This November 2022, Kafayat Oyetola, the first lady of Osun State, Nigeria, established and commissioned sexual assault referral centers (SARCs) to provide crucial medical, social, legal, and safety protection services for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the state. This came following strategic engagement and collaboration by a group of CSOs led by Lawyers Alert with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)-funded Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) project.

With the establishment of the SARCs, SGBV survivors in Osun state now have access to immediate emergency medical treatment, forensic medical examination services, and expert counseling support, among others. These CSOs will continue to engage key stakeholders toward the full implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law in the state, part of which is providing better services to SGBV survivors.

SCALE is a USAID-funded five-year project (2021-2025) designed to strengthen the financial, management, and advocacy capacity of CSOs in Nigeria to create a more accountable, transparent, peaceful, and democratic Nigeria with more effective and efficient public service delivery.