By Uangbaoje Alex, Kaduna

Journalists have been urged to intensify investigative reporting and public advocacy against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), with a call for stronger protection of vulnerable children, women and other at-risk groups.

The call was made during a mentoring engagement with the SGBV Media Corps in Kaduna State on Saturday, where representatives of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), International IDEA and media professionals discussed the role of journalism in preventing abuse, raising public awareness and strengthening accountability.

Speaking on behalf of NAPTIP’s Director-General, the agency’s Head of Media and Public Relations Unit, Vincent Adekoye, urged journalists to intensify their advocacy and remain vigilant against perpetrators who continually devise new methods of committing abuse.

He said journalists had an important role to play in protecting vulnerable children, young people living on the streets and women from sexual and gender-based violence.

Adekoye encouraged media professionals to familiarise themselves with relevant legal frameworks and use their platforms to expose abuses, raise awareness and sustain public attention on SGBV.

He also urged journalists and other stakeholders to scrutinise government policies, examine institutional responses and maintain their engagement in efforts to eradicate gender-based violence.

According to him, the four-year project aims to contribute to the eradication of sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria through sustained advocacy and stakeholder collaboration.

In her remarks, the ESGBV Media Corps Mentor for Kaduna State, Lauratu Abdulsalam, highlighted the importance of collaboration among journalists and other stakeholders in improving the coverage of gender-based violence.

She said the engagement provided an opportunity for media professionals to exchange ideas, bridge existing gaps and better understand the changing dynamics of reporting sensitive issues.

Abdulsalam emphasised the need for responsible media coverage to raise public awareness and ensure that the government and relevant institutions remained informed about developments relating to SGBV.

She also drew attention to the need to balance the media’s responsibility to inform the public with the confidentiality requirements surrounding sensitive investigations.

Similarly, the Kaduna State Commander of NAPTIP, Labaran Ado, called for stronger collaboration between the media and law enforcement agencies in addressing gender-based violence.

He said media involvement could help bring the issue to public attention and encourage government institutions to strengthen their responses.

Ado urged journalists to report cases to the appropriate authorities, assuring them that the agency was prepared to work with the media within its operational and legal responsibilities.

However, he cautioned that information relating to ongoing investigations could not always be disclosed publicly, as premature disclosure might compromise investigations and affect subsequent legal proceedings.

He explained that law enforcement agencies operated on a need-to-know basis to protect sensitive information and preserve the integrity of investigations.

The discussions underscored the importance of verifying information, respecting due process and avoiding publications that could prejudice investigations or violate the rights of suspects.

At the same time, participants recognised the media’s capacity to expose institutional shortcomings and press authorities to strengthen their response to SGBV.

The engagement also highlighted resource constraints confronting professionals who handle cases of abuse.

In his vote of thanks, the State Project Coordinator of the ESGBV Programme at International IDEA’s Kaduna State Office, Billy Francis Graham, acknowledged the sacrifices made by frontline personnel and the challenges they sometimes face in carrying out their responsibilities without adequate resources.

Graham said case managers and supervisors sometimes had to use their personal funds to meet needs arising from their work, describing the situation as a challenge requiring greater institutional support.

He said concerns raised during the engagement would be discussed with relevant project leadership, while emphasising the importance of involving supervisors and other senior officials to improve their understanding of the demands of frontline work.

Participants called on journalists to move beyond reporting individual incidents to examining systemic failures, identifying gaps in protection and holding institutions accountable for their responsibilities.

They stressed that effective responses to SGBV require sustained public advocacy, adequate resources, inter-agency cooperation and responsible reporting that protects survivors while preserving the integrity of investigations.