The Lagos state government has expressed concern over the increasing cases of sexual and gender-based violence in the state.

The state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice, Lawal Pedro, raised the alarm on Friday in Ikeja at a news conference to announce programmes for the state’s 2024 domestic and sexual violence awareness month.

The theme of this year’s awareness month is “SGBV, Not On My Watch.”

Mr Pedro, represented by the permanent secretary, ministry of justice, Hammed Oyenuga, said the number of sufferers of sexual and gender-based violence in the state, particularly in the Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Government Area, was alarming.

He said the awareness month would focus on the council area owing to its high cases of SGBV.

“We chose to take our sensitisation programme to Ajeromi-Ifelodun because the number of cases that we have recorded in the last four years is worrisome.

“The theme of this year’s activities is, ‘SGBV, Not On My Watch’. This is based on the compelling need to ensure that residents realise that ending the menace of SGBV is indeed a collective effort, which requires the support and collaboration of all members of society.

“We, therefore, intend to engage all demographics, including men, women and children,” he said.

He said the sensitisation programme in Ajeromi-Ifelodun would be held on Sept. 9 at the council secretariat.

Mr Pedro said other programmes planned for the month included ‘Turn Alausa Purple’, ‘Men Wey Sabi’, ‘Market Fiesta’ and ‘Governor’s Award’.

Also speaking, Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, executive secretary of Lagos State Sexual and Domestic Violence Agency, said reports of the number of abused children in Ajeromi were heartbreaking.

She said the Alimosho council area had been number one for violence against women.

“Some of the pictures we have are too gory; that’s why we feel the need to go sensitise people in this particular local government,” she said.

The programme would kick off with Turn Alausa Purple on Sept.2, with civil servants wearing purple vests.

Also, there will be an advocacy walk on Sept. 4, which will take off at Ile Zik and terminate at Ipodo Market, around Computer Village.

The symposium for the 2024 edition of SGBV is titled” Are We Doing Enough? A Decade of Reflection and Action.”

The programme is geared at reviewing the state’s progress in responding to SGBV in the past ten years.

It is also to formulate actions and policies for the next decade, through discussions on domestic and sexual violence in the state by stakeholders.

(NAN)