By Lillian Okenwa
Do you know that for every 10 complaints received at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), eight are related to violence against women and children?
This revelation was made by Harry Ogwuche Obe, Director Legal, Human Rights and Protection Activist, National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria at the ongoing Annual General Conference (AGC) of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA Nigeria.
As Nigeria joins the world to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence an annual campaign which commences on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs through International Human Rights Day on 10 December, Nigerians are again reminded of the need to shun all forms of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against women and the girl child.
Despite the increasing acceptance of sexual and gender based violence as a crime under both national and international laws, many victims still encounter great difficulty obtaining justice.
Sadly, notwithstanding the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP Act) which came into force on 28 May, 2015, with innovative provisions as the first criminal legislation in Nigeria to, among others, prohibit and punish for the acts of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM),verbal, emotional, economic and psychological abuses, harmful widowhood practices, expanded concept/crime of rape, and more, police prosecutors still elect to use the Criminal Code and Penal Code Acts which carry lesser punishments when preferring charges.
