Lagos State Government commits to continued efforts at tackling Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, SGBV in the state, and ensuring that perpetrators are brought to book irrespective of who they are.
This was made known by the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, WAPA, Mrs. Funmi Adegoke, during her Opening Remarks/Goodwill Message at Project Alert on Violence Against Women’s convening on “Community Advocacy and Response to SGBV: the Role of the Community Surveillance Teams in Lagos State”, in commemoration of this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (November 25th – December 10th), which took place at the Lagos City Mall, Onikan.
While delivering the remarks, Mrs. Adegoke praised the community surveillance team members for volunteering themselves to work selflessly with Project Alert to create awareness on SGBV in their communities, and further render support to victims and their families, by directing them to where they could get help and secure justice. She acknowledged that without active community involvement in the fight
She said that the state government through WAPA, had recently just expanded it’s community-based efforts to support victims of SGBV. According to her “all the victim needs to do is to dial 767 and help will come to the victim in her community through the 20 Local Government Areas and the 37 Local Council Development Areas” According to her, it is no longer news that SGBV is the most prevalent human rightsviolation the world over, with devastating effects on the well-being, dignity, security and autonomy of the victim. “Violence against women and girls is indeed a crime against humanity and the Lagos State Government has zero tolerance for SGBV which comes in different forms,” Adegoke added.
On her part, the Executive Director, Project Alert on Violence Against Women, Dr. Josephine Effah-Chukwuma said the 16 Days of Activism, which is an annual international event, is a period for deliberate and intentional reflection and programming to advocate for zero tolerance for all forms of violence against women. The period she added is significant because it starts on November 25th, which is International day on Violence Against Women, and ends on December 10th, which is International Human Rights Day.
Dr. Effah-Chukwuma was full of praises for the 144 members of the SGBV Community Surveillance Teams who are spread across 12 LGAs in Lagos. The LGAs include: Surulere, Kosofe, Yaba, Ikorodu, Oshodi/Isolo, Lagos Island, Eti-osa; Ikeja, Agege, Alimosho, Ajeromi-Ifelodun and Shomolu. She commended the teams for their steadfastness and commitment to ensuring their communities are not only sensitized on the issue, but also help comes the way of victims’ families and survivors. In her words: “We are proud of you for keeping faith in this two years we have engaged you under the Spotlight Initiative Project. Despite your busy schedules without compensation you have all shown that the well-being of persons especially women and girls in your communities is a priority” She cautioned the SGBV community team members, to be careful in their engagement during outreaches and responding to cases, as they may encounter some hostilities especially from perpetrators.
The representative of the Director of the Domestic & Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA Mr Adewusi Damilare in his presentation on behalf of the Director, Mrs. TitilolaVivour-Adeniyi, acknowledged the good work the teams had been doing, encouraged them to continue, and stating that DSVA is there to support them in every way possible.
He informed them that there are 21 police stations across Lagos that has the Family Support Unit set up, to provide specialized services to survivors of SGBV. This FSU units, according to him, are being supported with monthly logistics and so they should not demand any money from team members who are helping survivors and their families. He informed the teams of the different advocacy campaigns that DSVA had embarked upon across various LGAs in Lagos.
Representatives of the 12 teams took turns to share their experiences in being SGBV community watch dogs in their respective LGAs. They highlighted the numerous successes they had recorded, and attributed it to team work amongst themselves, and the relentless support Project Alert gives them since they came together. They acknowledged the cooperation of other stakeholders that Project Alert had link them with, like the police, DSVA, Mirabel Centre, WARIF, social welfare etc. whenever they called on them or referred cases to them. They also mentioned some challenges they face such as police demand for money from them for logistics which often wants to frustrate them, but Project Alert most times, steps in to support them with funds needed. They appreciated the information given by DSVA on the existence of FSUs in some police division and their contacts shared with them.Other challenges heighted included the role of traditional rulers in some LGAs and how they seem to be aiding and abetting SGBV; the need for government to economically empower women/girls as poverty is one of the reasons why they stay on in abusive relationships etc.
Project Alert in recognition of the selfless work being done by the community surveillance teams, presented Community Service Awards to all 12 teams. The awards were given to the representatives of the teams by the SSA to the Governor on Women Affairs, Mrs. Funmi Adegoke.
