The Leadership Initiative for Youth Empowerment (LIFE) has launched a 32-month project aimed at empowering female survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Oshodi-Isolo Local Government Area, Lagos State.
The initiative is focused on protecting women and girls from sexual and gender-based violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act of 2015. The project includes training community members to raise awareness about laws safeguarding against rape, female genital mutilation, domestic violence, and trafficking, particularly in low-income communities.
LIFE is intensifying efforts to combat GBV, unsafe abortions, and female genital mutilation by organizing community education programs, advocacy campaigns, and providing legal assistance to survivors.
At a media briefing titled “Scaling Up Leadership of Female Survivors for Effective GBV Response” in Lagos, LIFE’s Executive Director, Abiodun Rufus-Unegbu, underscored the organization’s dedication to safeguarding the health and rights of women and girls, especially in vulnerable areas of Lagos State.
“We are currently running three major projects,” Rufus-Unegbu said. “Two focus on addressing gender-based violence in various communities, while the third aims to reduce maternal deaths caused by unsafe abortions.”
Rufus-Unegbu also shared harrowing examples of GBV cases the organization has handled, including one where a woman with severe injuries sought help after being violently assaulted by her husband.
“She had three swollen spots on her head and bite marks on her back,” Rufus-Unegbu said. “It was heartbreaking. We immediately reported the case to the police, but unfortunately, the officers asked insensitive questions like, ‘What did she do to deserve it?’”
Despite the poor handling by some officers, the LIFE team remained focused. They traced the suspect, a 60-year-old carpenter, to his workshop and seized his tools to prevent him from fleeing. The suspect eventually turned up and was arrested.
“This tells you how much we’ve had to go through just to get justice for victims,” she added.
In another troubling incident, a survivor who reported her abusive partner to the police was evicted by her landlord. According to Rufus-Unegbu, the landlord stormed the scene of the arrest, telling the woman never to return home.
“She was in the police van when her landlord said it was an abomination for a woman in his house to report her partner,” she recalled. “Even though she had fully paid her rent, he locked her out. She had to seek emergency medical care and couldn’t return to her home.”
These stories, Rufus-Unegbu said, highlight how GBV is deeply embedded in societal structures, where even landlords and community members become indirect perpetrators by enabling or justifying abuse.
“Gender-based violence is not only about the person who beats a woman,” she said. “It’s also about the landlord who evicts her, the neighbours who watches and stays silent, and the community that blames the victim.”
LIFE operates in several Lagos communities including Isolo, Ejigbo, and Oshodi. With support from organizations like the African Women’s Development Fund (AWDF) and Amplify, LIFE carries out its work through education, community advocacy, and psychosocial support.
LIFE’s Program Officer, Oluwatoyin Mokwe, said the group has spent the last 32 months visiting key officials at the Ministry of Justice, local governments, and police stations in areas like Ijeshatedo, Ago-Okota, Isolo, Ilasamaja, and Itire to raise awareness.
With their help, more than 30 survivors of abuse have been rescued, over 20 suspects have been arrested, and over 50 survivors have received emotional and mental support. The group also runs programs to teach young girls and vulnerable women about gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, human rights, and leadership.
“In many remote communities, people don’t even know what gender-based violence means,” Mokwe said. “That’s why we go there to educate them about their rights and how to seek justice.”
She also highlighted a case involving a young girl who suffered organ damage after trying to terminate a pregnancy with herbal concoctions. “Unsafe abortion is a growing crisis. Girls as young as JSS students have no access to accurate information, so they resort to dangerous methods,” Mokwe said.
According to her, Nigeria has one of the highest rates of unsafe abortions globally. “Unwanted pregnancies, often from peer pressure or lack of sexual education, are the root cause. A doctor once told us that over 200 cases of organ damage from unsafe abortion are recorded each year.”
Rufus-Unegbu, stressed the need for honest conversations between parents and their children about sex, relationships, and reproductive health.
“Many parents avoid discussing sex with their children because of culture or religion. But if you don’t teach your kids, the internet will—and you may not like what they learn,” she said.
She emphasized the importance of teaching young girls about menstrual cycles, contraceptive use, and making informed choices.
“Our goal is not just to talk but to help these girls live better, healthier lives,” she said.
Recognising the mental toll of abuse, LIFE has established a crisis response unit. The Crisis Care Coordinator, Laura Moore said the organization offers psychosocial support to help survivors heal while they await justice in the calming room.
“We created a special cooling-off room for survivors,” Moore said. “It’s a safe space where they can relax, talk, listen to music and begin to heal. We’ve seen how this helps them recover mentally and emotionally. The second is a one-on-one psychosocial therapy session with me. They get counseling and emotional support tailored to their needs.”
LIFE called on the media across Nigeria and the general public to support their mission by raising awareness and holding perpetrators accountable.
“We need everyone, especially the media, to spread the word,” Rufus-Unegbu said. “Let’s end the silence. Let’s end the violence.”
As LIFE continues its campaign, the organization reaffirms its commitment to reducing maternal deaths, ending gender-based violence, and empowering women and girls to live without fear.
“We’ve made progress,” Rufus-Unegbu said. “But this journey is far from over. With more voices, more hands, and more hearts, we can build a safer Nigeria for every woman and girl.”
LIFE has printed and distributed 5,000 copies of the Lagos State domestic violence law in simplified language to boost accessibility and understanding at the grassroots level.
