By Danjuma Attah, Gombe
Advocacy Centre for Development (AC4D) and Wildan Care Foundation has led other stakeholders with a strong advocacy message to Magistrate court judges in Gombe over rising cases of Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) in the State.
This intensified advocacy efforts by the stakeholders which was held at the Gombe State University, was aimed at strengthening prosecution and ensuring strict penalties to offenders.
Executive Director of Wildan Care Foundation, Gombe, Zariyatu Abubakar Hashidu, said the initiative, carried out along with AC4D, started last year with relevant officers in the Nigeria Police and was intended to identify gaps hindering effective use of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law in prosecution of cases.
According to her, the outcome of the engagement with the Police Officers underscored the need to extend discussions to the judiciary, particularly magistrates, to address legal and procedural challenges affecting the enforcement of existing laws in the state.
She stated also that, “We saw the need to meet with magistrates to discuss the obstacles they are facing and jointly explore solutions that will ensure prosecutions are more effective and firmer enough to deter perpetrators.’
Zariyatu therefore stressed the importance of proper application of the VAPP Law, noting that light sentences handed down in some cases have failed to discourage offenders.
She however expressed hope that the engagement would translate into stricter sentencing and more decisive judicial action against perpetrators of SGBV.
In his submission, Executive Director of AC4D, Comrade Ibrahim Yusuf, reeled out alarming SGVB statistics in the State and revealed that 35 per cent of women in Gombe State have experienced physical or sexual violence in the past 12 months, while 59.3 per cent have suffered physical violence right from age 15.
He also warned that the situation will continues to deteriorate if nothing is done about it, placing the State among those with the highest prevalence rates of SGBV in the country.
Yusuf commended the recent establishment of a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) by the State Government, UNICEF and other partners, describing it as a positive response to the menace and a step toward protecting survivors.
While emphasizing the importance of supporting survivors, he said it must be complemented by decisive action against perpetrators adding, “psychosocial support for survivors is critical, but bringing offenders to book remains the most important aspect of the response”.
End.
