Lagos Leads Other States In The War Against Gender-Based Violence

In an effort to tackle the menace of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and the prevention of child domestic/sexual abuse, the Lagos State Government, in conjunction with the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA), has put together a capacity building programme on Gender-Based Violence (GBV), for key stakeholders in school management.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Dr. Aina Olugbemiga, while addressing the participants who were drawn from schools in the state, noted that the basis for the organisation of the capacity building is to share knowledge and present stakeholders with the opportunity to interact with Government MDAs directly involved in providing intervention on sexual/domestic abuse of young people.

The Permanent Secretary, who was represented by Mr Saka Abdulateef, a director in the ministry, stated that the school system plays an essential role in protecting children from abuse because they have regular contact with children.

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WHAT THIS MEANS:

• The Lagos State Government is serious about ending the menace of gender-based violence.
• The establishment of the Lagos Sexual Offenders’ Register would help the State to efficiently tackle violations in the communities, thereby, nipping child domestic/sexual abuse in the bud.
• The ministry of youth and social development, in collaboration with UNFPA, had designed Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) into the curriculum of non-formal vocations and technical centers in the state thereby providing a framework for the acquisition of knowledge of self and family living.
• There is a need to create more awareness about the menace as both boys and girls fall are at risk of becoming victims of gender-based violence.

Meanwhile, Dr Esther Somefun, the coordinator of UNFPA, Southwest zone, stated that the organisation has zero-tolerance for all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse, hence, the collaboration with the ministry of youth and social development to organise a capacity building for stakeholders in school management, in order to create a safe haven for students, whereby the right of learners are protected.