As part of Project Hope, supported by the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women (UNTF), the Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN) organized a learning visit to the Ministry of Women Affairs, Ogun State. The visit aimed to deepen knowledge on the management of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) and to foster experience sharing across ministries and states to strengthen Gender-Based Violence (GBV) response systems.
The delegation included representatives from the Ministry of Women and Social Affairs, Ministry of Justice, and Ministry of Health in Osun State, alongside NGO partners working with CEWHIN. Their engagement with the Ogun State Ministry of Women Affairs provided an opportunity to understand the structures, strategies, and lessons that have supported the effective running of SARCs in the state.
During the visit, the Ogun team shared insights into how the Ministry has sustained the SARCs through multi-sectoral collaboration, survivor-centered service delivery, and strong government commitment. The Ogun team officials also shared insights about the government’s commitment to tackling violence against women and girls through the establishment of 4 Sexual Assault Referral Centres in the state across Abeokuta – Asero Safe Centre, Sagamu, Ijebu-Ode and Ilaro SARC Centres.
The session created an interactive platform for experience sharing between Ministry staff from Ogun and Osun States. This exchange emphasized the importance of inter-ministerial cooperation and peer learning in strengthening referral pathways and ensuring a coordinated GBV response.
For CEWHIN, the visit represents an important step in bridging learning across states to build more resilient systems for survivors. By drawing lessons from Ogun State’s SARC model, Osun State stakeholders are better positioned to adapt successful strategies, address existing gaps, and reinforce their own referral mechanisms.
This learning visit is a key milestone in Project Hope’s commitment to strengthening stakeholder collaboration and enhancing GBV response structures that safeguard the rights and dignity of women and girls.