05/06/2025
SOUTH-SOUTH SGBV INFO HUB’S STATEMENT ON CHILDREN’S DAY, MAY 27, 2025
As Nigeria celebrates Children’s Day, the South-South SGBV Info Hub calls for urgent action to protect children in the South-South region from Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). Children, the most vulnerable members of our society, face SGBV in their homes, schools, religious spaces, and both public and private environments. This pervasive violence leaves deep scars, with research showing that child survivors of SGBV often face lifelong challenges, including mental health disorders, unstable relationships, and diminished economic prospects due to trauma and inadequate access to comprehensive care.
A 2020 study by the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey revealed that 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 10 boys experience sexual violence before age 18, with the South-South region reporting elevated rates due to socio-economic vulnerabilities and weak protective systems. Rural children are disproportionately affected, often neglected by state interventions and marginalised by systemic inequities. Without holistic psychosocial, medical, and legal child survivors are at risk of growing into adults with unstable lives, perpetuating cycles of poverty and trauma.
The Nigerian Constitution mandates the government to protect its citizens, including children, while international commitments under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child bind Nigeria to safeguard children’s rights. Yet, the gap between these obligations and reality is stark. Perpetrators of SGBV against children often evade justice, and budgetary allocations rarely reflect the urgent needs of child survivors, especially in rural areas.
On this Children’s Day, we urge the Federal Government of Nigeria and the governments of the six South-South states (Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers State) to move beyond ceremonial celebrations and prioritise actionable measures.
The South-South SGBV Info Hub calls for:
• Strengthened Protection Systems: Establish and fund child-friendly reporting mechanisms and safe spaces across urban and rural communities to prevent SGBV and support survivors.
• Comprehensive Care for Survivors: Invest in accessible psychosocial, medical, and legal services to address the debilitating effects of SGBV on children’s physical and mental well-being.
• Robust Prosecution of Perpetrators: Ensure swift and diligent prosecution of SGBV offenders to deter impunity and deliver justice for child victims.
• Adequate Budgetary Commitments: Reflect Nigeria’s constitutional and international obligations in state and federal budgets by allocating resources for child protection programs, with a focus on marginalised rural communities.
• Inclusive Policies for Rural Children: Address the unique vulnerabilities of rural children through targeted interventions, including mobile support units and community-based awareness campaigns.
A just and equitable Nigeria prioritises the rights, safety, and best interests of its children. The South-South SGBV Info Hub stands with all children, especially those in underserved rural areas, and calls on the government to act decisively. Let this Children’s Day mark a renewed commitment to protecting every child from SGBV, ensuring they grow into thriving, empowered adults in a society that truly values them.
Inyingi Irimagha
Coordinator, South-South SGBV Info Hub
Justice Development and Peace Centre, Benin Community Empowerment and Development Initiative (CEDI) Amaclare Connect & Dev Initiative OLEGH Centre for Community Development Adata Bio-Briggs Fida Cross River Fida Rivers State Branch, Cross River State Ministry Of Women Affairs, Rivers State Ministry of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Cpn Rivers UNICEF Nigeria UNDP in Nigeria Ford Foundation Loretta Ahuokpeme Benny's Development Initiative International IDEA
