A non-governmental organisation, Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP) have revealed that the Alimosho Local Government of Lagos State has the highest number of Gender-based Violence cases in Lagos.
Executive Director
WRAHP
The NGOs Executive Director, Mrs. Bose Ironsi says that “prior to the Covid-19 lockdown, Alimosho posted the highest number of Sexual and Gender-based Violence cases, which worsened during the lockdown. Silence does not protect, we encourage people to be bold enough to speak against it because when we normalize speaking against it, it will be easier to end it.
According to Mrs. Ironsi, “more than ever before, there is an increasing need for more visible support from elected representatives and community leaders to strengthen legal systems and combat cultural norms that sustain crimes against women and young girls. There is a need for policymakers to have the political will to enable law enforcement officers and community members to identify gender-based violence for the crime it is and not as a “private” family matter. When we do this, women will be able to seek help or report violence when it happens.
“We are commemorating this year’s 16 days of activism with the theme: “Orange the world: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect”. The event is an annual international campaign dedicated to the elimination of violence against women, and we know that gender-based violence is an issue in Nigeria, particularly in Lagos where we are.
WRAHP has been doing a lot of sensitization across communities, and even at the Ireti Resource Centre in Ikotun where we provide support to survivors of gender-based violence. We are trying to amplify our voices to show support to survivors, so they can get the guidance and counseling that they need and we can all work together in our spheres of influence to speak up and act against gender-based violence.
She called on the media to partner with her organization to protect the identity of survivors of gender-based violence adding that “inasmuch as we want them to get justice, we don’t want to hurt them in the process of getting justice”.
