UN Women in partnership with key stakeholders in Bauchi state were to develop pragmatic action plan that will assign responsibilities to relevant stakeholders who are expected to play important roles in the implementation of the Violence against Persons Prohibition Act.
The United Nations Women project tagged; “Strengthening state Capacities and women’s participation in COVID 19 response and broader peacebuilding initiatives” is a program supported by UN Women.
At a stakeholders Workshop at Chartwell hotel, Bauchi, the stakeholders who comprises of civil society organizations, security agents, judiciary, human rights organizations, students, lecturers, media, religious and traditional rulers among others were expected make valid contributions and mobilise support for the implementation of the VAPP law in the state.
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Speaking at the Workshop, the Country Representative of UN Women, Mrs Comfort Lamprey, explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated cases of domestic violence, which she said necessitated UN women to partner stakeholders with the view to ending the menace.
A Senior Management team of the UN women Mrs Bukola Ademola Adeliyi said that Bauchi state became the first state in the North-east geo-political zone to domesticate the VAPP Act, adding that the COVID 19 pandemic has amplified pre-existing gender inequalities and revealed the sharp rise in gender-based violence during the pandemic which requires scale-up efforts towards addressing the scourge.
“Responding to these challenges, UN Women in partnership with British High Commission designed the project which seeks to advance the Women, Peace and Security agenda as well as enhancing a gender-responsive COVID 19 pandemic response by strengthening state level institutional frameworks to improve prevention and response to gender based violence.
“The model action plan will be developed in consultations with state and society actors in Bauchi state”, she said.
In achieving the goal of the Bauchi state government prohibition of violence against persons law in the state, an implementation and monitoring Committee will draft the terms of reference and facilitate additional members to review and endorse the terms of reference”, she said
In her address at the workshop, the wife of the Bauchi state Governor, Aisha Bala Mohammed, lamented that violence against persons, especially rape in the country was increasing at an alarming rate, saying that the implementation of the VAPP law in the state will render justice and provide succour for victims of gender-based violence.
Represented by the State Coordinator National Human Right Commission, Yachit Suzan Dala, Aisha Bala Mohammed called on the stakeholders to come up with workable plans that will ensure the speedy implementation of the VAPP law.
She said the state has recorded considerable milestone with the ascension of the VAPP law, hence the need to ensure its implementation.
