FUNAAB, UNILORIN Student Groups Launch Campaigns Against Gender-Based Violence
Student groups from the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, and the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have initiated campaigns to combat Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) on their campuses as part of the Project Safe Zones initiative.
These campaigns were launched following training sessions organized with the support of the non-governmental organization Girl Up and led by the gender rights advocacy group, VARSH Foundation.
The training sessions, spearheaded by the Founder of VARSH, Aworanti Salvation, who is a recipient of the Girl Up Project Award, took place between March 24 and 28, 2025. A total of 67 students from both universities participated in the sessions, gaining essential knowledge and advocacy skills to help prevent sexual and gender-based violence in their campus communities.
“This project is about more than just awareness, it’s about creating tangible change on the campuses.
“By training student advocates who can recognise warning signs and support their peers, we’re building a sustainable network that will continue promoting safety and respect even after the campaigns end,” the Project Lead, Salvation, stated in a press release on Monday.
Following the training, students at both institutions took immediate steps to apply their newly acquired knowledge by launching university-wide SGBV awareness campaigns.
The Assistant General Secretary of the UNILORIN Students’ Union, Ganiyu Bukola, and the Vice President of the FUNAAB Students’ Union, Alakoso Mariam, expressed their support for the campaigns on their respective campuses.
According to the statement, the goal of these campaigns is to create safer learning environments by educating students on how to identify and prevent different forms of sexual and gender-based violence.
“Project Safe Zones represents a significant step toward addressing a critical issue affecting university students across Nigeria. By focusing on prevention through education and advocacy, the programme takes a proactive approach rather than simply responding to incidents after they occur,” the statement concluded.
