Urge 11 States to adopt Child Rights Act
By Gabriel Ewepu and Alice Ekpang – Abuja
Following rising cases of child abuse and sexual violence across the country, 10 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, yesterday, demanded nationwide domestication of Child Rights and Violence Against Persons Prohibition Acts.
The CSOs demanding for the domestication of the two Acts include TechHer NG, Invictus Africa, Connected Development, Enough is Enough Nigeria, Stand To End Rape Initiative, SilverChipFox, Yiaga Africa, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre, and Education as a Vaccine.
These CSOs launched a nationwide campaign to advocate for systemic change on Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) in Nigeria.
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It will be recalled that on the 4th of June, 2020 #StateOfEmergencyGBV campaign commenced, which they simultaneously held peaceful protests in Abuja and Lagos on Friday, 5th of June 2020. Afterward, similar protests were replicated in other states/cities by sister civil society organisations insisting on the declaration of a State of Emergency on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence in Nigeria.
These protests complemented the ongoing online campaign, #StateofEmergencyGBV, calling on citizens to demand that their legislators and state governments take holistic steps to protect citizens from all forms of violence, particularly sexual and gender-based violence.
These activities also complemented efforts by legislators and the Governors’ Wives Forum pushing for the declaration of a State of Emergency on SGBV.
Giving an update on the #StateOfEmergencyGBV movement in Nigeria, they explained that the VAPP Act (2015) is an improvement on the penal and criminal code in relation to domestic and gender-based violence. It applies to violence in private and public spaces.
The VAPP Act expands definitions of violence to include acts against men and boys, and also provides protection for victims/survivors of violence and punishment for offenders.
The VAPP also provides a more holistic definition of rape. As of today, 14 states have adopted the VAPP Act. The states are Anambra, Benue, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Kaduna, Lagos, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau; with original application in FCT. 21 states are yet to adopt the VAPP Act.
The Child Rights Act (2003), on the other hand, provides protection for every Nigerian child against any form of abuse, including child labour, early marriage, and access to free and safe education.
“On the eve of the 60th anniversary of our independence, this is the time to intensify our demands to ensure that there is nationwide domestication, resourcing, and implementation of both Acts.
“The #StateofEmergencyGBV is not just a campaign, it is a movement. Join us as we unrelentingly demand action in the domestication of the Acts, the establishment of SARCs, and a coordinated, funded support system. Our human rights depend on it. Our lives depend on it!
“We, therefore, call on all citizens to engage their legislators and the state governments to prioritise the protection of their citizens, specifically women, and girls and expedite action on the domestication of the VAPP and Child Rights Acts.
“Today, the following states have adopted the CRA – Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Benue, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Imo, Kaduna, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nasarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, and Taraba. Sadly, 17 years on, 11 states are yet to adopt the CRA – Bauchi, Yobe, Kano, Sokoto, Adamawa, Borno, Zamfara, Gombe, Katsina, Kebbi, and Jigawa states.
“We welcome with delight, Akwa Ibom and the Bauchi States, which recently adopted the VAPP Act in June and July, respectively. We stand in solidarity with Jigawa and Kebbi States where the state Governors sent the VAPP to their state Houses of Assembly as Executive Bills. Gombe, Imo, and a number of other states are at varying stages of deliberations on adopting the VAPP Act.
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“We salute civil society organisations across the country who continue to engage with government at all levels; we implore you to continue in your efforts to end violence against all women and girls.
“While we celebrate these recorded gains, we are concerned that more than half of the states are yet to pass these laws. We are deeply concerned about the inactivity with deliberations and domestication of the Child Rights Act, 17 years after it was signed into law by the Federal Government. We are also concerned that various promises made in June have not been fulfilled.
“On the 12th of June 2020, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) declared a state of emergency against sexual and gender-based violence. Since then, the NGF’s silence has been loud. We have seen no other collective action taken by state governors to follow through on their promises.
“Additionally, as we mark 25 years since the adoption of the Beijing Platform of Action, the most comprehensive global policy framework for the rights of women and girls by 189 countries, including Nigeria, in which one of the 12 critical areas of concern is Violence Against Women and Girls, we call for immediate action on the domestication of laws and provision of essential services”, the group stated.
