Six-week training empowers Lagos Island students with skills to combat abuse, promote respect, and build safer school communities

The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) has inducted 300 secondary school students into its Kings’ Club and Queens’ Club, marking a major step in its ongoing efforts to curb Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) in schools.

The induction ceremony, held on Thursday, July 16, 2026, at Dolphin Senior High School on Lagos Island, followed the successful completion of a six-week intensive training programme designed to equip students with the knowledge and tools to prevent abuse and promote a culture of respect.

Participants, drawn from schools across Education District III, were formally welcomed into the clubs and charged to serve as peer advocates against all forms of domestic and sexual violence.

Speaking at the event, the Head of Programmes at DSVA, Ms Zainab Alaka, urged the students to embody the core values of integrity, respect, responsibility, and leadership. She encouraged them to take their roles seriously as ambassadors committed to driving positive behavioural change within their schools and communities.

The ceremony featured a variety of student-led performances, including drama, spoken word, and poetry, all centered on themes of awareness, prevention, and the impact of SGBV. A key highlight was the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Mr Olaonipekun Kazeem and Mrs Aderonke Oyelakin, where the students committed to promoting respect, reporting abuse, and serving as role models among their peers.

In his closing remarks, the Head of Community Engagement, Mr Damilare Adewusi, commended the students for their dedication and encouraged them to make use of the agency’s toll-free helpline, 0-8000-333-333, to report cases of domestic and sexual violence.

The initiative underscores the Lagos State Government’s broader commitment to safeguarding young people and fostering violence-free environments in schools. By empowering students as change agents, the DSVA aims to strengthen grassroots advocacy and ensure that cases of abuse are reported and addressed promptly.