The Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) has validated and formally adopted a Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention Strategy Manual developed by the CLEEN Foundation in partnership with the PCRC, with support from the Ford Foundation.
The validation represents a major step toward strengthening community-based mechanisms for preventing, identifying and appropriately referring cases of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) across Nigeria.
The strategy manual is designed to equip PCRC members with practical knowledge for recognizing early warning signs of gender-based violence, protecting survivors, maintaining confidentiality and handling complaints responsibly. It also provides guidance on connecting survivors with appropriate police, medical, legal and other support services.
Speaking during the validation programme in Lagos, Executive Director of the CLEEN Foundation, Mr. Peter Maduoma, said the initiative seeks to move the focus beyond responding to GBV after an incident has occurred.
He explained that greater emphasis should be placed on prevention, early intervention and coordinated community action to reduce the risks and impact of gender-based violence.
Also speaking, National Chairman of the PCRC, Mr. Mogaji Olaniyan, reaffirmed the committee’s commitment to turning the strategy into practical interventions within communities nationwide.
Olaniyan said the knowledge gained through the PCRC’s collaboration with the CLEEN Foundation would help improve the committee’s handling of complaints involving women and children, while ensuring that its members remain neutral and operate within the limits of their mandate.
The PCRC chairman further disclosed plans to appoint legal practitioners as coordinators in the 36 states and designate desk officers at police divisions and area commands. The move, he said, would strengthen coordination between the PCRC, the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant institutions.
He stressed that the PCRC is not a replacement for statutory law-enforcement agencies, medical professionals or the judiciary. Rather, its role is to serve as a community-based prevention and referral mechanism that helps survivors access the appropriate institutions for protection, medical care, investigation, legal assistance and justice.
The validated strategy also promotes stronger cooperation among the Nigeria Police Force, PCRC, civil society organisations, legal practitioners, healthcare providers, schools, religious institutions and traditional and community leaders.
According to the organisers, the manual will serve as a framework for future implementation, training and community engagement. It is expected to undergo annual reviews, while more comprehensive reviews will be conducted every three to five years to reflect emerging trends, challenges and changing community realities.
The PCRC said the validation demonstrates its commitment to moving from a largely reactive approach to a stronger prevention-focused model. Through the strategy, communities are expected to become better equipped to identify potential risks, respond responsibly, protect vulnerable people and facilitate timely referrals.
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With its grassroots structures across Nigeria, the PCRC is expected to continue working with relevant stakeholders to promote community participation, improve access to support services and contribute to safer communities where cases of gender-based violence can be prevented and addressed more effectively.
