ActionAid Nigeria has called on Kogi State House of Assembly to speedily pass the Violence Against Persons Prohibitions (VAPP) bill, to end all forms of violence against women in the state.
The Project Coordinator, System and Structure Strengthening Approach Against Radicalisation to Violent Extremism (SARVE II) Project, ActionAid Nigeria, Anicetus Atakpu, made the call in Koton-Karfe Local Council, at the weekend, during a women’s conference on Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE).
Atakpu disclosed that the conference was aimed at highlighting the preventive measures for Gender-Based Violence (GBV), adding that the bill had since gone through public hearing, and that the passage would enable government and stakeholders to carry out their responsibilities.
According to him, the summit was part of activities of ActionAid to commemorate the 2021 International Women’s Day.
The Executive Director, Challenged Parenthood Initiatives, Eunice Agbogun, while delivering a lecture on ‘Prevention and Responding to Gender Base Violence’, lamented that 35 per cent of women had experienced GBV, noting that seven per cent of women had reportedly been sexually assaulted, describing the statistics as scary, worrisome and unfortunate.
She advised women to make education and empowerment of girls a priority, pointing out that until the religious, community and opinion leaders took a stand against violent extremism, the future remained bleak, as the statistics of GBV constantly increased.
A woman leader from the community, Mrs. Usmau Gogo, commended ActionAid for the conference and assured the conveners that the lesson gained from the programme would be utilised to prevent violence against women in the area.
She advised women to always teach their female children the mode of dressing, as provocative dressing sometimes led to sexual violence against girls.
