The Lagos State Government has reported that a minimum of 340 husbands experienced physical abuse from their wives.
Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, the Executive Secretary of the Lagos Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), made this disclosure in the agency’s quarterly reports.
She noted an uptick in the reporting of domestic violence cases involving males over the past year.
Vivour-Adeniyi revealed that between September 2022 and July 2023, 340 men reported instances of domestic violence inflicted by their wives.
Expressing concern about this trend, she mentioned that the agency is actively addressing these cases, working towards finding an amicable resolution.
Simultaneously, the Lagos State Government has initiated monitoring and assessment activities across the Six Education Districts in the State through the Joint Task Force on the Implementation of the Executive Order on Safeguarding and Child Protection.
The Joint Task Force is composed of key representatives from various entities, including the Office of Education Quality Assurance, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Lagos State Safety Commission, State Universal Basic Education Board, Child Protection Network, and Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency.
According to Vivour-Adeniyi, the monitoring exercise, which kicked off on October 31, 2023, at the Lagos City College in Sabo-Yaba, has already engaged with over 200 schools in Education Districts 4 and 5. Additionally, more than 90 schools have been visited to assess and measure compliance in those districts.
“On-the-spot assessments were conducted at the schools to confirm the practical implementation of the policy and identify strengths and areas for improvement,” she stated.
“The ultimate aim of the monitoring exercise is to ascertain the level of adoption and implementation of the Executive Order across all Six Education Districts in Lagos State,” Vivour-Adeniyi.
During the engagement, Mr. Kamaldeen Akodu, a spokesperson from the Office of Education Quality Assurance, emphasized the importance of schools implementing precautionary measures to guarantee a secure learning environment.
Likewise, Mr. Jubril Yakub, representing the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, enlightened school administrators on the purpose of the exercise, emphasizing its corrective nature rather than punitive.
Yakub also provided insights into the reporting procedures to be followed in schools.
Mrs. Ajoke Oshokoya, the representative of the Lagos State Safety Commission, underlined the significance of implementing safety measures within schools.
She emphasized the necessity of specific security measures, including the presence of security personnel, the availability of safety equipment, the implementation of safety training, and the maintenance of facilities to create a hazard-free environment. These measures are essential to ensure the overall well-being and security of students, staff, and visitors.
It is worth noting that in December 2016, the state government officially ratified the Executive Order (NO.E0/AA08 of 2016) establishing the Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.
All institutions focused on child welfare are obligated to adopt this policy. Its purpose is to guarantee the safeguarding and proper protection of the rights of children under their care. The policy also provides explicit protocols for handling reports and disclosures of abuse.
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