SGBV Activism: Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu Visits Lagos Rehab Centre, Pledges Facility Upgrade …also tours Vision Spring Initiative, Community Women’s Rights Foundation in Ikorodu, Juvenile Welfare Center, Alakara, Mushin, Lagos

 

By Kayode Olopade 

Lagos State First Lady, Dr. (Mrs.) Claudiana Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, embarked on a working visit to the Lagos State Rehabilitation and Training Centre in Ikorodu on Tuesday, as part of the 2025 global 16 Days of Activism Against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV). The First Lady was received by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluwatoyin Oke-Osanyintolu, alongside other officials who conducted her round the facility. They expressed appreciation for the visit, describing it as a major morale booster for both staff and residents. During the inspection, the management outlined several challenges affecting the Centre, including infrastructural gaps and staff welfare concerns. In response, Dr. Sanwo-Olu commended the staff for their dedication and reiterated the Lagos State Government's commitment to strengthening institutions providing care, rehabilitation, and protection for vulnerable residents. She assured that the Centre would soon benefit from targeted improvements aimed at enhancing rehabilitation services, institutional capacity, and overall staff welfare. 'This administration remains fully committed to protecting the dignity and wellbeing of every resident, especially those who rely on specialised support,' the First Lady said. 'The issues raised today are receiving priority attention, and a renewed intervention is on the way.' Furthermore, Dr. Sanwo-Olu visited two frontline organisations working in the areas of gender equality, women's rights advocacy, and social justice—Vision Spring Initiative and the Community Women's Rights Foundation, both located in the Igbogbo–Ikorodu axis of Lagos. Additionally, she visited the Juvenile Welfare Center, Alakara in Mushin, a transit abode where displaced young children are kept until they reunite with their families, and inspected the facility to identify areas of intervention to keep the children safe from abuse. Dr. Sanwo-Olu noted that the visits were part of her sustained advocacy to deepen collaboration between government and civil society groups in addressing sexual and gender-based violence, strengthening survivor support systems, and reinforcing community-level engagement. The 16 Days of Activism Against SGBV seeks to raise global awareness, strengthen institutional response mechanisms, and mobilise stakeholders to eradicate all forms of violence.