The Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) has revealed that there is high rate of violence against women, children and others with disabilities in the country.
Motunrayo Ayegbayo, Osun NAWOJ chairperson disclosed this during a one-day legislative stewardship and good governance discourse held in Osogbo on Tuesday.
The discourse was themed, “Appraisal of women, children and persons with disability friendly related bills/laws in Osun.”
She added that there is no domestication and implementation of bills and laws protecting the vulnerable people from these abuses in the State of Osun.
In her words: “Research, Advocacies, Focus group discussions carried out shows that the number of women, children, with disability and other vulnerable at the receiving end of rape, assault, harassment, gender-based violence, child marriage and trafficking, sexual abuse of children, child labour and child trafficking stigmatization, protection from violence intimidation, Female Genital Mutilation, discrimination, violation of babies by men, abuse of drugs, and cultism, lack of access to education, health and other daily necessity is still high, and this to an extent is worrisome.
“Despite the various government policies, the Child Protection law (Child Rights Acts), the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, and the proposed Persons with Disability bill, it is somehow disheartening to know that there are still lacunas over the domestication and implementation of the bills/laws.”
She added that it is crucial to ensure that the laws and acts were put into effect in order to eliminate all difficulties faced by the designated targets.
The Osun Commissioner of Police, Faleye Sunday Olaleye, represented by Folashade Odoro called on the residents of the State to make use of the State’s VAPP law.
She called on parents to always be proactive in matters that have to do with the rights of the children, especially the female ones.