GBV:NGO seeks timeline to speed up offenders prosecution  

A Kaduna-based NGO, Empowering Women for Excellence Initiative (EWEI) on Wednesday, advocated for a fixed term for trial and prosecution of offenders of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).

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The Programme Officer, Gender, Mr Mendie Jeremiah, made the call in an interview with the Newsmen in Kaduna, in commemoration of the 2023 16 Days of Activism to End GBV and harmful traditional practices against women and girls.

The 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is an annual international campaign, which runs from Nov. 25, that is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, until Dec. 10, which is Human Rights Day.

The campaign was started by activists at the inauguration of the Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 as organising strategy by individuals and organisations around the world to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.

The global initiative is aimed at raising awareness about the devastating impact of violence on women and children, and the social fabric of the society.

The theme for 2023 global campaign is “UNITE! Invest to prevent Violence Against Women and Girls”.

Jeremiah, therefore, said that the absence of a fixed term in the trials of GBV offenders in courts was delaying justice for survivors and reducing people’s confidence in the courts.

He said that beyond designating a family court that would try GBV cases and other family related issues, specific term should be fixed within which a GBV trial should be concluded. This, according to him, will speed up the delivery of justice and restore people’s confidence in the judiciary.

He added that “be it rape case or domestic violence, once a case is in court, it should have a timeline for the conclusion of prosecution, and this can happen only when we have specific courts for prosecution of GBV. As such, we are calling for full implementation of Family Court. We are also calling on government to ensure full implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, and other legal instruments put in place to address GBV. Under our Safe Spaces project, EWEI established a toll-free line for GBV survivors and their relations to call, report cases and access the first line of support and make referrals to appropriate authorities.”

“Our current project — ‘Together We Can’, being implemented in Kasuwan Magani, Kajuru Local Government Area and Kujama in Chikun Local GGovernment Area of Kaduna State are also to address GBV.

“Part of their activities are to train health workers, both private and public, on how to attend to survivors of sexual violence and provide first line support,” Jeremiah said.

The gender programme officer also called on the Kaduna State Government to fast-track plan to establish forensic laboratory to support investigation and prosecution of offenders.

NAN/Wumi