The Lagos State government has partnered with AXA Mansard Insurance to provide support services for survivors across the state.

Announcing the collaboration, Head of Marketing at AXA Mansard Insurance, Olusesan Ogunyooye, in a statement made available to The Guardian yesterday, said the partnership aims to protect vulnerable girls in the Lagos metropolis.

Ogunyooye explained that combating gender-based violence requires a multifaceted approach involving individuals, communities, institutions, and governments, adopting global best practices and strategies.

He emphasised the importance of protecting children to secure their future, underscoring the need for collective efforts to eradicate violence from society.

According to the 2014 National Survey on Violence Against Children in Nigeria, 25 per cent of girls experience sexual violence before the age of 18, with 15 per cent of those victims becoming pregnant. Ogunyooye expressed concern that such acts of violence often occur in supposedly safe environments like schools and homes, contributing to the normalisation of violence against children.

With the theme “Being a Girl Shouldn’t Be a Risk,” this year’s AXA Week for Good focuses on raising awareness about the impact of sexual and domestic violence on the girl child.

The Executive Secretary of the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA), Mrs Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, commended the partnership as a positive step towards addressing domestic and sexual violence against girls in Lagos State.

She highlighted the importance of private-sector collaborations in supporting the Lagos State Government’s zero-tolerance stance on sexual and gender-based violence.

Vivour-Adeniyi reaffirmed DSVA’s commitment to providing expert guidance and resources to ensure the initiatives under AXA Week for Good have a meaningful impact and contribute to a safer and more inclusive society for all.