The Challenged Parenthood Initiative (CPI) has expressed concern over the increasing rate of gender based violence in Kogi state.
At a one day stakeholder sensitization workshop held in Anyigba, Kogi East senatorial district of the state, on Thursday, Executive Director of CPI, Eunice Abimbola Agbogun hinted that in the last six months, the organization had received several reports of domestic violence and other crimes ranging from rape, sexual molestation, coercion, female circumcision and forceful ejection from home.
She explained that other gender based violence reported during the COVID-19 lockdown include verbal and psychological abuse, harmful widowhood practices, abandonment of spouse, children and other dependents without sustenance, spousal battery, harmful traditional practices and incest.
“During this pandemic, we got reports of many gender bases violence. Women are not safe. Grandmas and many more were raped, spouses sent out of their home, widows forced to drink water used in washing their late husband’s body and many more. This does not speak well for our state and our nation.
“Our girls and women are no longer safe. Women are being molested on daily basis. They can’t come out over fear of intimidation and stigmatization. This has to stop. Men and children are not left out in violence. When there is a stringent law on ground, it will discourage any individual from perpetuating in these crimes.
“That is why we are pushing for the passage of the violence against persons prohibition (VAPP) bill. If the bill is passed by the Kogi State House of Assembly, we hope that it will be a law that who ever that is founding wanting in this unspeakable act of rape and other acts will be sanctioned appropriately. This will serve as deterrent to others who intends to get themselves involved in this crime,” she said.
Agbogun pointed out that the objective of one day stakeholder sensitization workshop is to sensitize relevant stakeholders on the advocacy campaign for the adoption of VAPP bill in the state, solicit commitment participate in the public hearing and to support the passage of the bill.
Agbogun revealed that the outbreak of civid-19 delayed the public hearing of the bill just as she charged the participants to drive the campaign home to ensure quick passage of the VAPP bill.
CPI is pressing hard towards the domestication of violence against persons prohibition (VAPP) Act in Kogi State. The Act was signed into law five years ago by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
CPI which had been in existence for over 10 years, according to Agbogun, decided to champion the VAPP bill after the 2019 Kogi state governorship election as the organization earlier championed the campaign on violence against women in politics (VAWIP) during the election.
In his presentation, the project officer of CPI, Christopher Simon, said “the purpose of the bill is to eliminate violence in our private and public life, prohibit all forms of violence against persons – leaders and the led, men and women, boys and girls – and provide maximum protection and effective remedies for victims of violence and punishment for offenders”.
Also speaking, Dr Abah Danladi, lecturer Department of History and International Studies, Kogi State University Anyigba, representative of Chapel of Restoration, Kogi State University, Mrs Juliet Emmanuel, the Chairman, People Living with Disability, Dekina Biraidu, Kogi State, and the President, Ofolikpa Development Association, Omaye Noah all lauded the organization for taking a bold step towards the domestication of violence against persons prohibition (VAPP) Act in Kogi state.
Participants at the event, which were drawn from far and near in the senatorial district, however said aside passage of the bill by the Kogi State House of Assembly, the implementation in the state is very vital towards curbing the trend of domestic violence.
They also called for aggressive sensitization across the twenty one local government areas of the state to ensure would-be offenders know the penalties if they get themselves involved in crimes listed in the proposed bill.
Our correspondent reports that the bill has passed through second reading in the Kogi State House of Assembly.
A similar workshop was held in Okene, the central part of the state which will also be replicated in Kabba on Friday in the Western senatorial district of the state.
Twenty three out of the 36 states of the federation are yet to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, five years after the Act was signed into law.
The VAPP Act is a law that guarantees protection of the rights of victims of all forms of sexual and gender-based violence in the country.
Fifteen out of these 23 states, representing 65 percent, are Northern states, six, representing 26 percent are in the Eastern region, while one is a South-western state, according to data collected by an organization called TechHer.
The states are; Sokoto,Katsina, Jigawa, Yobe, Borno, Zamfara, Kano, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Niger, Nassarawa and Taraba.
Others are Kwara, Kogi, Ondo, Delta, Imo, Abia, Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwa Ibom.
Only 13 states including the FCT have domesticated the Act since it was enacted five years ago.
They are Kaduna, Plateau, FCT, Benue, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ogun, Lagos, Edo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Cross River.
Signed into law by former President Goodluck Jonathan on 2nd May 2015, the VAPP Act is the single law in place that transcends the criminal and penal code in guaranteeing justice and protecting the rights and properties of victims of sexual and gender-based violence across the country.
The VAPP Act expands the definition of rape, domestic offences, incest and several forms of violence. It also ensures justice and protection of victims in a way that guarantees freedom, compensation and respect to human rights.
