14th September, 2023
Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has reiterated its efforts to curb Gender-Based Violence (GBV) through behavioral mindset programmes, sensitizing and training of all relevant stakeholders.
Its Executive Secretary, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, stated this at the Agency’s awareness programme, tagged: “Man Wey Sabi” at Tejuoso market, Yaba, on Wednesday.
She said the purpose was to address Gender stereotypes in Lagos.
Vivour-Adeniyi said it was a collective responsibility to ensure that women are not held back in any way, be it socially, culturally and professionally, adding that the ultimate goal was to prevent domestic violence from happening in a home.
She called on civil society, traditional and religious leaders as well as residents to relentlessly continue to clamour for gender equality and gender access.
“What we are doing today is to put the spotlight on the men, we are not just looking at them from the lens of them being abusers but we are also trying to conscript them in our army, working against domestic and sexual violence,” she said.
“The truth of the matter is we’ve had women who have lost their lives simply because they did not cook or did not provide the food at the time their spouse expected it of them. Ultimately what we are trying to encourage here is partnership in marriages,” Vivour-Adeniyi added.
The cooking competition which was proudly sponsored by Power Oil Nigeria Limited had make contestants display their culinary skills.
“This is just a medium for passing out our message and not from a judgmental position but in a fun environment to let them know that the fact a man is cooking does not make you less a man neither does it makes you less a man if you have interest in the welfare of your children because marriage is truly partnership and it also requires mutual submission,” Vivour-Adeniyi explained.
The head of Audit, DSVA and Chairman for the “Man Wey Sabi” planning committee Oladimeji Babajide said changing gender stereotypes was key in the attainment of a SGBV free society.
He stressed that couples should see themselves as partners as this paved way for peace.
Oladimeji said the event was an opportunity to reach the community by distributing fliers and educating them on the devastating effects of SGBV.
Asides from the cooking competition, some contestants also had to demonstrate the process of changing diapers and caring for babies. Participants and spectators went home with various prizes.
Also, Iyaloja of Tejuoso Market Phase, Naheemat Majek-Fadimiluyi, emphasized the need to close the gender gaps by creating an environment that allowed every woman to have equal opportunity for growth and development.
Majek-Fadimiluyi, said the programme would help more to enlighten the people, especially traders in the market, in order to train their family and relate better with their neighbours.
“We have been getting reports of it around, whatever we hear in the news is what is happening and we thank the Lagos State government for all the effort they have been making to reduce the situation,” she said.
“My message to them is, whenever messages from the government on domestic violence are brought to their market they should extend it to their families, neighbors, and church members,” Majek-Fadimiluyi added.