UN Calls for United Effort to End Gender-based Violence

Michael Olugbode in Abuja

The United Nations (UN) has reiterated the need to join forces to create awareness and education in eliminating and ending the scourge of Gender Based Violence (GBV)from every nooks and crannies of Nigeria.

Speaking in Abuja yesterday at the 7th Network Conference of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) in Nigeria with the theme: “The Imperative for Special SGBV Curts” organised by the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (ROLAC) Programme in collaboration with Ministry of Justice, FCT Judiciary and the National Agency for Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), UN- Women Country Representative, Comfort Lamptey, noted that there is urgent need for all stakeholders to join hands together to put an end to the scourge of GBV.

Lamptey noted that this year marks 30 years since the start of the 16 days activism campaign, reiterating that globally one in three women have been abuse sexualy and in Nigeria 28 per cent of women have been abused before the age 49 in one forms of violence.

She also noted that 16 per cent of women and girls have experience this from spouses and home as in times of crisis the number rises.

She said: “During the first month of lockdown directive a-five fold increase was recorded of GBV, one in four women feel unsafe at home, since the onset of COVID-19, outside the home women also feel increasingly unsafe.This is a wake- up call for solving the problem at its root, while this problem remain pervasive, it is not preventable. Preventive methods are critical to end GBV it requires a commitment from all of us to work against the harmful practice that sustain gender inequality.”

“More men need to step-up to form forces with some right advocate, through the UNWomen joint spotlight initiative to engage stakeholders in community, traditional ruler to address some of the patriarchal norms that encourage gender inequality.

“Provide comprehensive support system that will help survivor centered services which include police, justice, and social sectors As well as sufficient financing for women are essential ingredients to the fight against GBV,” she added.

Lamptey noted that: “The past two years in Nigeria have experienced progress on the domestication of the VAPP act to law since it was passed in 2015, with a total of 30 states out of 36 in Nigeria, this commendable feat was acheived by the declaration of a state of emergency on GBV by the Nigerian Governor Forum in 2020.

“We need to ensure that federal and state government ensure that GBV survivors have full access to justice, with reliable prosecution of perpetrators.”

She asked that: “Put women at the center of responses Including the policy situation solutions, strengthen services including justice for women who experience violence and invest in prevention efforts to end Violence Against Women and Girls.”

On her part, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs.Pauline Tallen, quoting statistic disclosed that the National Situation Room and Dashboard set up in the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs under the UN/EU Spotlight initiative targeting six states supported by UNDP as at 24th November 2021, totaled number of cases reported to be 5,204 of which 3,125 survivors are demanding justice and only 33 perpetrators have so far been convicted, representing 0.51 percent.

She lamented that the fatal cases are 160, closed cases 231, while open cases (cases pending in court) are 972.

The minister noted that the trend is unacceptable, and efforts will be intensified with the Federal Ministry of Justice to ensure justice for victims and survivors.

She said: “The present administration under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, has demonstrated high commitment not only to eliminate harmful practices against women and girls; but also, to curb the rampaging impact of COVID-19 pandemic and other SGBV.

“ In the light of this, a significant amount in our 2022 budget has been dedicated to fight Gender Based-Violence nationwide. Mr. President in his 2022 Budget Statement to the National Assembly has gone a step further to direct that Ministries, Departments and Agencies must devote some amount in their budgets to address gender-related issues.”

She, however, implored all relevant ministries to engage, amplify advocacy to the states and rural communities for further enlightenment in this regard.

Also, speaking in the same vein, the Ambassador, Delegation of the European Union to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Samuela Isopi identified impunity as fuel for GBV.

She said: “This type of violence remains largely unreported due to the stigma and shame surrounding it, and the lack of confidence in authorities. As a result, many perpetrators remain free and unpunished. Impunity contributes to fuel GBV.

“Impunity contribute to fuel SGBV, if we do not stop impunity, we may not be able to stop GBV, government has a critical role in maintaining and sustaining of the seperate court for it to succeed, the government needs to take ownership of this court by allocating resources to address the need of the people,”she said.

The Chief Justice of the Federation, Honourable Justice Ibrahim Muhammad, said in creating special court we need to have trained judges and this is alot of work. This is an issue that takes more than talking, things must be in place, when we have everything set then we can start talking of special courts.

Represented by Justice Amina Audi Muhammad, the Chief Justice is of the view that “before we go advocating for special courts we need to put in place all other structures that will make this succeed.

He said: “Rural areas need to have gender desk of institutions with specialised personnel to attend to vulnerable victims, the first contact for victim need to be able to bring them out of despair.”

National Programme Manager, Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, Danladi Plang, emphasised on the need for critical actors to collaborate, in the fight as well as provide platform for experts to identify policy option, legal innovation, best practices, process for the establishment, and modalities for operation.

According to her, “For many years, there have been calls for the prosecution of cases of SGBV, in separate courts, it is for this reason RoLAC is campaigning this year for seperate judicial process.

She said: “The main objective of this conference is to identify policy options, recommendations and action for efficient disposal of rights of victims and mobilise relevant actors.

She said from last year a lot have happened as most state have domesticated the VAPP law, and now have more SARC, adding,about 32 have been created with the latest being in Kebbi state.

She said: “Of course more victims and survivors are being supported by the Centers, as at June this year we have about 21,000 survivors that are supported, in the last eight years out of this 21,000 about 6,900 are being cared for by the SARC, which represents about 30 per cent of survivors.

“There is a serious consensus that the prosecution of offenders is key even as the cases reported are very few, there is a disproportionate higher number of victims to the perpetrators, and of course they deserve justice, as different they may be.”