Centre Advocates Collective Effort in Tackling Sexual, Gender-based Violence

The Centre for Women’s Health and Information in collaboration with the Child Protection Network has said the elimination of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against women and girls is everybody’s responsibility.

The agency, supported by the United Nations Development Programme through the European Union and the United Nations, stated this at a recent town hall meeting in Lagos as part of the UNDP multi-year spotlight initiative.

The meeting had in attendance market women, traders, parents, teachers, traditional rulers, orphans, public school pupils and special students.

The centre’s Programmes Officer, Pamela Stephens, lamented the increasing rate of violence against women and girls and SGBV in the state and the country at large, especially for persons with disabilities.

She said, “We want people to realise and know the negative effects gender-based violence has on not just the family, but on the society at large. It is now everybody’s responsibility. It is now a fight for everyone. We need to put heads together and see how we can end violence against women and children.”

Also, the Executive Director, Women’s Rights and Health Project, Bose Ironsi, who shared a comprehensive overview of SGBV and its devastating consequences on the family and society, stated, “We are interfacing with schools, telling students what the red flags of abuse are. We advise parents to be models to their children because the family is the first place that is affected by this menace, so we need to do more.”

The Lagos State coordinator of CPN, Aderonke Oyelakin, shared information on the availability of GBV response systems in the state.