Centre Wants Domestication Of VAPP Act In Rivers

A human rights organisation, Centre for Environment, Human Right and Development (CEHRD) has called for the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act in Rivers State.
This was contained in a resolution at the end of a sensitisation programme organised by the centre with support from the Embassy of the Netherlands in Nigeria in Port Harcourt.
Gender officer of CEHRD, Marsha Nnunne said that the training was to draw attention of the relevant authorities in Rivers State on the need to domesticate the VAPP Act in Rivers State.
Nnunne, who co-facilitate the programme with Queen Agbu and David Varebe said the seminar was also to prepare the minds of law enforcement agencies on how to use the Act when domesticated in Rivers State to fight gender based violence in the society.
He noted that the level of gender based violence in the state such as rape, wife, female genital mutilation among others is alarming and required concerted efforts by security operatives to be combated, adding that the onus of protecting citizens from violence lies with the police.
In presentation, a human right lawyer, Barrister Koko noted that the act is holistic and all encompassing and clearly enumerates what constitutes violence against persons, as well as punishment facing defaulters.
“It seeks to protect people from all forms of violence against citizens. The act even criminalises forms of violence that are encouraged by culture and tradition such as harmful widowhood practices and female genital mutilation”, adding that it widens the scope of every form of offences against persons.
He said: “It prohibits all forms of violence, including physical, sexual, psychological, domestic and harmful traditional practices and discrimination against persons. It also provides maximum protection and effective remedy for victims and punishment of offenders”.
The police officers, who were drawn from different divisions in the state commended CEHRD and its partners for the training.
They agreed that there is need for reduction of violence in the state and that violence, including politically induced violence can be reduced if the authorities take the issue of enforcement of the law and prosecution of culprits serious.
They charged the public in general and victims of gender based violence and other crimes not to hesitate in reporting incidences of crimes to the authorities.

Kpobari Barizaa