The President of Women Arise Joe Odumakin; international gender and development expert Olufunke Baruwa; and gender rights activist and founder of Equity Force Nigeria Patricia Iloegbunam have praised the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun for the establishment of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) desks in all police divisions.

They see the initiative as a significant step toward enhancing access to justice for GBV survivors.

Odumakin, who described it as “a welcome development” commended the police chief for aligning his vision with rights advocates who had been championing the cause for easier access to justice for victims of GBV.

She said: “It is a welcome development as it aligns with the policy direction of the United Nations to eradicate genderbased violence around the world.”

Baruwa commended the IGP’s decision, calling it a “transformative initiative” that would make GBV support more accessible, particularly for victims in rural and underserved areas.

She added that the decentralization is a bold commitment to improving access to justice for survivors across Nigeria, saying that the previous arrangement that had GBV desks restricted to zonal and state commands made it difficult for many survivors to report cases due to distance, transport costs, and systemic delays.

She said: “As one of the experts who developed and facilitated the policy to have gender desks in police commands and stations across the country as well as GBV desk offices in commands, I can say that this singular move will ensure that GBV prevention and response efforts by the police is closer to the most vulnerable and those at the margins of society who desperately need these services.