Nation
FIDA Wants Special Courts For Gender-Based Violence
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has appealed for the setting up of special Courts for speedy trial of gender based violence cases in the country.
Chairperson, FIDA, Abuja branch, Mrs Rachael Adejo-Andrew, made the appeal at a news briefing on Thursday in Abuja.
Adejo-Andrew said that the group would be training community paralegals within some local and or indigenous communities in the Federal Capital Territory as first responders to addressing issues of violence at the grassroots.
She, therefore, called on the governments to fund this Project in addition to the establishment of Gender Desks at Police Stations and the Ministry of Justice with trained personnel for accelerated treatment of cases.
A paralegal is an individual who is employed or retained by a lawyer, who performs specifically delegated substantive legal work for which a lawyer is responsible.
According to her, the project is in commemoration of 2020 16 days activism against gender based violence with the theme: “orange the world: fund, respond, prevent and collect’’.
“Protection for victims of gender based violence, adoption of the Violence against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP) and the Child’s Rights Act in all states, review of the Penal and Criminal Code to be in tandem with the VAPP Act.
“As well as one-stop referral centres in all states with rapid response units and sex offenders register with a shared database, free and compulsory psycho-analysis for the accused.
“We also insist on the implementation of all legislations related to gender based violence,’’ she added.
Adejo-Andrew furthermore said that FIDA all its branches remained committed to collaborating with other stakeholders in finding lasting solutions to eliminating the issues of violence against women in all its forms.
“As we intensify efforts to preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls, we appeal to all Nigerian citizens to join hands in this call, remain resolute in speaking out against all forms of violence.
“We should encourage and support victims to speak up, report all suspicious activities of any form of violence against women and girls.
“Amplify voices against discrimination against women in lopsided appointments in government and be the vanguards of a better and improved Nigeria.
“FIDA Nigeria remains committed in protecting, promoting and preserving the rights of women and children and will continue to provide free legal representation and advice to survivors of rape and other forms of gender based violence nationwide’’.
She also said that the group during its visit to Suleja and Kuje Custodial Centres of the Nigeria Correctional Services paid fines for some female convicts, whose conviction had option of fines.
FIDA Nigeria is a Non-Governmental, Non-Profit Organization that fund, support programmes and respond to calls and strive to prevent all forms of gender based violence against the vulnerable in the Society.(NAN)
Rivers state Deputy Governor Professor Ngozi Nma Odu has commended “The Port Harcourt City One Love,”a Port Harcourt based humanitarian orgnisation For it’s commitment towards alleviating the sufferings of the poor and vulnerable in the society.
Professor Ngozi Nma Odu said this while speaking at this year’s edition of “operation feed the needy” a yearly outreach program of “The Port Harcourt City One Love ” in Port Harcourt.
The Deputy Governor said by feeding more than sixty thousands hungry people within the past six years, the Port Harcourt City One Love Movement has distinguished itself as a club that cares for the less privilege in the society.
She commended the , organization for listing eleven thousand persons to be fed in the current exercise.
Meanwhile The Port Harcourt City One Love has planned a permanent solution to the problem of feeding the poor in the state.
The leader of the group Mr Idaere Gogo Ogan who said this in an interview with newsmen during the distribution of food items to the poor and vulnerables in Port Harcourt said the organization is planning a permanent food kitchen where poor and vulnerable persons can work in anytime and get fed.
Idaere Gogo Ogan said more than sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons across Port Harcourt City and environs have been fed since the inception of “The operation feed the needy” program six years ago,adding that so far sixty thousands poor and vulnerable persons have beneffited.
He described the group as a platform to promote friendship, brotherhood, community development empathy and feeding the less privilege and hungry people
“That’s what we are doing today here,so we started the exercise six years ago”.he said.
Ogan said the effort was a private sector driven initiative but added “it also involves people in Government because the platform does not recognize any division,we bring everybody together in unity , friendship and brotherhood”he said.
He said the effort will go along way in alleviating hunger especially following the prevailing hunger in the country.
According to him “you know the country is very tough, people are hungry people are starving, there is a whole lot of economic hardship,so for us, this is just our own way of reaching out, our own social contribution to what is very difficult”he said.
Over eleven thousand persons were fed in the just concluded exercise.
Areas of coverage include, Isaac Boro park, Port Harcourt prison/Macoba, Borokiri/Enugu waterside Bundu areas Waterlines and others.
Some of the beneficiaries including an 80 years old widow commended the movement for the annual programm and urged other organizations to emulate them
John Bibor,/Esuuk Oyet/Suotor Memoye /Jeremiah Hannah
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