Dr. Rachel Misan-Ruppee (2nd Left) flanked by group members
By Eruotor Cynthia
Non-governmental organizations under the auspices of Working Group for the implementation of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, Development Initiative for Community Impact(DICI)and others, have tasked the Delta State House of Assembly to increase the budget allocation to eradicate Sexual Gender Based Violence just as they urged civil Society organization, media professionals, community leaders and private sector partners to advocate support for this initiative to end violence against women and girls in the state and country at large.
The groups made this known on Friday through the Co-ordinator, Working Women Group for the Implementation of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law and Executive Director, Development Initiative for Community Impact(DICI), Dr. Rachel Misan-Ruppee during press briefing in Nigeria Union of Journalists, Warri Correspondents’ Chapel, in Warri, Delta State.
According to her, the fight against Sexual Gender-Based Violence is a fight for human rights, dignity, and justice hence there is need to channel every resources to fight this ugly monster which has bedeviled women folk.
Her words:” The fight against SGBV is a fight for human rights, dignity,and justice. We must rise to this challenge by committing the necessary resources to build a society where everyone, regardless of gender, can live free from violence.
“We call on all Honorable Members of the Delta State House of Assembly to prioritize these in upcoming budget discussions. We call for increased funding for implementation and we demand at least 0.5% from the total national tax, for improved awareness, raising campaigns and stronger enforcement mechanisms, to ensure consistent funding…”
According to Dr. Misan-Ruppee who was flanked by other group members among whom are the Executive Director, NEFEROK Development Initiative(DICI), Ayo Nefertiti Okotie, Executive Director, Victoria Jarikre Foundation(VJK), Otorne Victoria Jarikre, among others, said Sexual Gender- Based Violence is a global pandemic which has eaten deep into fabric of the society as it affects one (1) in three(3) women worldwide in their life time.
Her words:” The statistics are staggering:33% of women globally have experienced either physical and or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence.Furthermore,.7% of women globally have been assaulted by someone other than a partner, and as many as 38% of murders of women are committed by intimate partners..”
According to her, in Nigeria, between January 2020 and July 2022, 7,349 cases of Sexual Gender Based Violence were reported, with sexual and physical violence which account for over 72% of these cases and in Delta, reports from the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development show that over 800 cases of Sexual Gender Based Violence were recorded in the same period.
Her words:” Globally, violence against women and girls has far reaching economic implications, costing some countries up to 3.7% of their Gross Domestic Products (GDP), a figure that exceeds the budgetary allocation for critical sectors like education..”
She said, while the passage of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition Act(VAPP Act) in 2015 was a milestone as it has provided a legal framework to address violence against vulnerable population and Delta State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2020 is a good step towards localized solutions, the impact of these laws has been limited due to poor implementation mechanism, lack of co-ordination, insufficient enforcement capacity and inadequate funding, among others.
The groups which include: Working Fingers International Initiative (WOFII) Concern for Peace and Society Survival (COPASS), International Federation of Women Lawyers(FIDA), EndyBekx Initiative for Children & Women Development (EICWD), Nigerià Association of Women Journalists(NAWOJ), Family Center Initiative for Challenged Persons(FACICP) and Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre (WARDC) therefore called on the media to inform, educate and mobilise the public to demand for action to see to the end of sexual and gender-based violence in the communities and the state.