From Sola Ojo, Kaduna
A Kaduna-based non-governmental organisation Legal Awareness for Nigerian Women (LANW) at the weekend said journalists and media houses should be at the forefront of the campaign against Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) because they have the power to shape public opinion on such subject matter.
In Kaduna State for example, there are laws such as Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) and the Administration of Criminal Justice (ACJ) put in place to address SGBV issues which have not been so implemented largely due to poor awareness about them.
Speaking at a one-day sensitisation session with Media practitioners and Journalists on VAPP and ACJ laws implementation in Kaduna state, the Acting Executive Director of LANW, Mrs. Hannatu Ahuwan charged the media practitioners to do a scan assessment of what had happened in the past, the gaps and challenges encountered while conceptualising an intervention in
SGBV in the state.
She further explained that the SGBV Justice Network (SJN) Cluster is implementing a project with Palladium’s Strengthening Civic Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) sponsored by USAID to consolidate existing partnerships to deepen ongoing advocacy efforts for a more efficient VAPP and ACJ in Bauchi, Benue, Enugu, Kaduna, and Osun.
She said the project was designed for speedy justice service delivery and resolution of SGBV cases where her organisation is a cluster member implementing the SJN project in Kaduna State.
Ahuwan wants Journalists to take responsibility for their roles in terms of prevention, response, creating awareness, and providing helplines for survivors of SGBV in society quickly added that it is time to expose all forms of domestic violence against women and children.
According to her, “The engagement is aimed at encouraging more reportage, sensitization, and advocacies on policy reforms and implementation that would eliminate SGBV
“This is also a time to seek partnership with you and it is necessitated due to the increasing cases of SGBV, child early and forced marriage, trafficking in persons and so many other forms of violence in the society
“These cases are increasing because of the spate of insecurity and poverty, which has increased the rate of abuse”, she said.