A non-governmental organization, Young Women in Politics Forum, YWPF, has called for the full implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition, VAPP, law in Kogi State to put an end to all forms of Gender-Based Violence in the State.
The Kogi State Coordinator, YWPF, Barr. Joy Akinola made the call at a sensitization walk held in Lokoja, in commemoration of 16 days of activism to end Gender-Based Violence.
Akinola, while noting that the poor implementation of the VAPP law was stagnating the fight against Gender-Based Violence in Kogi State, averred that violence against women and girls remained a serious concern.
According to the legal practitioner, “We already have a structure which is the VAPP law. When we give full implementation of the VAPP law in Kogi State, violence against women and girls will be a thing of the past.
“The VAPP law is so comprehensive. It has so many provisions in the protection of young women, girls, adults, older women, including people with disabilities.
“If this law is properly implemented, there will be so much peace in Kogi State.”
Akinola posited that young women were the major victims of Gender-Based Violence, stressing that the society had continued to relegate them in terms of governance in Nigeria.
She added that, “we are in the middle and mostly affected by Gender-Based Violence. That is why we have joined this campaign to say no to Gender-Based Violence, especially in politics and governance.
“We also ask that young women should be given a chance because we are knowledgeable and can contribute to national development”.
She also aligned herself with other stakeholders that low reporting had contributed to the high rate of Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria.
It could be recalled that Governor Yahaya Bello in June 2022 signed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law in Kogi State.
