Foundation secures convictions with Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law

More than five persons have been convicted under the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law for Gender Based Violence cases in Cross River State, southern Nigeria.

The Executive Director of Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation (NCF), Pastor Victoria Emah-Emah disclosed to journalists in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State that besides the five convictions secured using the VAPP Law, 39 cases were already in court.

Pastor Emah-Emah, who noted that the foundation is supported by ACTIONAID Nigeria and Global Affairs Canada on Women’s Voice and Leadership Project, said that during the course of her work at the popular Bayside communities in Calabar South local government area, the NCF had impacted positively on the lives of those within the locality.

According to her,“For 22 years, we have been working in the Bayside communities and have made notable impact on the people. Since the passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, we have 39 cases in court and have secured five convictions. The convicts have been incarcerated for Gender Based Violence especially against minors.

“It is important to note that the area was characterised by violence, which has reduced; Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), rape, sex work and drug addiction. In as much as we have and keep working hard to effect change in that area, we still have so much to do. Most of the GBV cases we handle are perpetuated by people with a sexual orientation that is different,” she hinted.

The Executive Director disclosed that NCF had instituted several intervention programmes within the area in collaboration with similar behavioural change organisations such as the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Medical Women Association, The Psychiatric Hospital Calabar amongst others.

Increase advocacy

Emah-Emah decried the rising incidences of incest, spousal violence particularly on men by their wives and/or partners and solicited media collaboration to sensitize the public as well as clamour for the protection of men in addition to women, girls and children.

She said, “We need the government at the state and local government levels to respond to the situation in the communities. We have observed a rise in cases of incest and wives assaulting men. Men naturally cover up such crimes in our society, but we are having increasing number of men speaking out these days.

“So, we are on advocacy to relevant stakeholders including the media in our efforts to strengthen the fight against all forms of gender violence. There is need for reorientation of the people especially in the communities we work in. We believe the media is vital to bring about the needed change,” she stressed.

In a brief remark, the chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Cross River State council, Mr. Nsa Gill noted that journalists have supported and collaborated with different groups to advocate and create awareness on the importance of ending GBV, female genital mutilation, child abandonment and abuse including other forms of anti-social behaviours.

He promised that the media would continue to perform its duties of informing and educating the public with relevant messages and urged the foundation to establish an information sharing hub to enhance access to right information for behavioural change.

The Neighbourhood Care-Well Foundation is a faith-based, not-for profit, non-partisan, women-led organisation committed to the protection of the rights of children, women, girls and youths including most at-risk populations and people living with disabilities.