BY Abiodun JIMOH
As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen community-led responses to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), the Women’s Rights and Health Project (WRAHP), a Non Governmental Organisations (NGO) through its Ireti Resource Centre, has trained 25 male advocates in Lagos on SGBV.
Speaking at the end of a two-day capacity-building training Ms Bose Ironsi, Executive Director, WRAHP said that the
male advocates would served as community partners in promoting gender equality and preventing sexual violence across targeted communities in Lagos State.
“The initiative aims to engage men and boys as allies in ending sexual violence by transforming harmful gender norms, fostering positive masculinity, and promoting survivor-centered advocacy at the community level.
“The fight against sexual violence cannot be won without the active involvement of men as agents of change.
“Men have a powerful role to play in shifting attitudes and practices that enable sexual violence. By equipping them with knowledge and the right tools, we are investing in long-term prevention and accountability” she said.
The training exposed participants to a wide range of topics, which includes Understanding SGBV and its root causes, Positive masculinity and gender-transformative approaches, Survivor-centered communication and community advocacy.
The participants were trained on Legal and policy frameworks addressing sexual violence in Lagos State, Strategies for community engagement and referral pathways by different experts.
Ironsi said participants are expected to developed localized action plans to support advocacy, awareness, and reporting mechanisms within their communities.
“This intervention forms part of WRAHP’s broader project on “Protecting Women and Girls from Sexual Violence through Changes in Behaviour, Practices, and Attitudes of Community Members in Three Local Government Areas in Lagos State, supported by the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF).
“By building a network of trained male advocates, WRAHP continues to advance its mission of fostering safe communities, strengthening institutional response systems, and ensuring justice and dignity for survivors of sexual violence” she said.
Responding on behalf of the advocates, Mr Kingsley Kalu, Lifecare Initiative for our of school children said that the training was apt and essential.
Kalu said that the focus has always been on women issues but it’s time that people are well informed about SGBV issues noting that male are also involved.
He said that 90 per cent of men contributed to SGBV issues and there are cases also that women violate men.
He said he was impressed that WRAHP was training male advocates because most times men are always left out.
