News
Lagos leaders vow to end gender based violence
By Innocent Duru
Religious and community leaders in Ikorodu area of Lagos State have made commitment to end the menace of gender based violence in the area and the state at large.
They made the resolution during a two-day Training of Trainer (ToT) workshop for key stakeholders on the implementation of Lagos State laws and implementation of frameworks on Domestic Violence and SGBV, organised by the Centre for Women’s Health and Information (CEWHIN) under the Spotlight Programme supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the European Union (EU).
One of the participants, Olori Abimbola, said the training was crucial at a time when violence has taken over everywhere, including homes, adding: “I am trusting God that I will be part of the instrument that God will use to expose the perpetrators in my community.”
One of the community leaders, Adebayo Kazeem, said: “This is my first time attending this kind of event and I really learnt a lot. I will work with CEWHIN by counselling the youths in my community and making sure perpetrators are arrested.”
The lead facilitator, Ngozi Nwosu Juba, noted that many of the participants have heard about the issue before but “we don’t only want them to hear but to take action to end violence against women and girls. With this training, abuses will reduce because they will reach out to some people who would also reach out to some others and so on.”
Tope Oshinaike, who also co facilitated the training, stated that the response of the participants was massively positive. “We got a recommitment from all participants that they would pass the lessons they have learnt here today to others and help stop SGBV. Their response shows that they are fired up to ensure there are changes.”
Programme Officer of CEWHIN, Philomena Ogbu, said the objective of the programme was very well achieved. “The various stakeholders would go and share the lessons they have learnt here with others in their various communities. I am optimistic that by the time they spread the lessons they have learnt here, there would be a drastic reduction in gender based violence and rape cases in the communities.
