Global Peace Development, a non-governmental organization, has urged the executive, legislative, and judiciary branches of government to do everything possible to safeguard Nigerian women from domestic abuse.
In a statement made available to our correspondent on Thursday in Lafia to commemorate the 2021 International Day For The Elimination Of Violence Against Women, Ebruke Esike, Executive Director of GPD, explained that despite several campaigns to raise awareness about such practices, women’s rights have been the most abused and neglected.
He urged state legislatures that had yet to domesticate the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act 2015, as well as state governments that had domesticated but not yet implemented the VAPP law, to pass and implement the law in their respective states with the utmost urgency in order to provide succor to the millions of Nigerian women who are victims of domestic violence.
Esike stated that the current system of punishment for offenders was insufficient to address the grave situation and urged government officials at all levels to take proactive measures to ensure that women and girls live in a safe environment free of exploitation, intimidation, and cultural impunity.
“The VAPP Act which was passed by the National Assembly in 2015 was intended to eliminate all forms of violence against persons, provide maximum protection, effective remedies for victims, punishment for offenders and for other related matters.
“It was to serve as a platform for protection of women and girls from all forms of Gender Base Violence such as; forced early marriage, female genital mutilation, human trafficking, rape, domestic violence, and sexual exploitation among others if sub-national domestication and implementation were activated and enabled by State Governments”, the statement read in part.
According to news reports, nearly one in every three women and girls worldwide may experience physical or sexual assault during their lives, according to the United Nations Children Fund.
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