Stakeholders have chided the members of the National Assembly on attempted moves to allegedly repeal the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act, saying, it would be dangerous if the parliament embarks on such legislative exercise in Nigeria.
They spoke at Policy Dialogue organized by The Side-by-Side Movement for Gender Justice Nigeria in Abuja, explaining, that this legislation, was introduced to eliminate all forms of violence against persons in both private and public spheres.
Speaking on the issue, Monday Osasah of the African Centre for Leadership Strategy Development, called for grassroot and community consultation so that development would take place and awareness would be created on the proposed annulment to the Act.
Osasah also asserted that the rescind Act is offering maximum protection to victims, facilitating effective mediation, and ensuring strict penalties to offenders, urging, despite the bill progressing through its second reading in the parliament, many Nigerians remain unaware of its significance.
Country Director of Christian Aid, Temitope Fashola, said that they believe that faith institutions, civil society organizations, and policymakers must work together to strengthen, rather than weaken, the legal framework protecting survivors.
He explained that the policy roundtable presents an opportunity to analyze the proposed changes, highlight potential risks, and propose actionable recommendations to ensure that any amendments to the VAPP Act must reflect the best interests of those it seeks to protect.
Also speaking, Deputy Clerk House Committee on Women Affairs, Mr. Benedict Chukwuma argued that the legislation was passed into law in 2015, saying, it was not properly implemented and section 2 should be amended where fine could be increased from N200,000 to N20 million.
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Chukwuma also hinted that there is a need for the Child Rights Act to be amended as many states of Nigeria have not domesticated the legislation, talkless of implementation is a major challenge generally.
Contributing, National Co-Chair of Side-by-Side Movement (Christian), Bishop Favour Okokon stated that they are working towards having a free society where calling on the public and private sectors to support the Act to improve and not repeal it.
In her submission, Barr. Precious Ozobulu, stated that the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act of 2015 is a law aimed at eliminating violence in private and public life, providing maximum protection and effective remedies for victims, and punishing offenders.
She added, “it prohibits acts such as Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), verbal, emotional, economic, and psychological abuses, harmful widowhood practices, and expands the definition of rape.”
Simon Ugoudo Tov of Kindred Head, Makurdi condemned the attempted moves by Senator Isa Jubrin aimed at revoking the VAPP, hopeful that the National Assembly will rethink the whole legislative exercise.
Source: The Guardian.
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