The Coordinator, African Women Lawyers Association Nigeria,(AWLAN) Abuja chapter, Mrs. Olanike Bakrin, has called for the elimination of violence against women and girls.
Bakrin gave the advice during a visit to Kpaduma Village at Asokoro in commemoration of the 2016 UN 16 days campaign against gender-based violence in Abuja on Saturday.
According to her, ending violence against women and girls can become a reality with laws to protect women and punish perpetrators as well as services to rebuild women’s lives and comprehensive prevention.
“Sometimes, women are attacked by strangers, but most often they are hurt by people who are close to them, such as a husband or partner.
“Whether you are attacked by a stranger or mistreated by a partner, violence and abuse have terrible effects. You can get help for any physical and emotional problems,’’ she said.
Bakrin said that women who were undergoing any form of violence should open up in spite of the intimidation or threat from their aggressors.
She said that the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP 2015), constituted all forms of violence in private and public life and prohibited the different types of violence.
Bakrin said that the law covers physical, sexual, psychological, domestic, harmful traditional practices and discrimination against persons.
Similarly, the Alternate Coordinator of AWLAN, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwogu, said violence against women and girls was a violation of human rights.
“Women’s rights are the fundamental human rights that are enshrined into the 1999 constitution for every human being.
“These rights include the right to live free from violence, slavery, and discrimination; to be educated; own property; vote; and to earn a fair and equal wage,’’ she said.
Nwogu said the purpose of visiting the village was to educate the women and young girls at the rural communities to know their legal and human rights.
She said the VAPP act had boosted the confidence of the citizens to seek help against all forms of violence regardless of sex, age, culture tribe or religion, adding that more still needed to be done.
The Secretary to the District Head of Kpaduma, Mr. Dantani Bawa, appreciated the women for coming to their communities as many of them would be more enlightened on their rights.
One of the women in the community, Mrs. Thresa Iorashima,advised women to engage in small scale businesses to help their families, support their husbands.
She added that funding was usually an issue that was causing violence in some homes.
It is aimed to raise public awareness and mobilize people everywhere to bring about change.