The Lagos State Government has launched a Gender-Based Violence, GBV Prevention Policy designed to strengthen prevention, address root causes of violence and improve coordinated interventions across the state.
The policy, developed with support from the Ford Foundation, expands the state’s approach to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) beyond responding to incidents after they occur, with emphasis on harmful social norms, protection, accountability and early intervention.
It addresses violence occurring in homes, workplaces, educational institutions and digital spaces, including Technology-Facilitated Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (TF-SGBV).
Speaking at the launch, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said prevention required identifying factors that enable violence and strengthening systems to protect people before harm occurs.
She said the policy provides a framework for coordinating prevention efforts across sectors and communities.
The framework is built around four 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 for first responders.
The primary prevention pillar focuses on education, awareness and social norm transformation, including consent, bodily autonomy and digital safety.
The secondary prevention pillar provides for stronger legal and institutional mechanisms for early intervention and accountability, including streamlined standard operating procedures for law enforcement and use of the Lagos State Sex Offenders Register.
The tertiary pillar prioritises survivors’ rights, choices, dignity and privacy while improving access to medical, legal, psychosocial and economic support. The fourth pillar focuses on strengthening the capacity of first responders and service providers to prevent and respond effectively to SGBV.
Implementation of the policy will be overseen by a multi-sectoral Technical Working Group anchored by the 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.
The state government expressed appreciation to the Ford Foundation for supporting the development and launch of the policy, saying strategic partnerships remain important to advancing sustainable approaches to preventing GBV across Lagos.