As the world marks the 16 Days of Activism, the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme has helped more than 50,000 women who have suffered from gender-based violence (GBV) across 22 states in Nigeria, according to the programme's latest report.

The RoLAC Phase II Programme, a five-year initiative from 2023 to 2027, is funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).

The programme aims to strengthen the rule of law, combat corruption, reduce gender-based violence, and promote human rights.

Project Manager for Access to Justice and Coordinator of the Network of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs), Oluwatoyosi Giwa, confirmed on Sunday that 47 SARCs across 22 states have assisted 51,127 survivors, with 39,992 of them being women.

Despite these positive outcomes, Giwa expressed concern over the slow pace of prosecution in sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) cases.

"While these achievements are indeed laudable, the number of cases being prosecuted remains very low, with even fewer convictions," he said, citing insufficient funding for investigative and prosecuting agencies, as well as a shortage of judicial capacity.

He also pointed out that many survivors do not receive adequate justice or support, while perpetrators often continue their crimes without facing consequences. Giwa emphasised the need for state governments to allocate resources for medical, psychosocial, and legal services for SGBV survivors, integrating these costs into their annual budgets.

The RoLAC Programme, which operates federally and in seven key states--Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Edo, Kano, Lagos, and Plateau--has significantly expanded services for SGBV survivors.

He said, "When the programme began in 2017, only 11 SARCs across 10 states were assisting approximately 4,000 survivors. By the end of Phase I in March 2023, this number had risen to 40 SARCs across 20 states, helping nearly 39,000 survivors."