NYSC vows to champion campaigns against menace of GBV among Corps members

The management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has committed to leading campaigns against Gender-Based Violence (GBV) across the country, particularly targeting serving Corps members.

This commitment was announced by the Director General of NYSC, Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Nafiu, during the launch of the first phase of a grassroots gender sensitization and advocacy campaign aimed at rural communities in the Northern States. The event took place in Bauchi on Wednesday.

According to him, “the scheme would also champion a campaign against all forms of inequality using Corps Gender Vanguard Community Development Service (CDS) groups as foot soldiers across the 774 Local Government Area in the country.”

The DG who was represented by the Bauchi State Coordinator of NYSC, Mrs Rifkatu Yakubu, explained that the sensitisation and advocacy campaign was a well-thought-out initiative of Reforms Coordination and Service Improvement Department NYSC.

This, he said, was aimed at exposing the ills of Gender-Based Violence and Gender Inequality in the society.

According to him, “While gender issues are often misconstrued as affecting females alone, it is important to note that they include matters of concern to both genders in terms of their rights, roles and responsibilities.”

Olakunle Nafiu added that, “We are here to emphasise that no individual should be denied the opportunity to realise their potentials, hence our appeal to all stakeholders to be more supportive, proactive and sensitive to gender matters.”

“The overall achievements of NYSC in its efforts at reducing the incidences of Gender Based Violence in rural communities cannot be overemphasised,” he added.

The NYSC DG further stated that, “Through the relevant CDS groups, the Scheme has facilitated the formation of Gender Clubs in schools in addition to providing links to victims of gender abuse through the GBV toll-free line, of the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs.”

While assuring that the scheme would continue to work with the relevant stakeholders towards the success of gender mainstreaming in the country, Nafiu appealed for the needed support in the war against GBV.

In their separate remarks, the representative of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) urged the students present to speak out and report any form of abuse to the security agencies.

The theme of the 2025 first phase gender sensitisation and advocacy campaign in rural communities by the NYSC is ‘Breaking the Circle of Ignorance’.

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