The Management of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Nigerian Healthcare Settings: Protocol Development for South West Nigeria

This research focuses on the development of practical protocols for managing sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) survivors within healthcare settings in Southwest Nigeria, addressing the critical gap between legal obligations and clinical practice. Healthcare facilities serve as primary first points of contact for many SGBV survivors, yet nurses, doctors, and hospital administrators across Nigeria's public health system are frequently unprepared to deliver rights-respecting, trauma-informed care. The study draws on the World Health Organization's Clinical and Policy Guidelines for Responding to Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Violence Against Women, the VAPP Act 2015, and the Ekiti and Lagos state government SGBV service guidelines. A practice-focused methodology is employed, combining a gap analysis of existing healthcare SGBV response practices at public hospitals in Ibadan, Osogbo, and Akure with consultative workshops attended by emergency room nurses, gynecologists, medical social workers, and state gender desk officers. Findings reveal inadequate forensic evidence collection protocols, absence of survivor-centered intake procedures, poor cross-referral to legal and psychosocial services, and reluctance among male healthcare workers to engage with SGBV survivors. A comprehensive, adaptable SGBV healthcare management protocol is developed, covering medical examination standards, documentation, referral pathways, and survivor confidentiality obligations. Keywords: SGBV, healthcare protocols, survivor care, Southwest Nigeria, VAPP Act.