Speaking during the induction ceremony at Iyana Ipaja, the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, charged the 200 ambassadors to propagate zero tolerance to sexual and gender-based violence.
Viviour-Adeniyi, who was represented by Mr Damilare Adewusi, Head, Community Engagement, DSVA said that the 200 students across the 20 schools in Education District 1 were inducted into Kings and Queens Clubs to help tackle SGBV.
She said that there was the need for increase awareness, so as to tackle the menace of SGBV, which was prevalence in the state.
According to her, the initiative of the Kings and Queens Club aims to create a sustainable social structure in educational institutions that will help debunk socio-cultural misconceptions.
She said that it would promote empowered femininity and bring about behavioural and attitudinal change in the minds of young girls in Lagos State.
Viviour-Adeniyi said that the initiative would also help to constitute an alliance of trained young girls and boys in schools, who would serve as peer educators and advocates of positive femininity and masculinity.
She said that the club would expose the girls and boys to increased knowledge on Gender Based Violence and Sexual and Reproductive Health.
”We are inducting 200 students today, 100 boys and 100 girls from across 20 different schools in Educational District 1.
”I want you to know that as we have trained you, as we have impacted the knowledge into you, it is important that you go back to your schools and be good ambassadors of the club,” the Executive Secretary said.
The Facilitator for the Kings Club, Mr Oluwatobi Ikudaisi said that the issue of SGBV was quite unfortunate and alarming, not just in Nigeria but globally.
”So it called for us to bring up this initiative to help with shaping and then curb this social ills that is happening in Lagos,” Ikudaisi said.
The Facilitator for Queens Club, Ayomipo Adesiyun urged the students to pass on the knowledge acquired during the six weeks training to other students.
”Spread the good news that things need to change in our society, if we want to live in a better society altogether,” Adesiyun said.
One of the students, Daniella Sunday, from Vetland Senior Grammar School, said that they had been made to understand more of reproductive health.
Sunday said that they were not to distinguish between sexual based violence and harassment and would be able to speak out against such violence.
Another student, David Adeniyi, from Surulere Senior Secondary School, said that he would impact the knowledge to other students in my school.
We have been told to promote positive masculinity and that we should always respect the consent of the female gender and use our strength to protect the women and not to cause violence,” Adeniyi said.