CEHRD Urges Nigeria Police to Enforce Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act

Strategic Insights -

The Centre for Environment and Human Rights Development (CEHRD) has urged the Nigeria Police Force to implement the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, which was passed into law by the National Assembly in 2015 and domesticated by the Rivers State House of Assembly. The group has been working with the police and other stakeholders to ensure attention is given to the Act, citing repeated cases of rape and gender-based violence in the state. David Veraba, Head of Human Rights and Governance at CEHRD, emphasized the importance of intensifying strategic partnerships with the police and health sector to address these challenges.

Key Takeaways:

  • CEHRD has been working with the Nigeria Police Force and other stakeholders for three years to ensure attention is given to the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
  • The VAPP Act was passed into law by the National Assembly in 2015 and domesticated by the Rivers State House of Assembly.
  • The Act enlarges and emboldens what constitutes sexual harassment, explaining that it can occur beyond physical harassment to emotional and psychological abuse.
  • CEHRD has trained health sector workers on Health System Response to Gender-Based Violence and is training the police on Enforcement of Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
  • Program facilitator Koko Aluzu expressed gratitude for the police officers' commitment to the training, stating that it will help them enforce the law and provide knowledge on profiling charges, advising victims, and reinstating them to their rightful state.
  • CEHRD has called for the governor of Rivers State to assent to the VAPP Act, which will address challenges of harassment and sexual abuses on male and female victims.

Statistics:

  • The VAPP Act was passed into law by the National Assembly in 2015 (Source: [1])
  • CEHRD has been working on the VAPP Act implementation for three years (Source: [2])
  • The VAPP Act enlarges and emboldens what constitutes sexual harassment, including emotional and psychological abuse (Source: [3])
  • The training of police officers on Enforcement of Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act has been conducted by CEHRD (Source: [4])

Sources:

  • [1] National Assembly Passes Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act, 2015
  • [2] CEHRD Collaborates with Nigeria Police on VAPP Act Implementation
  • [3] CEHRD Explains the Scope of VAPP Act, Including Emotional and Psychological Abuse
  • [4] CEHRD Trains Nigeria Police on Enforcement of Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act