LASU, UNFPA To Curb Sexual Gender-based Violence

Amid worrisome statistics  that more than 20 percent of women have experienced sexual and gender-based violence in Nigeria, the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) has expressed their readiness to partner with Lagos State University (LASU) to curb the menace.

The country representative of the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) Ms. Ulla Mueller disclosed this at an event to commemorate the International Women’s Day event organised by Lagos State University Centre for Response and Prevention, Sexual and Gender-based Violence in collaboration with the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA), at the Buba Marwa Auditorium, Ojo Campus, Lagos.

Ulla in her address asserted that women need to take the mantle of leadership and be resilient with one in three women having experienced Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV), with sex for grades in institutions of learning impeding the development of women and the girl child,  as victims suffer from self-esteem issues.

While highlighting Sustainable Development Goal 5, as an enabler of gender equality in society, she said the UNFP is promoting this course with the mentor/Mentee programme for women to embolden, Protect, and Stand-up for each other as the United Nations Population Funds (UNPF) assuring that they are committed to ending the SGBV cases and supporting gender equality to innovate in the technology space.

She charged the government that pedophiles and sex offenders should have their names listed on the sex offenders list to serve as a deterrent.

In her address, the vice chancellor of LASU, Professor Ibiyemi Ibilola Olatunji-Bello explained that with prevailing issues affecting women globally with sexual gender-based violence being predominant amongst the issues, women are charting a new course in development and has bit been deferred to take up leadership roles as well.

She, however, posits that innovation in technology with gender equality would be a gender response to engaging in technological advancement in digital technology to meet the SDG 2030 target set by the United Nations.

While calling for women to be encouraged and nurtured in the technology space, she also tasked the government to protect women in politics.