There is growing concern among stakeholders on how to
achieve full implementation of laws which protect Nigerian women and girls
against abuse from rising Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) which many
have said is assuming, ‘epidemic proportions.’
Nigeria has the largest number of child brides in
Africa. Nigeria has the third-largest number of women and girls who have
undergone FGM in the world. Girls and boys are raised, treated and valued
differently from birth to adulthood. Women and girls are solely responsible for
caregiving and household chores and this has implications for girls’ school
attendance.
Also, unfortunately, the country has achieved less
than 20 percent implementation of the Child Rights Act, CRA since its adoption
20 years ago, while the prevalence of violence against women and girls still on
the rise.
Revealing this to journalists at recent two-day
Media Dialogue in Ibadan, Oyo State on “End Violence Against Women and Girls in
Nigeria” James Ibor, a legal practitioner, human rights activist said according
to Violence Against Children (VAC) report one in four girls and 10 percent of
boys reported having suffered sexual violence in Nigeria. Of the children who
reported violence, less than five out of 100 receive support.
Ibor who is also the Chairperson, Child Protection
Cross River State said that the VAC report revealed, six out of every 10
Nigerian children experience some form of violence before the age of 18.
According to him, Nigeria has positive legislations
that support the protection of women and children. For instance, “We have the
Violence Against Person Prohibition Act (VAPP Act) but the implementation is
less than five per cent because we still have cases of violence being reported,
but little or nothing is done about them,” said Ibor.
Nigeria ratified the Convention for the Elimination
of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 1985, but international treaties can
only go into effect when parliament has put in place a corresponding
domesticated law thereby limiting the international treaties to disuse.
Ibor added that violence against women and girls is
against the law and survivors do not usually receive full legal support, as
they may prefer to stay in abusive relationships than leave to face the
ridicule of living outside relationships and/ or wedlock.
The human rights activist said, women and girls
subjected to violence are unwilling to lodge formal complaints due to lack of
trust in the police force and stigmatisation in society.
He counselled that the government should build up a the collaboration that seeks to focus on the legislation policy framework, building
institutions, prevention efforts and particularly addressing root causes of
gender-based violence and harmful practices; and also ensuring access to
inclusive, timely, and affordable, quality service.
He said, based on the consultation on the prevalence of
violence, as well as data management, the programme focuses on five high burden
states across Nigeria namely: Lagos, Adamawa, Sokoto, Cross-River and Ebonyi,
plus the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Speaking also at the event organised by the European
Union and United Nations Spotlight Initiative, Dr Olasumbo Odebode, Child
Protection Specialist for the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF said
“International donors are doing a lot to tackle the issue of Violence Against
Women and Girls in Nigeria. The EU-UN doled out $40 million to support the
initiative for four years in Nigeria.
“All these are geared towards eliminating all forms
of violence against women and girls and all harmful practices in support of the
2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development Goals.”
She further explained that to achieve 2030
Agenda on Sustainable Development Goals, a six comprehensive pillar approach
were developed and they are: legislation and policy framework; institution
capacity building; prevention and social norms; delivery of quality services by
health professionals; data availability and capacities, and supporting the
woman movement.
Odebode added that the six pillars are interrelated
and when it is holistically tackled, the target of ending violence against
women and girls would be achieved in the country.
She said, “So the idea is to attack it from
different directions so that it can have a direct impact. We need to create
sensitisation in the mind of people and the society at large and also to
disabuse the mind of people against discrimination and stigmatisation. We need
to create awareness because people need to speak out. It goes beyond the way
the people are dressed. Every woman and girl must be free from violence that is
the essence of this workshop.”
She said, “When the media is involved, all forms of
violence against women and the girl child that had eaten deeply into the
fabrics of society can be reduced or totally eradicated.
“The discrimination and stigmatisation of survivors
must also stop. People must realise that they should not keep quiet because
keeping quiet will make the perpetrators continue.”
Odebode said that the government needs to create an
enabling environment so that the laws already in place are implemented and
acted upon.
On her part, the Executive Director, Always Sisters
Foundation for Care and Support, Mrs Chika Obiechina said carrying out an extensive media campaign in partnership with CSOs and the NGO’s with effective
community mobilisation on the issues of violence against women and girls would
contribute to ending the menace.
Comments
Post a Comment