FOUR thousand, three hundred and fifty-one cases of gender-based violence were recorded in Lagos State between January and November, Commissioner for  Women’s Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Cecilia Bolaji Dada, said yesterday.

Mrs. Dada spoke at a media parley organised in partnership with United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) to announce activities for 2022 “16 days of activism against gender-based violence.”

Sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence is an annual international campaign every November 25 – International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women – till December 10, Human Rights Day.

Dada said in November, 237 women and 38 men reported cases of violence to her ministry.

“As at November 30, we have had 4,351 cases from January. Ranging from all forms of violence. About 235 females for November and 38 males.

“For settled cases, we have had 45 cases… we have had to refer 112 cases and 40 clients disengagement. Some women will come to report and at some point maybe family interference, they come back to withdraw the complaints,” she said.

She urged the police to “help encourage women to go to the police to report violence. The reports we get when people go to police station is that the police trivialise the matter and throw the cases out

“It’s a challenge for us. They even abuse the women, for instance, if a rape case is reported, they will ask the victim, wetin you wear, if a woman is abused by the husband, they will tell the woman, go beg am, go settle am  because of this, people are not encouraged to report.

“We urge the police to help us reduce gender-based violence.”

She explained that as part of this year’s event, the ministry will unite with UNFPA, UN Women, and Student Union Government (SUG) to walk from JTF park to Alausa Secretarial on December 5.

“The campaign will also move to Irewe Town Riverine area in Ojo Local Government on December 6, to carry out an aggressive campaign against gender-based violence on women and girls …

“As we celebrate 16 Days Activism against gender-based violence on women and girls this year, we say no to discrimination meted out on women, i.e. harmful traditional practices, widowhood inheritance, physical abuse, deprivation of education, early childhood marriage, forced marriage, child exploitation, female genital mutilation, financial abuse, segregation of women, oppression of women in politics, forced prostitution, sex for marks and grades, rape, sexual harassment, cyberbullying, emotional abuse, etc. in Lagos State, Nigeria and the world.”

THE NATION