The Lagos State Government on Thursday, September 24, unveiled a new Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) Prevention Policy aimed at strengthening coordinated efforts to prevent violence and improve support for survivors across the state.
Wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, who unveiled the policy in Lagos, described it as a comprehensive, prevention-focused framework designed to address the root causes of SGBV, strengthen institutions and ensure accountability. She said the policy covered violence in homes, workplaces, schools, communities and digital spaces.
Sanwo-Olu said the framework provides for survivor-centred services, including confidentiality, psychosocial support, legal assistance and economic rehabilitation. She stressed that survivors should not face stigma or punishment for speaking out, describing SGBV as a public health, human rights and development issue.
Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said the state could not rely solely on prosecuting perpetrators to tackle SGBV. She said prevention must address harmful social norms and strengthen systems before violence occurs.
The policy is built around four pillars covering prevention, intervention, survivor support, and first responder capacity building. Implementation will be overseen by a multi-sectoral Technical Working Group, with monitoring through data indicators, heat mapping, quarterly reviews and public reporting.
Vivour-Adeniyi said the policy, developed with support from the Ford Foundation, also incorporates technology-facilitated SGBV, building on an earlier framework addressing cyberbullying, doxing, sextortion and online sexual harassment.
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