The Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) emphasized the crucial role of prosecutors and judges in responding to violence against women and domestic violence, emphasising the need to raise public awareness about the Violence Against People (Prohibition) Law.
Mr Adebowale Olorunmola, the Country Director of WFD, made these remarks during a training and enlightenment program for magistrates and prosecutors on handling Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases in Akure, the capital of Ondo State.
Olorunmola emphasized that the law would be rendered ineffective if those responsible for prosecuting and passing judgments on GBV cases were unaware of its content. He expressed the foundation’s commitment to supporting inclusiveness and mentioned that they had supported the state from the formulation of the act to its enactment as a law.
He commended Ondo State for its seriousness in addressing GBV, highlighting that while many states passed the law, they often failed to implement it. Olorunmola stressed the importance of diligent prosecution and the need to inform the public about the law’s implementation, which was the purpose of inviting prosecutors and magistrates to the training.
“We started implementation ten months ago and it has been a success. All we are going to do is to brainstorm, make do with the implementation of VAPP Law and make it more efficient,” he added.
Barrister Deborah Collins, Assistant Director at the Ministry of Justice in Oyo State, spoke about the “Role of Prosecutors and Magistrates in Gender-based Violence Cases” and educated the participants on how to utilise the VAPP law in their duties.
She encouraged magistrates and prosecutors to consider all the relevant elements of the law, such as medical examination, during prosecution.
Collins emphasized the trauma experienced by victims and survivors of gender-based violence and urged prosecutors to handle such cases impartially, without being swayed by emotions or sentiments.
Mrs Bolanle Afolabi, Executive Secretary of the Ondo State Agency for the Control of AIDS and Gender-Based Violence (OSSA-GBV), highlighted the far-reaching impact of GBV on survivors, their families, and the government. She encouraged participants to communicate their challenges to facilitate progress in addressing GBV.
Hon. Olawumi Fayemi, a member of the State House of Assembly, pledged to work with the foundation and OSSA-GBV to strengthen the implementation of the law in the state. Fayemi emphasized that the law was not only for females but also for males, advocating for the inclusion of male children in investigations of gender-based violence.
Professor Bukola Osunyikanmi, in her address at the workshop, stated that gender-based violence extended beyond physical acts. She highlighted the prevalence of religious and psychological violence in communities, emphasizing the need for the law’s implementation to address various forms of violence, including those that often go unnoticed.
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