Mercy Corps’ Girls Improving Resilience through Livelihood and Health (GIRL- H) program, is collaborating with the Lagos state government, through its Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Lagos state, to address the pressing issue of sexual and gender-based violence and its impact on adolescents and young people.
Program manager of the Girls Improving Resilience through Livelihood and Health project, Jennifer Madueke, at a one-day Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Symposium, on Wednesday, in Lagos, averred that GBV remains a critical concern in the society with its effects far-reaching, particularly affecting vulnerable individuals such as adolescents and young people.
Recognizing the urgent need to address this issue, Madueke disclosed that Mercy Corps and the DSVA, Lagos state have joined forces to organize a symposium that seeks to empower stakeholders, professionals, and communities with the knowledge and tools to combat SGBV effectively.
Speaking on the objectives of the symposium, the program manager said, the GBV Symposium was organised to raise awareness. “The symposium shed light on the prevalence and impact of sexual and gender-based violence on adolescents and young people in Lagos and Nigeria. By fostering a deeper understanding of this issue, stakeholders can collectively work towards a safer and more inclusive environment for all.
“It is also about sharing best practices, as the Symposium provides a platform for knowledge-sharing, where participants can learn about best practices, experiences, and innovative strategies in responding to SGBV incidents. Survivor-centered approaches and multidisciplinary cooperation was emphasized to ensure a holistic and effective response. The Symposium helped to identify solutions, as gaps in support services for survivors, including healthcare, legal assistance, counseling, and psychosocial support, was explored and practical solutions and foster collaborations that enable survivors to access comprehensive support services in a timely manner, was suggested.
“We believe that by coming together as a community and engaging in open dialogue, we can make significant strides in addressing gender-based violence and supporting survivors. This symposium indeed provided the unique opportunity to share insights, pool resources, and collectively work towards a safer and more resilient Lagos,” she stated.
The first lady of Lagos state, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, however applauded Mercy Corps, for its immense service to humanity and for initiating the Forum to address critical issues on GBV as it affects women and adolescents who face various forms of abuse and are threatened not to speak up.
Mrs Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by an official in the office of the Wife of the Governor, Mrs Funmilayo Obajimi, therefore assured that, the state government, with support from other critical stakeholders like Mercy Corps, will stamp out all forms of GBV in Lagos, especially against women and children in communities across the state.
Themed: “Enhancing Response and Rapid Support for Survivors in Lagos, Nigeria,” the first lady averred that the Symposium has enhanced response and rapid support for the lives of survivors, while calling for support from critical stakeholders towards finding lasting solutions to the menace in the state. “This initiative will further enhance the state government intervention to scale up awareness and galvanize action. This is to the view to ensuring total eradication of this menace as it has caused a lot of harm to women and girls,” she added.
