By Taiye Olayemi
AXA Mansard Insurance Plc has partnered with the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency (DSVA) to intensify awareness and prevention of domestic and sexual violence against children through community-based sensitisation campaigns across Lagos State.
The initiative, which forms part of the 2026 AXA Week for Good themed “Being A Child Shouldn’t Be A Risk,” is designed to strengthen public enlightenment, encourage reporting of abuse cases and reinforce child protection systems at the grassroots level.
Under the partnership, employee volunteers of AXA Mansard will engage in door-to-door sensitisation activities in selected communities, with technical support, training and guidance provided by the Lagos State DSVA.
The programme builds on the 2025 edition of the collaboration, which focused on school-based interventions aimed at educating pupils and teachers on domestic and sexual violence.
Speaking on the initiative, Chief Marketing Officer of AXA Mansard, Mrs Adebola Surakat, said the 2026 campaign would place greater emphasis on families, parents, caregivers and community leaders.
She noted that most abuse cases occur within familiar environments.
Surakat said statistics indicate that more than 60 per cent of domestic and sexual violence cases involving children were perpetrated by individuals known to them, underscoring the need for stronger community awareness.
She explained that the campaign would cover six communities, where volunteers would educate residents on identifying abuse, reporting mechanisms and safe parenting practices.
According to her, AXA Mansard’s sustained advocacy against domestic and sexual violence reflects its commitment to building safer communities in which it operates.
She further noted that in 2025, about 96 per cent of the company’s employees devoted at least 30 minutes of their work hours to volunteer activities focused on creating awareness on domestic and sexual violence.
In her remarks, the Executive Secretary of DSVA, Ms Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, said domestic and sexual violence thrived on silence, ignorance and fear, stressing the need for continuous public education and community engagement.
Vivour-Adeniyi commended AXA Mansard for sustaining its partnership with the agency, adding that protecting children required the collective effort of government, private sector organisations and the public.
She said bringing advocacy directly to communities would empower parents and caregivers to identify warning signs early, protect vulnerable children and report cases promptly.
AXA Week for Good is the flagship initiative under AXA Mansard’s employee volunteering platform, AXA Hearts in Action, through which staff reportedly contributed over 20,000 volunteer hours in 2025.