By CHARLES IWUOHA

Women Aid Collective (WACOL) has called for more commitment in prosecution of cases by law enforcement Officers, especially the Nigeria Police Force and the Judiciary.

WACOL is a not-for-profit civil society organisation registered in Nigeria and operating globally.

WACOL in a press statement on Thursday to mark the As the United Nations marks the UN Day on Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), noted that although people in the corridor of law enforcement seem to be making an effort at providing justice for victims however, their efforts leave much to be desired.

“It is common knowledge that VAWG/SGBV cases are under prosecuted, and sometimes compromised within the criminal justice system.

“As rightly observed by Professor Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, the Founding Director of WACOL/Tamar SARC, “lack of effective prosecution, and lack of accountability on the part of perpetrators, when cases of gender-based violence are involved has resulted in impunity and exacerbated incidents of VAWG.

‘It has not only denied justice and access to effective remedies to victims/survivors, but has also emboldened perpetrators to continue in their dastardly act.

“Consequently, we call for greater accountability to cases of VAWG by state and non-state actors. The approach should be zero tolerance to all forms of VAWG. The law enforcement agencies must take the driver’s seat in pursuing justice for victims/survivors of SGBV.

WACOL highlighted its contributions in the struggle toward eliminating Violence against women.

“Our work in the past 25 years has gained local and global reputation as consistent advocates for the protection and promotion of the rights of persons, especially the women and young people. We also work in the area of social reforms, policy formulation and lobbying for the effective implementation of laws that promote gender equality and justice.

“So far, we have assisted over 60,000 victims/survivors of VAWG through integrated services for victims/survivors of various types of SGBV, including Rape, spousal beating, Child abandonment/neglect, harmful cultural practices: widowhood practices, girl child disinheritance, early/child marriage, and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).”

WACOL established the WACOL Tamar Sexual Assault Referral Center (WACOL Tamar SARC) as a one-stop-shop for free comprehensive treatment and Psycho social support for victims of sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).

We also carried out intervention in areas of legislative advocacies that has led to constitutional and legal reforms such as the enactment of the Violence Against Persons Prohibitions (VAPP) Act and Laws of some states of Nigeria, which is critical to tackling the scourge of sex related violence to the barest minimum irrespective of gender affiliation.

In a press statement to mark the day WACOL noted that although people in the corridor of law enforcement seem to be making an effort at providing justice for victims however, their efforts leave much to be desired.

“It is common knowledge that VAWG/SGBV cases are under prosecuted, and sometimes

compromised within the criminal justice system.

“As rightly observed by Professor Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, the Founding Director of WACOL/Tamar SARC, “lack of effective prosecution, and lack of accountability on the part of perpetrators, when cases of gender-based violence are involved has resulted in impunity and exacerbated incidents of VAWG.

‘It has not only denied justice and access to effective remedies to victims/survivors, but has also emboldened perpetrators to continue in their dastardly act.

“Consequently, we call for greater accountability to cases of VAWG by state and non-state actors. The approach should be zero tolerance to all forms of VAWG. The law enforcement agencies must take the driver’s seat in pursuing justice for victims/survivors of SGBV.”

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