Lafarge Africa Plc. has launched an awareness campaign on gender-based violence across its host communities as part of activities to commemorate International Women’s Day.

Director, Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability of the firm, Viola Graham-Douglas, while speaking during the gender-based sensitisation and defence workshop, held at Onitolo Community Senior High School, Lagos, said that the workshop was organised to help young girls to understand the meaning of gender-based violence and the right approach to address and avoid it.

She said, “Gender-based violence is any action that makes you feel unsafe, disrespected, or powerless because of your gender. If someone or a situation makes you feel uncomfortable or afraid, trust your gut, speak up and talk to someone that you trust. You are protecting yourself, and that is always the right thing.

“Today’s workshop serves as a huge opportunity for us to assist those that need support and make them aware of how best to defend themselves in any form of abuse.”

She later encouraged the young girls to be bold, confident and self-aware whether at school or anywhere else they find themselves.

Also, Chief Executive Officer of Famasi Africa, Adeola Ayoola, charged the young girls to be bold and courageous in confronting their fears by exposing those people involved in gender-based violence, adding that being bold and courageous would bring shame to the actors.

Ayoola urged the young women and girls to avoid seeking people’s validation for their actions as this could make them vulnerable to gender-based violence.

She, therefore, charged them to be self-confident and believe in themselves.

In her remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of The Re-Direct Academy, Helen Oladele, a gender-based advocate, stressed the need for young ladies to be disciplined and to inculcate the right values that would help them shape the future they desire.