Sexual violence: CSOs want special courts to try offenders

A coalition of human rights movements demanded for the establishment of specialised courts to prosecute rape and other sexual offences, to stem the growing violence against women and girls in the country.

The organisation under the aegis of #StateOfEmergencyGBV Movement, made the demand on Thursday in Abuja at a news conference commemorating the 16 Days of Activism on SGBV.

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According to them, it is regrettable that six months after the declaration of a state of emergency against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, only four states in Nigeria out of 21 have passed the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015.

The briefing was addressed by Yetunde Bakare, Senior Programme Officer, Yiaga Africa; Chioma Agwuegbo, TechHer; Hamzat B. Lawal, CODE; Bukola Williams, Education As a Vaccine; and Dorathy Njimanze, Dorathy Njimanze Foundation.

They said that the VAPP Act (2015) and the Child Rights Act (2003) remained the two pieces of legislation that would adequately protect women, girls, children and indeed, everyone from SGBV, while the VAPP Act, in particular, also protects men and boys against sexual and domestic violence.

“We demand criminalisation and prompt state-led prosecution of SGBV cases within a reasonable time, regardless of requests or interference by the victim’s family or interested parties. This also includes the demand for specialized courts for sexual offences which will be the best way forward in each state.

“We demand domestication of the VAPP Act of 2015 and the Child Rights Act of 2003 in all states of the federation. We also demand establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) and well-equipped shelters in every state, backed with a coordinated, sustainably-funded support system.

“Only 17 out of the 36 states and FCT have established SARCs, including Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bornu, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, FCT-Abuja, Jigawa and Kaduna. Others are Kano, Kwara, Lagos, Niger, Ogun, Sokoto, Yobe and Zamfara. There are 29 SARCs across these states,” they said.

They added that it was discouraging that since the NGF gave this assurance, only four states out of the 21 have passed this law.

“Consequently, the #StateOfEmergencyGBV Movement sent individually signed letters to the 527 members of State Houses of Assembly and the 18 governors in the remaining 18 states to remind them of the need to take action now.

“It is important to note that the passage of this very important law in these 18 states will enable a nationally coordinated implementation strategy against GBV.

“We commend Abia and Kwara states for finally passing the VAPP Act, as well as Katsina State for passing the CRA. Violence against women and girls in Nigeria has increased and worsened in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic with rising economic inequality setting the stage for even more damage in our communities. We appeal to the remaining states to take action as well.

“We are calling on the State Governors and members of the State Houses of Assembly in Adamawa, Bayelsa, Borno, Delta, Gombe, Jigawa, Imo, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara, to expedite the process of passing the VAPP Act,” they added.