CSO’s, others, seek domestication of Violence against Persons Act in Jigawa
A coalition of 14 Civil Society Organisations (CSO’s) and government agencies in Jigawa, on Thursday called on the state government to domestic the Violence Against Persons (VAP) Act to curb cases of rape and assault.
Alhaji Lawan Ahmed-Kiyawa, the Coalition’s Secretary, made the plea on behalf of the coalition, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Hadejia, Jigawa.
Ahmed-Kiyawa explained that the VAP Act was aimed at eliminating all forms of violence against women, men and children; as well as providing effective remedies for victims and punishment for offenders.
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He expressed concern that the Act, which came into force in 2015, was yet to be domesticated in the state.
“Failure to domesticate this law is responsible for the rampant cases of assault and rape, which sometimes involve minors.
“Yobe State has recorded significant decrease in cases of assault and rape after they adopted the VAP Act; we need to borrow a leaf from them,” the activist said.
He also noted misconception; religious and cultural beliefs, as some of the factors hindering the domestication of the Act in the state.
Ahmed-Kiyawa said: “Many of the critics of this law are either ignorant of the upsurge in all forms of abuse in Jigawa or simply feel it conflicts with our culture.
“But the latter has been taken care of because we have agreed that any content of the law that conflicts with our religion and culture should be discarded.
“That is why we have embarked on sensitisation to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), commissioners of Justice, Health, Women Affairs; and the House of Assembly, on the need to adopt the law.’’
Ahmed Kiyawa urged victims of rape and their parents to always expose their abusers, saying failure to expose the rapists because of fear of stigma, was encouraging and emboldening them.
NAN reports that the Coalition includes: National Council of Women’s Societies (NCWS), Federation of Muslim Women’s Association of Nigeria (FOMWAN), Legal Aid Council, Ministry of Women Affairs, among others.
(NAN)
