A health practitioner, Gbadegesin Alawode, has created an app, VoiceIT, which will enable survivors to report cases of abuse and connect with verified organisations or experts via mobile phones.
Speaking in an interview with our correspondent, Alawode explained that VoiceIT is a reporting and referral digital platform designed for survivors to safely report and connect with verified organisations and experts in Africa via Web and App.
“The platform also aggregates and provides real-time AI-driven data and analytics to help strengthen response, improve service uptake, and evidence generation for policy and programme planning. It will also serve a veritable community for survivors to speak up, own their voice, share their stories and receive tailored support.”
Alawode added that it had been launched on the Google Play store for Android with five features namely, “Report Case- allows users to timely report a case of abuse and upload evidence either in video, or picture. Organisations- allows users to connect with verified and trained organisations within their community to promptly respond to cases of abuse,, Experts- allows users to connect with trained and certified experts such as doctors, therapists, psychologists, counsellors, and lawyers. The Knowledge Hub- allow users to access verified and fact checked information on gender-based violence, HIV, sexual and reproductive health, consent etc and Risk Assessment tools for HIV and GBV- allow users to risk assess themselves based on some set of questions and get feedback on whether they should go for HIV test of GBV screening. “
He decided to create VoiceIT in 2018, when a friend of his called him to inquire how he could report a case of sexual abuse within his community.
“Despite the fact that he had his phone and internet, he couldn’t find any reliable platform for reporting and referral of cases,” he said.