In its bid to ensure the easy implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, the Oyo State Government has put machinery in place to develop a Standard Operating System (SOP) for the law to take its full course.
The SOP was developed at a synergy meeting for advancing the implementation of the law in the state held for officials of the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion.
The Oyo State Roundtable synergy meeting, held in Ibadan, the state capital, was sponsored by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), with funding by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.
The meeting was attended by the Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General of the State, Prof Oyelowo Oyewo and the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs Kafilat Olayiwola.
In his welcome remarks, the Country Representative of WFD in Nigeria, Mr Adebowale Olorunmola, said the synergy meeting became necessary in view of the need to make the two ministries, among other stakeholders in the state, bring their strengths together and not work in isolation, to ensure effective implementation of the VAPP Law, which is an instrument that is well designed to bring an end to violence against women, girls and every vulnerable person, in the interest of the people of the state.
“The takeaway from this synergy meeting is for us to see that the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion and the Ministry of Justice are now working together effectively to support the implementation of the VAPP Law in Oyo State to ensure that the survivors of Gender-Based Violence get justice and also to see that the centres and structures that have been put in place by the process work effectively.”
The WFD Consultant, Mrs Bunmi Dipo-Salami, in her remarks, noted that the roundtable became imperative after observing that states, where VAPP Law has been effective, have coordinated synergy between the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Women Affairs.
The Oyo State Commissioner of Justice, who was represented by the Director, Civil Litigation and Advisory Services II, Mr Olatunji Thomas, said the meeting would go a long way to impact and equip everyone adequately towards ensuring zero tolerance to Sexual and Gender-Based Violence and absolute prohibition of any form of violence in Oyo State.
He asserted that the two ministries, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, must collaborate and work in togetherness in the best interest of the people of Oyo State if success would be achieved.
PIAK
