The Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), in collaboration with the EU/UN Spotlight Initiative and Women Aid Collective Organisation (WACOL), has organised a workshop on policy formulation against all forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against women in the Lagos State.
Speaking at the event held on Wednesday at the Residency Hotel, Ajao Estate with the theme: “A Day Policy Orientation Training Workshop for Key Government Officials on Implementation of Laws/Policies and Advancing Human Rights Standards for Women Human Rights Agenda”, Commissioner for WAPA, Mrs. Cecilia Bolaji Dada, stated that there was a need for reassessment of existing laws to enhance proficiency in curbing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Lagos.
Dada, who was represented by the Director, Domestic Violence Unit in the Ministry, Mrs. Olorunfemi Toyin said, “There are existing laws on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. However, we need to assess them and decide against irregularities which affect women’s plights in Lagos State, because women’s rights are constantly being infringed upon due to our patriarchal culture”.
“Holistically assessing the existing laws will go a long way in curbing SGBV with consideration in domesticating the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) act in Lagos State”, she added.
While encouraging collaboration among all stakeholders to reduce the soaring index of SGBV, Dada informed the participants on the need for policy formulation to expedite the enactment of VAPP Law in Lagos State, with a view to curbing anomalies associated with the high rate of SGBV across the metropolis.
The Coordinator of the event and Representative of the Women Aid Collective Organisation (WACOL), Barrister Dorothy Oleka, said it is imperative to curb all forms of actions that foster poverty and aggravate SGBV.
Her words, “We need to break all barriers even right from the cradle. Our Girl-Child must be taught a sense of self-worth, even as it is most pertinent to empower her as she gets older in order to reduce her susceptibility towards SGBV”.
In her address, the CEO of Centre for Gender Economics in Africa, Mrs. Idoko Uche urged women to speak out on first-time abuse so that violators can face the consequences of their actions because the biggest catalyst that fosters violence is silence.
Uche emphasised that SGBV was induced as a global trend because women were not asserting their rights, which are also being impeded by social and institutionalization factors that should be eradicated or altered.