By Onyinyechi Amakaulo
A non governmental organization by name Alliance for Africa (AFA) in lmo state have organized a one day public hearing on lmo state Violence against person’s prohibition (VAPP)law
The public hearing was held at Rockview Hotels Owerri on Friday 23rd September 2022
Speaking during the hearing,the resource person,Barr Calistus Ihejiagwa in his exposition on the lmo VAPP law No 8 and it’s innovations to the Nigeria laws on violence against Women, Girls and persons,is not only talked about rape as many people will assume before the law is been passed in the state assembly.
Ihejiagwa noted that the VAPP law is a comprehensive legal document that tackles all forms of violence against person’s on matter the age , tribe and gender in our society.
He added that the law talked about the provisions and innovations of the law , which are justice and protection of victims in a way that guarantee freedom, compensation and respect for human rights.more so ,it upholds the dignity and rights of men and women equally.
He also mentioned some of the work of the state actors,that includes Establishing a sexual assault referral center (SARC) for case management, psychosocial support.
To provide shelter to temporary house survivors our of danger and to establish an active regulatory body ,made up of multi -sectoral action committee and a state gender – based violence (GBV) rapid response team to monitor enforcement of the VAPP law.
He used the opportunity to call on state actors to give the law all the necessary attention for it to work effectively for the reason why it was passed into law.
Earlier in her opening remarks,the CEO of Alliance for Africa,Mrs Blessing Duru talked on the background of the projects on Ending Violence against women and Girls, funded by the United Nations Trust Found and the Journey said that VAPP law has come to stay even though that it was a long process in actualization of the law.
She added that all the efforts put to come thus far should not be a wast of time because of the benefits attached in the law .
She used the meduim to call on the state actors and non state actors to contribute their quoter in making sure that VAPP law is domesticated in lmo state, like in Lagos and other states were the law functions very well.
She said that VAPP law is not against and body as early spiculated by some individuals.
