SAFI Sensitises Communities on VAP Law

By Lucky Isibor

Edo State Government is leaving no stone unturned in it's efforts to combact Gender Based Violence (GBV) and address the factors that promote the menace.

Medical examination during the sensitisation meeting

Mrs Eseosa Onebamoi, an official in the Edo State Ministry of Social Development and Gender Issues, who represented the Director, Gender Issues in the Ministry gave the assurance while making a remark at a sensitisstion meeting on the provisions of the Edo State Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law organised recently by the Society for Awareness and Family Initiatives SAFI, held for five communities at Utagban in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State under the European Union Agents for Citizens -Driven Transformation (EU-ACT) project funded by the European Union and implemented by the British Council. 

While assuring that the Edo State Government has the unalloyed support of traditional rulers and religious leaders in eliminating gender based violence in the state, the Director of Gender Issues said, "no stone will be left unturned in her effort to address the factors that promote GBV irrespective of how age-long or traditional they might seem. We have the backings of our Traditional Institutions in this campaign to end GBV”.

Welcoming community leaders and women to the sensitisation meeting, the Executive Director of SAFI, Comrade Abraham Obode emphasised that the Edo State Government has considered the plight of vulnerable women and girls as requiring care, hence concerted and deliberate efforts were made to ensure that legal frameworks were put in place to address abuse and violence against women and girls adding that the state is no longer safe for parpetrators of violence against others as a result of their gender.

 “Edo State is no longer safe for persons who take pleasure in meting out violence against others on the grounds of their gender differences”.

Enlightening the women and community leaders  on the  provisions of the VAPP Law as it relates to  offenses and punishments, the resource person at the sensitisation meeting, Uwa Edegbe (Esq) harped on the need for increased  public awareness regarding the provisions of the VAPP Law, noting that it will go a long way to address the menace as some of those who have been caught by the long arm of the law have been observed to have been oblivious of the Law. 

Edegbe thanked SAFI/EU-ACT for initiating the project which is bringing awareness to rural communities on the provisions of the law, pointing out that it is the only  way that they can truly be empowered to cater to themselves.

Responding, Madam Eunice, one of the community women leaders at the sensitisation meeting, regretted that the awareness and sensitisation on the provisions of the VAPP Law didn't come early noting that it would have nipped in the bud the ordeals some persons passed through in form of harmful practices.

 

According to her, “how I wish we had known these things earlier, some of our people would have fared better”

Also speaking, Mr Amos Iyoha, one of the community leaders at the meeting, commended the organisers of the meeting stating that it gave them the opportunity to ask questions that bothered them on the provisions of the VAPP Law, noting that ignorance was one of the drivers of  GBV in rural communities adding that when people and communities are enlightened on how these ills affect not just the victims, but the entire society, there will be collective efforts in tackling the menace.

The sensitisation meeting was accompanied by medical outreach as SAFI brought a team of medical personnel to give the people free medical care. The medical personnel attended to patients, checking their blood pressure, testing for sugar levels and other conditions among them. 

Participants were drawn from Utagban, Evbonagbon, Oghede, Evbodia and Agbodo all in Oredo Local Government Area of Edo State. About fifty women from each of the communities attended the sensitisation meeting. Participants were also enlightened on the relevant government agencies to get assistance in case of GBV and how to access such agencies.