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From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Cross River State government, Founder of Gender and Development Action (GADA), Ambassador Nkoyo Toyo and the Executive Director of BraveHeart Initiative for Youth and Women, Priscilla Ikos Usiobaifo, have frowned upon the weak enactment of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) (VAPP) Act across states.
They warned that the gaps in enforcement would continue to undermine efforts to curb gender-based violence in Nigeria.
They spoke yesterday at the 30th anniversary of Gender and Development Action (GADA) and a workshop on participatory sharing, learning and adaptation on GBV prevention, and accountability, in Abuja.
The Cross River State Commissioner for Social Welfare and Community Development, Prof. Margaret Ene-Ita, said states must make up to their responsibilities.
Ene-Ita commended GADA’s contributions to addressing GBV and child abandonment.
According to her, sustained advocacy and interventions have increased awareness and accountability among parents and communities.
She said: “People now understand their responsibilities. What GADA has done over the years may seem small, but it has accumulated into meaningful impact.”
Ene-Ita urged continued commitment from stakeholders, expressing optimism that ongoing efforts would strengthen protection for women and children.
On her part, Nkoyo Toyo, who served as Nigerian Ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti, said although significant progress had been made over the past three decades, gaps persist due to weak institutions and shifting social norms.
She noted that women’s issues have moved from the private sphere to the centre of public policy, but structural barriers still hinder effective implementation of protections.
Toyo identified underfunding and poor coordination among key institutions, particularly the police, health and education sectors as major obstacles to tackling GBV.
She said: “We have shifted, but there is a void. The old norms are being challenged, but new standards have not fully taken root.
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“These institutions are under-resourced and overwhelmed. We need stronger collaboration and better funding to respond effectively to cases.”
Also, Ikos Usiobaifo, said evidence shows that GBV is more prevalent in rural communities, where poor awareness of human rights limits victims’ ability to seek justice.
She noted that while awareness campaigns help communities to understand their rights, weak institutional response remains a major challenge.
“A lot of women and young people do not understand what human rights mean. When they are educated, they begin to demand justice, but we must avoid jungle justice by strengthening the criminal justice system,” she said.
Usiobaifo stressed the need for prompt and thorough investigation of cases, as well as effective prosecution, adding that civil society organisations are supporting survivors with legal and psychosocial services.
She, however, expressed concern that despite the domestication of the VAPP Act in several states, many cases are still being prosecuted under outdated criminal laws.
She added that the VAPP Act is inclusive and protects all persons, not just women, noting that her organisation is currently handling cases involving male victims.
“There are states that have the VAPP law, yet cases are still taken to court using the criminal code. The police need to understand the provisions of the law and apply them appropriately.
“Anybody can be violated. We have cases of boys and men, and we provide services for them,” she said.
