UNDERSTUDY MISSION: LAGOS DSVA HOSTS FCT, ABIA STATE DELEGATES 

It was another opportunity for knowledge sharing as delegates from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)Women Affairs Secretariat and the Abia State Ministry of Women Affairs visited Lagos on Wednesday to understudy the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA).

The Executive Secretary, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, in her welcome address and presentation, gave an overview and history of the Agency, harping on the need for commitment and resilience in building the desired organisation. She emphasised the need to approach the issue from a multi-disciplinary lens, stressing that the Agency has been able to make progress on the referral pathway which has been mainstreamed into various sectors. 

She emphasised the need for political will and appreciated the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and by extension, the entire Government, the Hon. Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba as well as the Rt. Hon. Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa for their support to the Agency in actualising its mandate. 

In her remarks, the Mandate Secretary, FCT Women Affairs Secretariat, Dr. (Mrs) Adedayo Benjamin Laniyi gave a brief on the efforts of her office arising from an impeded relevance, adding that since creation, nine months ago, the Office had embarked on sustainable initiatives to drive behavioural and attitudinal changes. 

Her counterpart, Mrs. Ngozi Blessing Felix, the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Abia State, thanked the DSVA for meeting with her team and said the Agency was the best in the country.

She stressed that the current dispensation has the political will, and her team remains ready to learn more to enable them to deliver on their statutory mandate. She further noted that she hopes to achieve a tripod facility in conjunction with the Abia State’s Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Justice 

The Representative of The Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) and its State Coordinator, Mrs. Joan Abimbola expressed gratitude to the Lagos DSVA for taking on the delegates and assured them of the continuous support of the organisation. 

The visiting delegates went on a tour of the facility where the Heads of different DSVA Departments and Unit delivered presentations on their functions, as well as the Virtual Response and Referral Services (VRRS office).