National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has called for collaboration with the Enugu State House of Assembly to strengthen the check on violence against women and children in the state.
Enugu State Coordinator of the Commission Dr Valentine Madubuko spoke recently when he led an advocacy visit to the Speaker Rt. Hon Edward Ubosi.
The visit was part of the 16 days of activism against Sexual and Gender Based Violence, (SGBV) aimed at lobbying the legislative arm of government to formulate laws and policies that will protect the rights of women and girls in Enugu State.
The State Coordinator noted that violence against women and girls can only be curbed with such collaboration between the Commission, key stakeholders and the State Assembly.
He commended the State Assembly for making concerted efforts in helping to curb SGBV in the state through the passage and domestication of the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Act (VAPP) law.
Reacting, the Speaker RT. Hon Edward Ubosi thanked the group for the advocacy visit and acknowledged receipt of the Commission’s letter to the Assembly.
Represented by the Clerk of the House Dr Udaya Emmanuel, the Speaker said the State Assembly is very serious in the fight against SGBV.
He noted that the House has passed and domesticated the VAPP law in the state in a bid to protect the rights of women and girls.
In doing so, he explained that the Assembly had to incorporate into the law, issues peculiar to Enugu state so as to make the VAPP law address GBV issues peculiar to the state.
He stated that the onus now lies on key state actors like the Executive and Police to help implement the law.
He said, “the State Assembly can further strengthen the fight against SGBV through its oversight functions where state actors go contrary to the law and this mechanism can be triggered by the public and state actors, else the law Makers cannot know whether the VAPP law is being implemented or not.
“The public were encouraged to petition the State House of Assembly where state laws are not implemented,” he stressed.
