Groups of students at the University of Ilorin, Kwara State, and Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, have unveiled campaigns against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence on their campuses, under the Project Safe Zones initiative.
The campaigns followed training sessions supported by a non-governmental organisation, Girl Up, and led by gender rights group, VARSH Foundation.
Spearheaded by the Founder of VARSH, Aworanti Salvation, a recipient of the Girl Up Project Award, the training sessions held between March 24 and 28, 2025, engaged 67 students at the institutions, equipping them with knowledge and advocacy skills to prevent sexual and gender-based violence within 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, said in a statement on Monday.
Following the training, participants at both universities immediately put their knowledge into action by launching campus-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, backed the campaigns on their respective campuses.
The statement noted that the campaigns aim to create safer campus environments by educating students about recognising and preventing various 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 added.
