Activists and residents of Katsina State have applauded the state government for the domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act and the Child Protection Act.

The state government had in December domesticated the two laws as part of its efforts to tackle violence, particularly gender-based violence (GBV).

During a brief ceremony in Katsina, Dikko Radda, the state governor, said his administration would not condone any form of gender-based violence.

During the ceremony, a steering committee on gender-based violence was also inaugurated.

"Let this be a testament to our collective resolve to create a society where every person can live freely from fear and harm.

“My government maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of GBV. May this committee through its dedication and hard work become a beacon of hope for those who have suffered in silence,” Mr Radda said.

The Child Rights Act was enacted in 2003 at the federal level to guarantee the rights of all children in Nigeria. It has 278 sections.

VAPP’s ultimate goal is to eliminate all forms of violence in private and public life as well as prohibit all forms of violence against women and children.

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In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, the state commissioner for women affairs, Zainab Musawa, said the domestication of the VAPP law is one of her most important achievements.

“We have launched collaborative partnerships with some law enforcement agencies, government institutions, and ministries. We are in discussions with the High Court about opening a gender-based violence court where the VAP law will be used directly, timeline. We are in discussions with the police too and the CP has promised to help in tackling gender-based violence. We intend to bring the crime rate low,” she said.

Commenting on the domestication, the acting General Manager of Alfijir Radio 91.5 in Katsina, Abdurrahman Jani, said the decision was the right one.

“I think it’s the right decision by the state government. I am happy that the Child Rights Act has been domesticated officially. In Katsina State, we have seen several cases involving children, the domestication of this law will no doubt help in minimising the scourge. From the inauguration of the committee, I have found out that several cases involving children have been reported. So, it means there are cases like that but the absence of such law has been making it difficult for government to act on the cases,” Mr Jani said.

Khadija Saulawa, an activist and founder of Queen Dija Foundation, called for the implementation of the laws.

“It’s a good step towards tackling social vices in the state but it shouldn’t be all about domestication. Are we going to apply the rules accordingly? If we can do that I can say violence against women, children and the less privileged will come to an end in Katsina. Several people have been taken to prison to await trial but nothing have been done about their plights. There are several cases out there involving several people. The only thing we can do now is for the government to be fair to all in implementing the laws, that is the most important thing,” Ms Saulawa said.

Culled from Premium Times Nigeria