The Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Lagos State stated that it has coached 400 boys on positive masculinity since 2019 till date.
Mrs. Cecilia Dada, Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), mentioned this during the “The Emerging Woman” 2022 WAPA Connect Conference, held at Victoria Island on Tuesday.
Dada said that the grooming was in a bid to avoid the ever-growing inclination of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence against Lagos women residents.
She said that WAPA decided to groom young boys on positive masculinity to respect the female gender from their formative years.
”Particularly, this will help reduce the number of Gender-Based Violence cases from the formative years in which boys build up their opinions and attitudes, into adulthood.
“So far, 400 young boys, since 2019 have become recipients of this programme.
”Of recent, the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund, organized a stakeholder meeting on Domestication of Sexual Harassment Policy using gender lenses in Tertiary Education Institution in Lagos State.
”Fifty-five participants were drawn from tertiary Institutions and security workforces to attend the event,” Dada said.
The commissioner also said that 10,400 women who were victims of sexual and gender-based violence, as well as its accompanying societal evils like human trafficking, had been taught how to manage depression.
Of these women, 12 are recommended for entrepreneurial rehabilitation at four of the Skills Acquisition Centres in Lagos State.
”Similarly, 750 Students’ Union Leaders of the Tertiary Institutions of Lagos State were tutored on the need to curb the increase of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence across all citadels of learning.
”The target is to educate students of the selected tertiary institutions, on ways to curb the rape menace and Sexual Assaults of female students in Lagos State.
”In like vein, to ensure that marriage institutions were secure for peaceful coexistence and societal growth, from 2019 to 2022; 600 couples were trained to align their responsibilities with the growing demand for their children’s moral well-being.
”Another move was made through a workshop organized for 200 Marriage Registrars to ensure that intending couples were properly counselled, before solemnization.
“And, 300 participants were sensitized against all forms of sexual and gender-based violence in celebration of the 16 Days Activism.
“The aim of the programme is to inform the public on ways of curbing such social vice in Lagos State,” Dada said.
