System, also listed must have virtues such as, "patience, doggedness, transparency, altruism and nobility". 

"When you group all together and embody them, there will be no problem engaging syaye actors. These days, you must engage the Vigilantee, the Civil Defense, the Police, and the Judiciary. 

"The justice sector starts from the point of arrest. When an arrest has been made, there's a time limit in which the suspect can be kept. In some cases, investigation can commence before arrest. The outcome of a case depends on investigation. When the investigation is poor, thr outcome will fall into pieces", he said.

The legal luminary who used the medium to advocate for a united front approach in the fight against SGBV, also highlighted some systemic challenges facing SGBV-focused group to include: poor level of the development of the state; poor wages; being overworked; and inefficiency.

On her part, the immediate past Attorney General of Edo State- Prof. Yinka Omorogbe, SAN, adumbrated some of the challenges in SGBV case management to imclude: finance; governance; retirement of justice and number of holidays; professional incompetence, poor data management; problem of consent on the side of the victim; administration of criminal justice; lack of proper documentation; lack of confidentiality in counseling; witness compromise; limited access to service providers; limited case workers; no enough evidence for survivors; etc.

There was presentation of work tools to participatory organisations by the Executive Director of BHI- Priscilla Usiobaifo. According to her, "the materials and equipments are Job Aids that will improve their institutional capacity to manage SGBV Cases."