Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo says the adoption of the Child Rights Act and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act by all states will address gender-based violence (GBV).
As of October 2020, 11 states were yet to adopt the Child Rights Act passed in 2003.
In May 2021, the Yobe government said it had adopted the Child Rights Act, but is awaiting assent by Mai Mala Buni, the state governor.
Speaking on Tuesday at a two-day northern traditional and religious leaders’ summit on ending gender-based violence, the vice-president, who was represented by Pauline Tallen, minister of women affairs, described GBV as a pandemic within the pandemic.
Advertisement
The theme of the summit was ‘Moving from Awareness to Taking Action’.
According to Osinbajo, despite the intervention of the government and stakeholders, the rate of GBV in the country is still alarming.
He commended Muhammad Abubakar, Sultan of Sokoto, for supporting the fight against GBV through his foundation.
Advertisement
According to the vice-president, protecting women and girls against violence is important to accelerating national development.
“We need to domesticate the Child Rights Act and VAPP Act at the state level to put a stop to this menace,” NAN quoted him as saying.
On his part, the sultan said GBV is a violation of human rights that requires the collective efforts of religious leaders.
He also advocated the need to establish referral centres for victims.
Advertisement
“Let us be prepared to support the campaign against gender-based violence in northern Nigeria, because as traditional and religious leaders, we need to champion a moral direction to put an end to this menace so that women and girls are safe and protected,” he said.
Add a comment
