Sexual and Gender Based Violence Response/Gender Unit

1. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SGBV RESPONSE / GENDER UNIT

Further to the mandate of the Federal Ministry of Justice as the primary institution responsible for the administration of justice, the articulation and defence of constitutional rights, the HAGF undertook the task of coordinating governmental actions, laws and policies in response to SGBV cases in Nigeria through the establishment of the SGBV Response Unit in May 2021.

2. Mandates/Functions

The SGBV Response Unit has the following core mandates:

1. Review and harmonisation of laws and policies on SGBV;
2. Provision of access to justice for SGBV victims/survivors through prosecution of cases; legal counselling, mediation, facilitation of settlement agreement and provision of all requisite legal services to victims of SGBV in all cases brought to the Ministry

• Facilitation of requisite capacity building and training of legal officers handling SGBV cases.

1. Establishment and operation of a prosecution hub constituting all relevant MDA investigating and prosecuting SGBV cases;
2. Collation and processing of SGBV Data for record, reporting, monitoring and evaluation purposes
3. Gender Focal Office of the Ministry;

• Desk Office for Persons Living with Disability on SGBV matters
• Sensitisation and advocacy for the enactment and implementation of SGBV Laws at State levels

1. The Secretariat of the Inter-ministerial Management Committee on SGBV