By Sani Idris
Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women (LANW), a representative of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) Justice Network cluster in Kaduna, says urgent delivery of justice for survivors is critical to consolidate Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL).
The Acting Executive Director of LANW, Mrs. Hannatu Ahuwan, said this during at a news conference on Wednesday in Kaduna.
The conference was in commemoration of 16 days of activism towards implementation of ACJL and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law
(VAPPL) in Kaduna.
Ahuwan mentioned some common acts of violence in Nigeria to include sexual harassment, harmful traditional practices, emotional, physical, psychological, and socio-economic violence.
She explained that the SJN cluster was pushing for full implementation of the VAPP and ACJ Laws, to make the laws very effective in the five project states of Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, Kaduna, and Osun.
She said the USAID-funded Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement
(SCALE) project, seeking to consolidate its advocacy efforts for a more
efficient implementation of the VAPPL and ACJL in the five states, aimed at achieving speedy justice service
delivery and resolution of SGBV cases.
Ahuwan emphasised the need to have adequately funded Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) and the need for the judiciary to designate some courts for the hearing of SGBV cases.
She said some days should also be set aside for the courts to hear SGBV cases.
Ahuwan said this would attract accelerated hearing for such cases and speedy justice delivery for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence.
She listed cultural/religious beliefs, ineffective implementation of laws/policies, and limited access to justice for survivors/victims as challenges that undermined interventions at eradicating SGBV.
Stating the urgent need for delivery of justice for survivors of SGBV in Kaduna, Ahuwan added that it was the only way to consolidate advocacy efforts.
She, however, said Kaduna State, which took significant steps to enact the crucial laws, would achieve its effectiveness by relying heavily on the implementation.
According to the LANW Deputy Director, the Kaduna State VAPPL prohibits all forms of violence against persons and prescribes penalties for perpetrating any of the rights therein.
She identified less penalties for offences in VAPPL in the Penal Code Laws.
She also mentioned poor capacity of the enforcement agencies, lack of understanding of the types of gender based violence and pressure from the community and family members of perpetrators as some of the issues impeding access to justice on gender based violence.
Ahuwan called on stakeholders, government, law enforcement agencies and the public, legal practitioners and civil society organisations to unite in ensuring a more robust and swift implementation of the VAPP Law.
She said this would ensure justice to the survivors of the sexual and gender-based violence.
She commended the efforts of the government, adding that there was more work that needed to be done. (NAN)
