Sequel to an engagement with a non-governmental body known as the Partners 4 Peace Network, some community leaders have pledged to enforce the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law as part of efforts to end gender violence.
The leaders made the pledge during the community dialogue session in Mbiabo Ikoneto, Odukpani local government area of Cross River State, southern Nigeria.
In his remarks, the village head of Mbiabo Ikoneto, Mr. Ekpenyong Okon, said that the leadership of the community was ready to ensure the safety of girls and women.
Okon also stated that the leadership was prepared to enforce the provisions of the VAPP laws to protect the rights of women and girls in the community.
He said, “I appreciate you and your team for choosing Mbiabo Ikoneto to do this sensitization campaign. With all we have discussed and the knowledge that Cross River State has passed the VAPP law, we are going to ensure we enforce the provisions of the law to protect the rights of our daughters.
“Already, we protect our daughters, wives, mothers and sisters as tradition demands. But, we promise to be more committed to the fight to end gender violence. We are going to be more vigilant and ensure that anyone caught would be made to face the full wrath of the law,” Okon stressed.
He also appealed to the state government for more interventions in education, road infrastructure development and economic empowerment of young people in the community.
Also Read: Lawmakers Seek More Awareness On VAPP Act
Dialogue session
Earlier, the National Secretary of Partners 4 Peace, Dr. Moses Abang noted that the organisation’s project, aimed at reducing the prevalence rate of violence against women and girls, was sited in Ikoneto following data gathered from PIND’s (the foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta) IPDU (the Integrated Peace and Development Unit) Early Warning, Early Response System.
Similarly, the facilitator of the dialogue session and Cross River State coordinator of Partners 4 Peace Network, Mr. Ukorebi Esien, gave a detailed explanation on various forms of gender violence and provisions in the VAPP Law, which citizens could invoke to protect themselves.
He stated, “The VAPP Law was passed in 2022 to prohibit all forms of violence, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as well as harmful traditional practices.
“It applies to violence in public and private life, and includes prohibitions on female genital mutilation, forced marriage, forced eviction and abandonment amongst others,” Esien noted.
He urged community leaders to establish watch groups that would enforce the implementation of the decisions reached during the dialogue sessions.
In the same vein, the subchapter coordinator of Partners 4 Peace in Odukpani local government area, Ekpenyong Akiba highlighted the dangers of some harmful traditional practices such as child marriage, female genital mutilation and widowhood rites and practices.
Highpoint of the engagement was the inauguration of Ikoneto Community Champion Against VAWG (Violence Against Women and Girls) and Ikoneto Subchapter of Partners 4 Peace.
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