Some stakeholders in Bauchi State on Wednesday inaugurated a committee to tackle Gender Based Violence (GBV) and child abuse in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the stakeholders were drawn from the state Ministries of Justice, Women Affairs and Social Welfare, and Health; Hospitals as well as Human Rights agencies.
Others are International Federation of Women lawyers (FIDA,) Nigerian Police Force, NUJ, NAWOJ and Civil Society Organisations.
Mrs Comfort Attah, the Executive Director, Attah Sisters Helping Hand foundation (ASHHF), inaugurated the committee in Bauchi, with a charge to the members to ensure speedy trial of cases of GBV and child abuse.
She said the committee would create a register of gender based violence as well as facilitate speedy trial of cases involving rape and girl child molestation.
Attah expressed displeasure at the rate rape cases have increased dramatically in the country and the brutal murder of some of the victims.
She said that the committee would ensure that the state government’s policy that convicted sex offenders do not benefit from the prerogative of mercy was strictly implemented.
“The gender based violence management committee comprises functional and skilled officers drawn from various professions to tackle sexual offenders.
“The committee will proffer a synchronised approach to address all forms of violence against women and children in the state.
“They will also carry out advocacy, awareness, orientation and sensitisation to relevant stakeholders as well as ensure implementation of Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act (VAPP) in the state,” she said.
Attah said that the committee would be supported by the project Women Voice and Leadership (WVL) and Actionaid funded by Global Affairs Canada (GAC ) to address issues of sexual violence and gender violence in the state.
The ASHHF director also empathised with victims, survivors and family members of such violence, stressing that the evil perpetrators if caught would face the full wrath of the law. (NAN)
