Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) has called for collaboration between government and religious leaders, community leaders, gatekeepers and traditional rulers to prevent Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV).

The state said it has also provided a platform where both young and old generations engage in conversation on causes and factors that trigger SGBV.

Executive Secretary of DSVRT, Mrs. Titilola Vivour- Adeniyi said the platform is part of efforts to combat SGBV in the state. Speaking at a symposium, themed: “Inter-Generational Conversations; Factors and Triggers of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Charting a way Forward”, Vivour- Adeniyi said the platform was an opportunity to interrogate societal cultural norms and other factors which encourage the perpetration of domestic and sexual violence. She expressed hope that at the end of the conversation, both generations will be guided to chart a way forward in a bid to prevent the occurrence of sexual and gender-based violence. The symposium had in attendance, faith-based organisations, community leaders, Community Development Association (CDA), Centre for Disease Control (CDC), students of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Lagos State Solicitor General and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, Titilayo Shitta Bey represented by the Director, Citizen’s Mediation Centre, Abiola Oseni, underscored the efforts of the state government in providing a holistic response to incidents of Domestic and Sexual Violence. Shitta-Bey stressed the need for real and practicable solutions in addressing the root causes of SGBV, which would ultimately lead to prevention. The keynote speaker at the symposium and dean, Faculty of Social Sciences UNILAG, Professor Olufunlayo Bammeke highlighted the different triggers as well as proffered solutions, some of which include, empowerment for boys and girls, pre-marital counselling, life skills and enlightenment programmes aimed at behavioural change as well as engagement of the private sector to embrace anti-GBV programmes. Other speakers like Nyma Akashat, Victor Okpala. Halimat Oshun , Kafilat Ogbara and Commissioner, Lagos State Audit Commission, stressed the need to keep the conversations going about sexual and geender-based violence.

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