The Lagos State Government, through its Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), has inaugurated a Community Dialogue Committee (CDC) aimed at strengthening grassroots efforts in tackling Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) across the state. This initiative marks a significant step toward embedding sustainable support systems within local communities. The inauguration event on Monday brought together about 50 representatives from the Mushin Local Government Area and Odi-Olowo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), featuring stakeholders from various community sectors.
Speaking during the inauguration, the Executive Secretary of the DSVA, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, highlighted the initiative as a major milestone for enhancing community-based mechanisms for both preventing and responding to SGBV. She was represented by the agency’s Community Engagement Officer, Ms. Adetoun Odumbo. Vivour-Adeniyi explained that the committee’s composition was carefully structured to include crucial local figures such as traditional rulers, religious figures, community leaders, representatives of women’s groups, youth advocates, and SGBV survivor champions. It also incorporates representatives from the health and education sectors, as well as ward-level officers from DSVA and local government gender desks.
According to Vivour-Adeniyi, the CDC’s primary mandate is to reinforce community structures that can effectively identify, respond to, and ensure appropriate referral of SGBV cases. On his part, the Head of Community Engagement at DSVA, Mr. Damilare Adewusi, detailed the operational roles of the CDC members. These responsibilities include facilitating community dialogues to raise awareness, providing immediate and confidential support to survivors, identifying potential cases of abuse, and ensuring proper referrals to relevant authorities. Adewusi added that members are also expected to maintain accurate and confidential documentation of reported incidents, while serving as official liaison officers between their communities and the DSVA to ensure swift intervention and sustained collaboration. The initiative is specifically designed to improve the accessibility and effectiveness of the state’s collective response to gender-based violence, ensuring that help is readily available within local areas, as the DSVA believes that by empowering these local committees, they can collectively build a more effective network for fighting SGBV.
