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From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
life wife of Osun State Governor, Kafayat Oyetola, has urged the people of the state and Ni, in general, neral to join hands with the government for proper implementation of the Violence Against Person Prohibition law (VAPP).
Speaking at a town hall meeting with stakeholders in Osogbo, the state capital, yesterday, the governor’s wife who is also the President of Ilerioluwa Development Initiative, called for immediate implementation and total support for the law.
Noting that the public presentation of VAPP law was held on Tuesday, Kafayat said that the Act had been passed by the National Assembly in 2015 and states were required to domesticate the Act and make it specific to their respective needs and circumstance.
She explained that VAPP covers issues which include but not limited to rape, causing physical injury to persons, female genital mutilation, causing fear to persons, false statements against persons, abandonment of spouses, children and dependsnts, spousal battery and political violence, also provides rights to victims of violence, among others.
“Osun State Governor, Oyetola Gboyega signed the VAPP Bill into law on October 11, 2021 hence become a comprehensive law to various laws on the subject of discourse such as the Criminal Code Cap 34, Volume 2 of 2002, the 2013 Protection Against Domestic Violence law and the Child Rights Law of the State of Osun 2007; all designed to tackle issues bordering violence against women and girls as well as men who suffer gender and domestic violence in some forms.
“However, because of certain noticeable gaps, especially with regards to the scope of violence and the weight of punishments, there was a need to further strengthen the laws through the passage of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
“We realized this gap and commenced work on getting the VAPP law passed in our State. In June last year, my advocacy team was received by the Speaker and members of the House of Assembly. We took a few issues to the House, which included the passage or domestication of the VAPP law, in order to arrest the upsurge in the incidence of rape and sexual violence.”
