Health
SGBV: Sanwo-Olu urges more funding for survivor shelters
Dayo Oyewo and Ayoola Babalola
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called for greater private and community support for organisations providing shelter and rehabilitation for women and girls affected by violence, saying the government cannot tackle sexual and gender-based violence alone.
Sanwo-Olu made the call at a fundraising dinner organised by the God’s Home for Women Foundation, operators of Goshen Shelters, under the theme, “From Violence to Victory”.
Represented by the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Cecilia Dada, the governor said supporting survivor shelters was essential to helping women move beyond the immediate danger of violence towards recovery and independence.
He said survivors often required more than protection from further abuse, noting that recovery could involve emotional support, access to justice, rehabilitation and opportunities to regain confidence and become economically independent.
“For someone who has experienced violence, moving forward is rarely easy.
“It requires safety, emotional support, access to justice, rehabilitation and importantly, the opportunity to regain confidence and become independent,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He commended the foundation, its leadership, staff, volunteers and supporters for supporting women at vulnerable points in their lives.
Sanwo-Olu said the Lagos State Government had a responsibility to protect residents and strengthen its response to sexual and gender-based violence, but added that government intervention alone could not meet the needs of every survivor.
“As government, we have a responsibility to protect our citizens and strengthen our response to sexual and gender-based violence. But government cannot do everything alone.
“We need organisations, communities, businesses, faith-based groups and individuals who are willing to step forward and help people in need,” he said.
The governor identified Goshen Shelters as one of the organisations filling that gap and urged guests at the dinner to support its fundraising campaign.
“Your support can provide a safe place for a woman who has nowhere else to go. It can help a survivor access counselling and rehabilitation. It can give someone the skills and confidence to stand on her own feet again.
“And sometimes, that is all a person needs – a safe place, a helping hand and the opportunity to start again,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu also addressed women who had experienced violence, urging them not to allow their experiences to define their futures.
“To every woman who has experienced violence, I want to say: what happened to you does not define you. You are worthy of dignity, safety and a future beyond your experience,” he said.
He urged the guests to help the organisation expand its capacity to support survivors and families affected by violence.
“Let us therefore make tonight count by giving Goshen Shelters the resources it needs to reach more women, support more survivors and help more families rebuild,” he said.
The founder of God’s Home for Women Foundation, Ajibola Hassan-Odukale, while speaking at the event, reflected on the organisation’s journey since its establishment in 2015 and its focus on providing women and children affected by domestic violence with a safe environment from which they can begin rebuilding their lives.
She said the organisation’s work had evolved beyond temporary accommodation to include support aimed at helping survivors heal, regain confidence, develop practical skills and work towards independence and reintegration into society.
According to the foundation, its work is built on the belief that safety is only the beginning of recovery, and survivors need sustained support as they rebuild their lives.
God’s Home for Women Foundation was established in July 2015 by God’s Chosen Women Fellowship, following the vision of its founder to provide refuge and support for women and children affected by domestic violence.
Through Goshen Shelters, the foundation provides a safe and confidential environment for women and children fleeing violence.
The organisation says its support includes helping survivors through emotional and physical restoration, skills development and the process of rebuilding stable and independent lives.
The event brought together the wife of the Lagos State Governor, Dr Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, and other dignitaries from the private sector, political circles and the state’s public service.
The fundraising dinner was organised to mobilise resources for Goshen Shelters as it seeks to expand its capacity to provide refuge, support and rehabilitation for women and children affected by violence.
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