Group Campaign Against Gender-based Violence in Ondo

Fidelis David in Akure

A United Kingdom non-departmental public body, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) yesterday  expressed concern over increasing violence and discrimination against women globally.

WFD Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr. Adebowale Olorunmola, stated this at a two-day training tagged:  “Capacity  Strengthening Workshop for Ondo State Agency Against Gender-Based Violence (OSSGBV)”, held in Akure, the  Ondo State capital.

According to Olorunmola, the increasing spate of violence against women and girls in the contemporary society is growing alarming, hence the need for the training.

He disclosed that the training comes on the heels of the high spate of violence incidence across the country.

He said: “We are here to look at how we can deepen the implementation of violence against persons as well as to familiarize ourselves as critical stakeholders with the child protection policy which all of you are representatives of your offices have worked together to draft, given the fact that it becomes critical for us to extend the implementation of VAPP to the very vulnerable among our society and we are talking about children. VAPP is not just about the violation of men and women rights but it is also inclusive of women who are the most vulnerable.

The Director of Public Prosecution, Ondo state Ministry of Justice,  Leo Ologun  asserted that violence incidence has been at an alarming rate, explaining that it is a despicable act and a grave offense under the constitution of Nigeria

His words: “Violence such as rape or incest is growing at an alarming rate now. We all know that rape is when a man takes advantage of every woman without her consent. Once the genital organ of the lady absorbs any part of the body of another, then such a person is said to have been raped. The law says a minor does not have the authority to give consent. Once you are under the age of 18, you cannot give consent, but instead, this is the most despicable act, to say the least.

He added that, “we have cases of fathers sleeping with their daughters, so many and most unfortunately it is always the devil and they will now be begging. Having sexual intercourse with a child is also at an alarming rate. We see cases of sexual intercourse with a minor every day in our office. I don’t whether it’s for pleasure, or if it is for ritual, or whatever reason. It is condemnable for death”, he said.

However, he maintained that the criminal code in the country lacks the functionality which necessitated the implementation of the VAPP law which was signed by the Governor of  Ondo State Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu on July 14, 2021.

“Because of all those problems, something has to be done to tackle them. This is why the legislation has to come in by enacting laws. We don’t just enact laws, we have reasons for enacting laws, particularly in this kind of situation where the problem we have in our hands needs to be tackled head-up. Today, if there are no VAPP laws or child draft laws, I wonder what we have in our society today because the criminal code can no longer serve the purpose. It is mostly inadequate and no longer measures up.

“The legislature has to come and  the only thing they can do is to formulate the law which they have done and now, what is left for is to implement and execute and that’s exactly what we are doing right here”

Meanwhile, the Facilitator of the training, Hanatu Ahuwan maintained that the organization would promote a safe space free of violence for school-age children.

“One of the functions of OSSA-GBC is to protect you from all forms of abuse and violence”,  she said.