State of Emergency Gender Base Violence (GBV) Movement has called for the establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centers (SARCs) and well-equipped shelters in every state, backed with a coordinated, sustainably-funded support system.
The Movement in a joint statement by the Senior Program officer, Yiaga Africa, Yetunde Bakare, CEO Tech her , Chioma Agwuebo, CEO CODE, Hamzat Lawal, Executive Director Education as vaccine and Executive Director, Dorathy Njimanze Foundation , Dorathy Njimanze while addressing the media on Thursday in Abuja also demanded for the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act of 2015 and the Child Rights Act of 2003 in all states of the federation.
According to the movement, 17 out of the 36 states and FCT have established SARCs adding that the state includes 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 also called that criminalization 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.
“Implementation of functional Family Support Units and Force Gender Units of the Nigeria Police Force, well-resourced to address GBV cases in collaboration with and at the state level.
“Imposition of public disciplinary measures against officials of the Nigeria Police Force and state prosecutors that mishandle cases of GBV.
“As we reflect on “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect,” the theme for this year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, we call on these state governors to honour their promise of 12th of June 2020 by working with other stakeholders to end violence against women and girls.
“We also call on the federal and state governments and her agencies to prioritise the prevention of sexual exploitation and violence to hold individuals accountable and to respect the dignity of survivors by providing them with meaningful support in line with the commitments made in the Beijing Platform for Action, 25 years ago.
“We have lost too many lives to the evils of sexual and gender crimes – Obiamaka Orakwue, a 15-year-old Secondary School student raped and killed in her home in Lagos State; Uwavera Omozuwa, the 22-year-old University of Benin student raped and killed at a church in Benin; Grace Oshiagwu, 21-year-old National Diploma student of Oke-Ogun Polytechnic, Saki, Oyo State; Bello Barakat, 18-year-old student of the Federal College of Animal Health and Production in Ibadan and counting.
“This must not be allowed to continue. Nigerians must hold their leaders to account and ensure that these laws are not just passed, but perpetrators of sexual and gender-based crimes are punished accordingly.
“Sexual violence against women and girls is abhorrent & preventable. The #StateOfEmergencyGBV Movement will continue to pursue this purpose.
“This is also a responsibility for every citizen to ensure we all live free of fear and violence, particularly for women, girls and children,” they said.
