25th January, 2024
By Oluwapelumi Oluwayemi
The Lagos State has persisted in its community outreach efforts against Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) by engaging artisans and members of local community development associations (CDC/CDA).
On January 23, 2024, such an event was carried out with over 150 participants.
It was a collaboration between the Lagos State Ministry of Wealth Creation and the Chairpersons of all local governments.
Mrs. Titilola Vivour Adeniyi, the Head of the Community Engagement Unit extended a warm welcome to the attendees, expressing gratitude for their presence.
Participants were urged to take an active role in preventing and addressing incidents of SGBV in their communities, emphasizing their vital role as stakeholders in society.
They were assured of the government’s unwavering commitment to a zero-tolerance stance on SGBV and to ensure that justice is served.
The Executive Director of the Centre for Women’s Health in Nigeria, Mrs Atinuke Odukoya, delivered the first talk, providing an overview of SGBV, outlining different forms of abuse, and stressing the importance of reporting incidents both in their communities and workplaces.
Mrs Titilola Vivour Adeniyi, in her capacity as Executive Secretary, delivered the second discourse on pertinent laws related to SGBV, including the Protection against Domestic Violence Law (2015) and relevant provisions in the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015), elucidating on offences and corresponding penalties.
The final discourse, led by Mrs. Tumininu Oni, focused on leveraging existing state structures to combat SGBV, advocating for a comprehensive approach. Participants were encouraged to report any form of abuse via the toll-free number- 08000333333 provided by the Agency.
Feedback from participants indicated a successful program, with many expressing gratitude for the informative lectures.
Attendees were also requested to fill out feedback forms to further gauge the effectiveness of the program, with one participant commending the initiative, stating that it has the potential to influence 70% of those who attended positively.
