Editor
The Lagos State Government through its Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) on Monday began the ’16 Day Activism’ to curb Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).
The Executive Secretary, DSVA, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, at the flag-off of the campaign, at the Oniwaya of Iwaya Palace, Yaba, said the activism would leverage the international days to curb gender-based violence in the state.
Vivour-Adeniyi said that the agency would work through the traditional rulers to close the gaps of advocacy against SGBV.
She said that the agency had been working assiduously in the last ten months with critical stakeholders, to create awareness on the need to stand against any form of domestic violence in the state.
According to her, it is time to tilt its advocacy toward the traditional rulers, to help enhance the campaign in their communities.
She said that the agency relied on data to select the 16 kingdoms/traditional rulers to engage during the activism.
“We leverage data to select these kingdoms. We looked at areas with high prevalence, we looked at areas with low reportage, and we looked at areas that we haven’t been to in the year.
“It is an opportunity for us to heighten awareness and demystify certain myths that are associated with sexual and gender-based violence.
“This year’s theme: ”Towards Beijing +30: UNITE to End Violence Against Women and Girls” is very apt with what we do at DSVA.
“We thought it is expedient to use this opportunity to engage traditional rulers, because they sometimes serve as first responders.
“They are the custodian of culture and you know that culture can encourage and discourage perpetration of sexual and gender-based violence in the community.
“So, It is important for us to strengthen our relationship with the traditional rulers,” she said.
Vivour-Adeniyi said at the end of the activism, the agency would have sensitised the kingdoms with the zero tolerance message of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence.
“We would have ultimately encouraged residents to know that they are not alone, that the government has put in place several support systems that they can take advantage of,” Vivour-Adeniyi said.
In his remarks, the Oniwaya of Iwaya Kingdom, Oba Suleiman Oloko, appreciated the state government and the sponsors for making his kingdom the starting point of the campaign.
He said that the community has been affected by various domestic and sexual violence issues.
The traditional ruler said that on different occasions, he had intervened on numerous reported cases of sexual and gender-based atrocities, which he escalated to DSVA.
“It is quite fantastic that we have this opportunity to get people informed about this issue of sexual and gender-based violence and how to channel their concerns.
“This sensitisation will go a long way to assist the residents of this community on how to fight this scourge,” he said.
Mrs Ajibola Ijimakinwa, the state Project Coordinator, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by International IDEA, said that it was important to get the buy-in of the traditional rulers.
Ijimakinwa said it was critical to sensitise the members of the community about the dangers of SGBV and ensure that the message was cascaded toward eradicating it.
The 16-day campaign which begins on Nov 25, is part of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and will come to a close on Dec. 10, which is the International Human Rights Day.
