Gender Based Violence: Aisha Buhari calls for establishment of special court

Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari has called for the establishment of special court to expedite prosecution and justice system on Gender Based Violence in Nigeria.

 

Mrs Buhari also called on State Governments to tackle hindrances militating the Girl child education across the country.

 

She made the calls during the 2nd Annual Conference of the Nigerian Governors’ Wives  Forum, NGWF held on Thursday in Abuja.

 

Mrs Buhari further called on the remaining four States that are yet to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition laws VAPP ,to validate the Act.

 

She called on policy makers , traditional rulers and all Stakeholders to synergise on issues of Gender Based Violence GBV to maximum impact on Interventions.

 

Speaking at the event held in advocacy and in support of the 16Days activism on Gender Based Violence, the Chairperson of the Forum, Erelu Bisi Fayemi mentioned Kano, Gombe and Cross River as States that are yet to domesticate the VAPP act.

 

Fayemi explained that so far, 31 states including the Federal Capital Territory have passed the VAPP law. She said the developments was an indication that local advocacy has been affective.

 

She said, “In june 2020 ,only 14 states had domesticated the VAPP Act,as at November 2021,31 states including the FCT have passed the VAPP law,this is an indication that the local advocacy of Governors’ Wives has been effective”

According to the Chairperson of NGWF,
the theme of 2021 : Orange the World: End Violence Against Women Now, carries, a sense of urgency.

“That is the spirit in which the State of Emergency was declared in 2020,we still need urgent action ,we need to ensure adequate finding of all interventions, respond effectively to the needs of survivors ,intensify strategies for the prevention of GBV and collect relevant data for analysis and planning,” she said.

 

Reeling out the NGWF request to the State Governors, Erelu Fayemi tasked the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to encourge Kano ,Gombe , Cross Rivers States to domesticate the VAPP act.

 

Provision of Resources
She called for the provision of required resources to implement VAPP act across the states.

“Currently there are 32 Sexual Assault referal centres in Nigeria thereby calling for establishment of more centres”

“The NGWF is also requesting for each state to have Gender Based Violence responsive frame work,” Mrs Fayemi stated.

 

The Chairman Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi, said the 36 states governors are committed to the drive of the women, hence the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act in 31 states including the FCT, adding that the remaining four states yet to accent to the bill would gradually do so.

“The budgetary allocation to fight Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) will reflect in relevant ministries. All will not be lumped up in the Ministry of Women Affairs.

“I have secured the commitment of my brothers that the institutional set up which is your national Secretariat has been agreed. Provide us with the needed details and we will set the ball rolling,” he said.

 

The Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Paullen Tallen , disclosed that over 5,500 cases of rape were recorded across in 6 states between April 2020 and November 2021.

 

 

She further disclosed that 9 States are yet to also domesticate the Child Rights Acts.

 

 

Dame Paullen called on the Governors’ Wives to champion the legacies of women providing supports for fellow women in creating opportunities for each other at the leadership positions.

“Let me appeal to our Governors’ Wives to leave a legacy that will install more women in key leadership positions precisely at the National & State Assemblies to further advance the course of women in Nigeria,” she added.

In attendance at the Conference were British High Commissioner, Catriona Laing, UN Women/Nigeria ECOWAS Representative, Ms. Comfort Lamptey,Ford Foundation Program Officer Ms. Funke Baruwa, President National Academy of  Science Professor Ekanem Braide.

 

 

Confidence Okwuchi