The Lagos State Government has unveiled the Lagos State Gender-Based Violence, GBV, Prevention Policy, with support from the Ford Foundation.
The Government reinforces its commitment to preventing Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, SGBV, and strengthening coordinated interventions across the State.
It says the policy provides a comprehensive framework for addressing the changing nature of SGBV in Lagos, including violence occurring in homes, workplaces, educational institutions and digital spaces through Technology-Facilitated Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, TF-SGBV.
According to the Government, it operationalises the Lagos Declaration of Zero Tolerance for All Forms of SGBV and marks a shift from a largely response-centred approach to a stronger institutionalised prevention strategy focused on addressing root causes, harmful social norms, protection and accountability.
Speaking at the launch, the Executive Secretary of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi said the policy provides a structured framework for making prevention a sustained and collective responsibility.
She said they cannot continue to focus only on what happens after violence occurs, as Prevention requires them to identify the factors that enable violence, challenge harmful social norms and strengthen the systems that protect people before harm occurs.
According to her, the policy gives them a clear framework to coordinate the efforts across sectors and communities.
In her words, the policy is built around four interconnected pillars: Primary Prevention through Education and Awareness; Secondary Prevention through Strengthened Legal and Policy Frameworks; Tertiary Prevention through Survivor-Centred Services; and Quaternary Prevention through Capacity Building of First Responders.
She said the Primary Prevention pillar focuses on education, awareness and social norm transformation, promoting consent, bodily autonomy and digital safety.
Vivour-Adeniyi said the Secondary Prevention pillar strengthens legal and institutional mechanisms for early intervention and accountability, including streamlined Standard Operating Procedures for law enforcement and the use of the Lagos State Sex Offenders Register.
She said the Tertiary Prevention pillar promotes survivor-centred services, prioritising survivors’ rights, choices, dignity and privacy while improving access to medical, legal, psychosocial and economic support.
According to her, the fourth pillar focuses on strengthening the capacity of first responders and service providers to prevent and respond effectively to SGBV.
Implementation will be overseen by a multi-sectoral Technical Working Group anchored by the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), in collaboration with relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies and civil society partners.
The framework also provides for localised data indicators, heat mapping, quarterly reviews and public reporting to monitor progress and ensure interventions remain responsive and accountable.
