Thread by @SpeakerGbaja

Reps to engage state legislatures on domestication of Child Rights Act

The House of Representatives would engage the 36 states Houses of Assemblies on the need for the domestication of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act and the Child Rights Act, @femigbaja has said.

According to the Speaker, the engagement would be conducted technologically due to the urgency and critical nature of the issue, considering the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the escalation of sexual and gender-based violence against women and girls in the country.
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The Speaker disclosed this while hosting some sexual and gender-based Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) led by @ChiomaChuka who presented a list of 100 women subjected to gender-based violence in Nigeria urging him to declare a #StateofEmergencyGBV in Nigeria.

The Speaker said the House would consider working on sexual violence-related laws to make them conform with the current realities.

The Chief Whip, Rep Tahir Monguno, Deputy Whip, Rep. Nkieruka Onyejeocha @nkeiruka_reps, Minority Leader, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu @ndudi04...

As well as Chairman, House Committee on Female Parliamentary Members, Rep. @taiwooluga and other lawmakers were also at the meeting with representatives of Education as a vaccine @Eva_Nigeria, Women Advocacy Research and Documentation Centre @WRAPANG

Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, Rule of Law and Anti-corruption Programme, @ActionAid, @MalalaFund, @HeirWoman Development and Disability Rights Advocacy Centre.

“We had a motion on the issue of rape culture yesterday and we reached far-reaching resolutions, and we even resolved to wear black on our next sitting to show solidarity and the seriousness with which we have taken the issue.

On Violence Against Persons Prohibition and Child Rights Acts and the domestication of both, the Speaker said ”I’m aware that about 27 states are yet to domesticate them. But we, as a Federal House, will take that initiative to the states.”

“I intend to write and communicate to all the Speakers of all 36 States for them to be proactive about this piece of legislation. Hopefully, we’ll set that up sometime next week to have a zoom conference with all the Speakers on a single item agenda which will be the issue...

...of Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and the Child Rights Act and the domestication of same.

Due to the escalation of rape in the country in recent times, the CSOs demanded a state of emergency on domestic violence against women.

When the CSO’s complained that their services were not classified as essential by the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, which made it difficult and almost impossible to respond to pleas by victims of rape and other gender-based complaints...