By Osayi Aghahowa
The Edo Government is reviewing the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) (VAPP) Law, 2021, to address implementation gaps and strengthen legal protection against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including technology-facilitated abuse.
The review is being undertaken through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, in partnership with the BraveHeart Initiative for Youth and Women and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC).
The partners convened a consultative forum on strengthening policy implementation for SGBV prevention in Edo.
It brought together government agencies, civil society organisations, security institutions and development partners to examine implementation challenges and propose improvements.
At the forum, Mrs Edesili Okpebholo-Anani, Coordinator, Office of the Governor’s Wife and Chairperson of the Gender-Based Violence Management Committee, emphasised the need to protect women, girls and children from violence and ensured timely assistance for survivors.
Okpebholo-Anani said survivors should be treated with compassion and dignity rather than blamed or stigmatised, adding that women and girls needed to understand their rights and know where to seek help.
She said the committee would continue promoting the rights of women and children through advocacy, community engagement, public enlightenment and sustained collaboration with relevant institutions across Edo.
Okpebholo-Anani called for greater awareness of gender-based violence in schools, including the establishment or strengthening of clubs in primary and secondary schools across Edo North, Central and South.
She explained that the clubs would help children understand personal safety, appropriate boundaries, respect for others and the importance of reporting abuse promptly to trusted adults, teachers and relevant authorities.
Okpebholo-Anani urged parents to maintain open communication with their children and ask questions about their safety, while encouraging teachers and school administrators to take reports of abuse seriously and make appropriate referrals.
She said boys could also be victims of violence and sexual abuse, although girls were more frequently affected by gender-based violence.
The committee chairperson urged parents to pay equal attention to the safety and well-being of male and female children, ask about their experiences and encourage them to speak out whenever they felt uncomfortable.
She said parents should not assume that boys were less vulnerable to abuse, adding that open communication could help children feel safe reporting incidents and seeking assistance without fear.
Okpebholo-Anani also expressed concern about sexual abuse within families, explaining that some children might not recognise inappropriate conduct as abuse or might be afraid to speak out because of their relationship with the perpetrator.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Eugenia Abdallah, said the review provided an opportunity to identify gaps in the implementation of the law and strengthen coordination among institutions responsible for preventing and responding to SGBV.
Abdallah called for stronger cooperation among government agencies, security institutions, health workers, justice-sector officials and civil society organisations, emphasising that effective prevention and response required coordinated action.
She said the review should produce practical recommendations to improve survivors’ access to protection, support services and justice while safeguarding their privacy, dignity and safety throughout reporting, investigation, prosecution and rehabilitation.
The commissioner urged stakeholders to contribute practical ideas that would strengthen implementation of the law and improve the state’s response to SGBV.
Mrs Priscilla Usiobaifo, Founder and Executive Director of the BraveHeart Initiative for Youth and Women, urged stakeholders to make practical contributions to the review based on their experience in preventing and responding to violence.
Usiobaifo emphasised the need to examine existing provisions carefully, identify areas requiring amendment and propose changes that would improve implementation and strengthen institutional responses to reported cases of gender-based violence.
She highlighted the importance of prompt and thorough investigations and effective prosecution, noting that survivors could face barriers to reporting abuse and obtaining justice because of stigma, fear and limited awareness.
Usiobaifo also emphasised the need for public awareness, particularly in communities where limited knowledge of human rights and the law could prevent survivors from seeking assistance and accessing justice and support services.
She called for stronger collaboration between government institutions and civil society organisations to improve referrals and access to legal, psychosocial and other support services for survivors across Edo.
The Edo Coordinator of RoLAC, Mrs Uche Nwokedi, delivered a goodwill message on behalf of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA).
Nwokedi commended the state for pursuing an inclusive consultation and policy review process to strengthen the prevention of and response to gender-based violence.
She described the VAPP Law as a critical instrument for protecting fundamental rights, promoting access to justice and ensuring accountability for acts of violence against women, girls and children.
Nwokedi said the review provided an opportunity to strengthen the legal framework for addressing gender-based violence and improve coordination, protection and accountability mechanisms across institutions and communities in Edo.
In a technical presentation, Mr Imonitie Omokhodion of RoLAC, highlighted areas requiring attention in the review, including emerging forms of technology-facilitated abuse and gaps in the existing legal framework.
He said the proposed amendments included provisions addressing cyberstalking, sextortion, non-consensual recording or sharing of intimate images, AI-generated intimate material, online harassment, unlawful tracking and unauthorised disclosure of personal information online.
Omokhodion also highlighted the need to strengthen provisions on digital evidence, improve the handling of SGBV cases and enhance coordination among institutions responsible for investigation, prosecution and survivor support.
On penalties for rape and gang rape, Omokhodion proposed life imprisonment for both offences to strengthen accountability and protection for survivors.
He explained that, under the proposal, every individual involved in gang rape would face life imprisonment, as would a person convicted of rape committed by a single perpetrator.
The proposed amendments remain subject to further consideration, with stakeholders expected to submit additional inputs before the review process proceeds to validation and possible legislative action.
Mrs Omage Dimowo, Assistant Director, Edo Ministry of Justice, highlighted the importance of strengthening the legal response to SGBV and improving the handling of cases through effective investigation, prosecution and coordination with relevant agencies.
Dr Paul Eighemhenrio, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, who represented the Commissioner for Health, Dr Cyril Oshiomhole, highlighted the health sector’s role in responding to SGBV through medical care and referrals.
He emphasised the importance of providing medical care, documenting cases appropriately, safeguarding survivors’ confidentiality and referring them for further support where necessary.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Musa Bulus, who represented the Edo Commissioner of Police, CP Patrick Daaor, called for the establishment of specialised courts to facilitate the speedy handling of SGBV cases and ensured timely justice for survivors.
Daaor urged stakeholders to study the existing law and submit practical recommendations to strengthen its provisions and improve implementation across communities and institutions in Edo.
During the stakeholders’ input session, participants considered recommendations aimed at strengthening implementation of the law and improving survivors’ access to justice through enhanced coordination, evidence handling and referral pathways.
They called for improved coordination among relevant agencies, better preservation and handling of physical and digital evidence, stronger survivor support, confidentiality and more effective referral pathways linking health, security and justice institutions.
Participants also called for greater public awareness of the law and more effective investigation and prosecution of cases to build trust in the justice system and strengthen accountability.
They emphasised that reports of sexual and gender-based violence should not be dismissed as private or family matters and that survivors should be able to report abuse safely and access medical, psychosocial and legal assistance.
The recommendations are expected to inform further consideration of the proposed amendments as the review continues, with the aim of strengthening legal protection, survivor support and institutional responses across Edo.
Mrs Joy Ihensekhien, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, urged stakeholders to sustain their collaboration to strengthen the prevention of and response to sexual and gender-based violence across the state.(NAN)
Edited by Abiemwense Moru
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