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POLICY TITLE: Oyo State SGBV Prevention, Response and Survivors' Economic Empowerment Trust Fund Bill

THEME: Gender Justice / Sustainable Financing / Human Capital Development

1. THE PROBLEM:

Oyo State has domesticated progressive laws including the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law and Child Rights Law. However, implementation remains donor-driven and unsustainable.

From my 8 years working on SGBV prevention and response, I have seen 3 critical gaps in Oyo State:

a) The Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) in Oyo State is currently inactive and shelters struggle with funding, consumables, and sustained psychosocial and legal support.

b) Over 70% of survivors who want to leave abusive environments return to the same environment due to economic dependence. We rescue without sustainable reintegration.

c) There is no statutory, transparent funding mechanism for SGBV in the state budget. Allocations are ad-hoc, making citizen tracking and accountability difficult.

We have good laws, but no sustainable financing framework to implement them.

2. POLICY OBJECTIVE:

To create a legally backed, sustainable, transparent and accountable financing mechanism for SGBV prevention, comprehensive response and long-term economic empowerment of survivors in Oyo State.

3. MY POLICY PROPOSAL:

I propose a Bill for the establishment of the Oyo State SGBV Trust Fund with the following features:

a) Statutory Funding: Funded by 1% of Oyo State IGR, 5% contribution from the State Security Trust Fund, private sector CSR, and a donor basket fund. This ensures sustainability beyond donor cycles.

b) Ring-fenced Utilization: Leveraging my accounting background, I propose the law should mandate a clear formula: 40% to SARC revitalization, operations, medical and legal aid; 30% to Survivors' Economic Reintegration (skills, start-up grants, education support for girl survivors); 20% to prevention in schools and communities; 10% to data, research and annual audit. Annual audited reports to be published for public accountability.

c) Project Management Approach to Reintegration:Every enrolled survivor should have a 12-month managed reintegration plan handled by a trained case manager - from trauma counseling to economic empowerment - not just one-off assistance. This ensures value for money and measurable outcomes.

d) Inclusive Governance:The Fund should be managed by a multi-stakeholder Board comprising the Oyo State SGBV Response Agency, Ministries of Women Affairs, Justice, Health, and Finance, plus CSOs with proven SGBV track record and a survivor representative to ensure citizen oversight.

4. EXPECTED OUTCOME:

If passed, Oyo State will transition from donor-dependent response to a state-owned, sustainable model. It will lead to functional SARCs, reduced return-to-abuser rates, improved conviction rates through funded legal aid, and transparent, measurable budget performance on gender justice.

This is not just a gender policy, it is an accountability, economic inclusion and human capital development policy.

I have field data from 8 years of SGBV work and would be happy to co-develop a policy brief on this.

#SGBV #GenderResponsiveBudgeting #OyoState #TrustFund #InclusiveLegislation

1. The Problem

Youth unemployment is one of the challenges Ekiti State needs to address. Many young people graduate from universities and other institutions but struggle to find jobs. Others acquire vocational or digital skills but lack the resources, experience, and opportunities to earn a living from them. As a result, many young people remain dependent on their families despite their education and abilities.

2. Why It Should Be Addressed

Young people are important to the economic growth of Ekiti State. When they cannot find productive work, their talents remain underutilised, families face financial pressure, and the state loses opportunities for economic development. Addressing youth unemployment will help young people become financially independent, support local businesses, and contribute to the development of their communities.

3. THE SOLUTION FRAMEWORK: CONNECTING YOUNG PEOPLE TO REAL ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES

I propose that Ekiti State establish a Youth Skills-to-Jobs Programme that focuses not only on training young people but also on helping them secure employment or establish sustainable businesses.

The framework would have four key components:

A. Train for Available Jobs: Work with employers, farms, technology companies, and local businesses to identify the skills they need and provide relevant practical training.

B. Create Pathways to Employment: Establish partnerships with businesses to provide internships, apprenticeships, and job placements for trained young people.

C. Support Young Entrepreneurs: Provide access to business mentorship, markets, and transparent funding opportunities for young people with viable business ideas.

D. Measure Results, Not Just Training: Require the government to track how many participants secure jobs, start businesses, and sustain their businesses over time. Regular reports should be published to promote accountability.

4. Expected Impact

This approach would help bridge the gap between education and employment, improve access to economic opportunities, strengthen local businesses, and reduce young people's dependence on temporary assistance.

Conclusion

Ekiti State needs to move beyond training young people and begin creating clear pathways for them to earn a living. The success of youth empowerment should not be measured by the number of certificates distributed, but by the number of young people who can turn their skills into sustainable livelihoods.

Policy problem: Many young children face barriers to quality early childhood education, including financial constraints, inadequate learning facilities, limited access to trained early-years teachers, and insufficient awareness among parents about the importance of early learning.

Proposed solution: The Lagos State Government should strengthen early childhood education through a state policy that promotes affordable and accessible pre-primary education, supports teacher training, establishes minimum standards for early-years learning environments, and encourages partnerships among government, schools, parents, and civil society organisations.

Informal community security groups, like vigilantes, neighborhood watch, and traditional hunters' guilds, often work alongside formal police structures but with very little coordination or data sharing between them. This leads to duplicated effort, mutual mistrust, and real gaps in crime prevention, especially in peri-urban and rural local government areas.

The policy: I'm proposing a state-legislated Community-Police Partnership Framework that would do a few things. First, it would formally register and train informal security groups under a state oversight body, with clear rules of engagement and human rights training built in. Second, it would set up quarterly community-police forums at the LGA level, where residents, traditional leaders, and police divisional officers sit together to review local crime data and agree on priorities. Third, it would introduce a simple digital or USSD reporting channel so residents can report security concerns directly to both the police and registered community groups, closing the gap in response time. Finally, it would require an annual independent audit of community security group conduct, with continued state funding tied to passing that audit.

Why it matters: My undergraduate research in Fagge LGA, Kano found that informal and formal security actors often work at cross purposes simply because there's no structured coordination or shared legitimacy between them. This is likely a pattern repeated across many states in Nigeria. A legislated framework like this would turn an already existing community resource into a properly accountable, coordinated extension of state security policy, improving trust and crime prevention outcomes without requiring heavy new spending.

Through my passion for youth development, community engagement, and advocacy, as well as my Speak Up Initiative, I believe that empowering young people goes beyond encouraging them to speak. It also means equipping them with the knowledge and opportunities to make their voices count in governance. However, one question that boggles my mind constantly is this:

“How can young people influence decisions that affect their lives if they do not understand how those decisions are made?”

In Lagos State, young people have ideas, concerns, and solutions that deserve to be heard. However, meaningful participation in governance begins with access to the right information. When young people cannot easily understand proposed laws, legislative decisions, or the roles of their elected representatives, their ability to participate in shaping public policy is limited.

My Proposal

I propose that the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State House of Assembly strengthen youth-friendly access to legislative information through:

1. Simplified legislative information: Publish summaries of proposed bills, enacted laws, and legislative decisions in clear, everyday language that young people can understand.
2. Community-based civic education: Organise civic education sessions in schools, tertiary institutions, and local communities, particularly in underserved areas.
3. Youth-legislator engagement: Establish regular town halls where young people can ask questions, share community challenges, and engage directly with their elected representatives.
4. Digital participation channels: Create accessible platforms where young people can learn about legislative activities, submit policy ideas, and receive feedback from relevant institutions.

Why This Matters

Young people are affected by decisions concerning education, employment, healthcare, security, and the environment. Yet, without accessible legislative information, many may not know how these decisions are made or how to contribute to the process.

I believe that encouraging young people to speak up must go beyond telling them to use their voices. We must also equip them with the information they need to make those voices informed, constructive, and effective.

My vision is a Lagos State where young people are not merely spectators in governance but informed citizens who can engage their representatives, contribute ideas, and hold public institutions accountable.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an urgent public health concern, infections that were once treatable can become increasingly difficult to manage when the microorganisms causing them develop resistance to the medicines used against them. This threatens the effective treatment of infections, increases the risk of complications, and places additional pressure on healthcare systems. Although AMR requires action from governments, healthcare professionals, researchers, and the public, prevention must also begin with education.

I propose integrating age-appropriate AMR education into the school health system to help children understand the responsible use of antibiotics, the dangers of self-medication, and the importance of infection prevention and hygiene.

Children can be powerful channels of information within their families and communities. They often discuss what they learn in school with their friends and share new knowledge with their parents or guardians. Some children are particularly eager to tell their families about what they have learnt, creating opportunities for important conversations at home. As their understanding develops, they can also begin to question practices that contradict what they have been taught. A child who learns about the dangers of using antibiotics without appropriate medical guidance, for instance, may share that knowledge at home and encourage family members to seek proper medical advice.

Integrating AMR education into the school health system would therefore extend learning beyond the classroom and help spread accurate information across generations. Providing teachers with age-appropriate educational materials and practical guidance would support consistent delivery, while periodic assessment could help determine whether children understand and retain the information.

AMR cannot be addressed through awareness alone, but awareness is an important part of prevention. By introducing this education early and sustaining it through the school health system, we can equip children with knowledge that benefits them as they grow and potentially influences health practices within their households and communities.

This policy proposes the enactment of a law requiring public institutions in Nigeria to base major policy decisions on the best available evidence, including credible research, reliable data, and lessons from previous interventions. The law would mandate evidence assessment before policy adoption, transparent justification of decisions, and regular monitoring and evaluation to measure policy effectiveness. The goal is to reduce policy failures, improve the use of public resources, strengthen accountability, and ensure that government decisions are informed by evidence rather than unsupported opinions or assumptions.

Development should not create opportunities for some citizens while leaving others unable to access or benefit from them.

For persons with disabilities (PWDs), inaccessible public infrastructure, inadequate learning accommodations and limited participation in decision-making can create barriers to education, public services and equal opportunities.

Although Nigeria has a national disability rights law and Ondo State has an existing disability-related legal framework, the challenge is ensuring that inclusion is consistently reflected in public planning, implementation and accountability.

I propose a Disability Inclusion and Accessibility Accountability Framework for Ondo State, building on existing laws and institutions.

The framework would:

1. Strengthen accessibility assessments and compliance monitoring for relevant public infrastructure.
2. Require meaningful consultation with PWDs and their representative organisations in the design and review of relevant public policies and development projects.
3. Promote accessible educational materials and appropriate accommodations across public education services.
4. Establish transparent reporting and follow-up mechanisms to track compliance, address accessibility barriers and monitor implementation.

The Ondo State House of Assembly can help advance this agenda through appropriate legislation, budgetary scrutiny and oversight of relevant public institutions.

Inclusion must go beyond recognising the rights of persons with disabilities. It must be reflected in the infrastructure we build, the services we provide and the decisions we make.

An inclusive Ondo State is one in which disability does not become a barrier to participation, opportunity or dignity.

Policy Proposal: Establishing an Ondo State Youth Skills, Employability and Entrepreneurship Development Framework

Ondo State needs a stronger connection between education, practical skills, employment opportunities, and entrepreneurship for young people. I propose a legislative framework that establishes a coordinated youth skills and employability programme linking secondary schools, tertiary institutions, vocational training centres, local businesses, and agricultural enterprises.

The framework should support career guidance, digital and technical skills, entrepreneurship training, apprenticeships, and access to mentorship and startup support. It should prioritise young people in underserved communities and promote agriculture as a viable pathway to employment and wealth creation.

The proposed law should also provide for transparent funding, measurable performance targets, annual public reporting, and legislative oversight to ensure that resources produce real outcomes.

The Ondo State House of Assembly can play a critical role by creating the legal framework, providing appropriate budgetary oversight, and monitoring implementation.

Why this matters: Young people need more than encouragement; they need systems that connect their abilities to real opportunities. A coordinated, accountable policy could help reduce unemployment, strengthen local enterprise, improve productivity, and enable more young people to contribute meaningfully to the state’s development.

The Oyo State Government should introduce a “Youth Skills and Employment Programme” that connects young people with practical skills, vocational training, and job opportunities based on the needs of employers and local businesses.

Many young people have the ability and willingness to work but lack the skills, experienceor opportunities to get started. Through this policy, the government can partner with private companies, small businesses and training centers to provide practical training, apprenticeships, and start-up support for young people with business ideas.

The programme should also include a public job and skills portal where young people can access information about available training, internships, and employment opportunities.

Expected Impact:

This policy could help reduce youth unemployment, encourage entrepreneurship, support small businesses, and give more young people in Oyo State the opportunity to become financially independent and contribute to the state’s economic development.