Over 100 Sexual Violence Cases Documented in Katsina, Says Girl Child Department

The Katsina Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) has documented 110 cases of sexual assault since its establishment in December 2023, according to the Permanent Secretary, Department of Girl Child Education and Child Development, Mr. Aminu Badaru-Jikamshi.

Speaking at the opening of a three-day stakeholder training on Tuesday in Katsina, Badaru-Jikamshi said 60 of the cases have been uploaded into the Child Protection Information Management System (CPIMS) for proper tracking and intervention.

The training, organised by the department in collaboration with UNICEF, brought together stakeholders from Katsina, Kano, and Jigawa States, including medical experts, justice officials, police representatives, gender-based violence officers, and social workers.

Badaru-Jikamshi explained that the initiative aims to enhance access to survivor-centred services for victims of sexual violence.

“This progress reflects our growing ability to document, monitor, and respond to child protection concerns with professionalism and transparency,” he said.

He commended UNICEF for its partnership, noting that the organisation has played a major role in equipping the SARC centre and improving the capacity of staff to handle sensitive cases.

“Through UNICEF’s generous support, our centre now has essential working tools that greatly improve the quality of care we provide to survivors,” he added.