Lagos seeks national directory of GBV coordinators
The Lagos State Government says a national directory of State Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Coordinators is essential to ease access to support for survivors across Nigeria.
Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu said this on Thursday in Lagos at the National Convening of State GBV Coordinators in Nigeria, organised by the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).
Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, said that the directory would strengthen coordination among states and ensure survivors accessed help regardless of their location.
He said that while government would continue to rescue, protect, prosecute and support survivors, greater attention must be paid to preventing violence before it occurred.
According to him, prevention requires confronting harmful behaviours, educating children on dignity, respect, boundaries and responsibility, and empowering families, teachers and communities to recognise warning signs and act early.
He also called for an end to cultures of silence and attitudes that excuse abuse, while urging men and boys to become partners in changing harmful norms.
Sanwo-Olu said that more than 3,000 cases of domestic and sexual violence were handled through the state’s response system between September 2021 and July 2023, stressing that response alone was not enough.
“Lagos has made significant investments in strengthening institutions, response mechanisms, survivor support, justice, public awareness and prevention programmes. But our ambition is now greater,” he said.
The governor said that the national convening provided an opportunity for states to share successes and challenges, strengthen referral pathways and develop coordinated approaches to reaching vulnerable communities.
He said the safety and dignity of citizens must remain a common national interest, stressing the need for stronger institutions, trained personnel, data, protocols, partnerships and accountability mechanisms.
Sanwo-Olu urged stakeholders to challenge harmful norms, reject silence and stigma, and protect vulnerable people.
“The Nigeria we envision and the Nigeria we must build is one where every woman can walk in dignity, every child can grow without fear, every man can speak up without shame, and every person can live knowing that their safety, dignity and rights matter,” he said.
Also speaking, the Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, urged survivors of GBV to speak up, assuring them that help was available and justice was possible.
She described GBV as a public health, human rights and development issue.
Sanwo-Olu urged state GBV coordinators to use the convening to share experiences and develop strategies, particularly for reaching girls and young people in rural communities.
She also called for efforts toward a unified national standard for GBV prevention and response.
Welcoming participants, the Attorney-General of Lagos, Mr Lawal Pedro, SAN, stressed the need for stronger coordination among states and institutions in tackling GBV.
The Executive Secretary of DSVA, Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said that the conference was long overdue because no state was immune to GBV.
Vivour-Adeniyi said that the proposed directory would enable survivors to identify the appropriate coordinator to contact for assistance, regardless of where they were in Nigeria.
“We want a situation where, irrespective of where you are, as far as you are in Nigeria, you can access help. We want a situation where there is no haven for perpetrators of GBV in the country,” she said.
Vivour-Adeniyi said all states were represented at the convening, except Adamawa, whose representative participated virtually, while the Federal Capital Territory was also represented.
The programme was support by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC) and the End Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Programme (ESGBV), funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
The Senior Programme Manager of International IDEA, Dr Oluwatoyin Badejobin, said that the convening provided a platform for states to learn from one another.
Badejobin said the it provided a platform to identify gaps and develop practical commitments towards stronger GBV prevention and response systems. (NAN)
