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By Akpan David, Calabar
A female rights group, Girls Power Initiative (GPI) based in Calabar has advocated strongly for better and continual training of policemen and funding of the judiciary system to enable them properly handle the increased cases of sexual assaults and other violences against the girl children and women.
Head of programmes, Mrs Ndodeye Bassey stressed the need for concern by every well meaning human being to show concern towards the plights of girl children and violated women.
She said the training and increased funding will build theiir capacity and enable them to be conversant with current laws and policies that protect the rights of girls and women.
In an interview, she asserted that such will further support investigation of cases, and dispense justice.
Bassey was vehement that perpetrators need to be adequately punished and the media should make public those who have been punished.
Bassey called for the sensitisation of the public and updating of sex offenders registers.
“We all need to be sensitised and report cases when we see or know about them. These are some of the ways we can reduce this horrendous issues of VAWG.
“As we mark yet another international day for women, we need to examine how our actions or inactions as individuals or a collective are a pillar for holding VAWG in place.”
She frowned at the continued increase in cases of violence against girls and women especially sexual and gender based violence as well as the new wave of ritual murders and kidnaps.
She said Nigeria is signatory to lots of international and regional legal instruments protecting the lives of women and girls, and even gone further to domestic some.
“We have over 30 states in Nigeria who have adapted the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Bill as laws.
“We need to move from rhetoric to working the talk in terms of implementing these laws and commitments. Its not only a government responsibility but that of everyone who means well for women and girls and our dear country Nigeria.”
