To enhance the capacity of community women and men’s groups to support the campaign to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls (VAWG), Project Alert on Violence Against Women organized a Community capacity Building Workshop in Ifako IJaiye, Apapa and Mushin local government areas in the state with support from African Women Development Fund (AWDF)
The capacity building workshop which aimed at training and working with community groups to create awareness around the need to eliminate violence against women and girls and support the survivors to access justice was held from the 26th to 31st 0f July 2021 at various local government areas respectively.
The facilitator, Dr Princess Olufemi- Kayode took the participants through the meaning of Gender-Based Violence (GBV)/ Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), its forms/types – Physical, Financial, Verbal / Emotional & Psychological abuse, and Harmful traditional practices such as Widowhood rites, child marriage, female circumcision. Furthermore, the training explained the prevalence of SGBV in Lagos, Nigeria, how SGBV impacts women, girls and the communities, and how it impedes development in the lives of individuals, victims /survivors, families, and the communities.
The localized SGBV referral list, which covered services provided at various levels of Federal, state, to non-governmental organizations located in the LGAs environs and the State was introduced to the participants. Participants were taken through the list and on how to make use of the document when SGBV and related matters occur around them.
Following the call for volunteers, few participants responded to be a part of their community surveillance team.
Each of the participating LGAs had two training dates, one held for men leaders, and the other for women leaders and influencers within the respective participating LGAs. A total number of 463 participants were trained in six sessions cutting across 3 LGAs namely, Ifako- Ijaiye, Apapa & Mushin LGAs in Lagos State. The training was held within strict adherence to Lagos State COVID-19 requirements for public gatherings.
