Receives 2, 400 cases in 2022

Director General of the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons, (NAPTIP), Professor Fatima Waziri-Azi, has called on partners in the fight against Sexual and Gender Based Violence, (SGBV), to step up advocacy efforts towards preventing and tackling the issue.

She made the call during the 2023 High Level Advocacy Workshop on Sexual and Gender Based Violence, organised by NAPTIP in partnership with the Ford Foundation, yesterday in Abuja.

She said the workshop provides the avenue for stakeholders to continue to strengthen collaboration among themselves and understand the different roles and responsibilities they each play in tackling SGBV issues.

“We all know how pervasive the issues of sexual and gender based violence is not just in the FCT, (Federal Capital Territory), but across Nigeria and in the different roles that we play whether as a frontline worker, or at the community level, or in law enforcement or prosecution and even the judiciary, we all see the enormity of the problem we face as a society and also as a country.

“For us in NAPTIP, last year alone we received close to 2, 400 cases OF SGBV in the FCT. From January to October this year, we are closely pushing to the level that we saw last year.

“But one thing I can say for sure and categorically is that the culture of silence is progressively breaking in the FCT and I say that because we see it in the increase of reportage that we received as an agency.

“When you work in this space, an increase in reportage may not necessarily mean an increase in crime. It may be evident of trust in the government or government agency, trust in first responders or trust in an NGO, (Non-Governmetal Organisation), by the public,” she said

Professor Waziri-Azi adds that “We have also seen new trends because in the past, we never use to get complaints from men but now we get complaints from men.

“Even though we know that most of these SGBV issues affects women but the fact that men are reporting, men are speaking up, It shows us that attitudes that used to be seen as normal in the past and tolerated, are no longer tolerated and we now see cases were neighbours blow whistle on their neighbours.

Noting that 34 states have adopted VAPP Act as law with Kano and Katsina states incorporated various sections of the VAPP Act into their penal codes, she said “We can only encourage these changes when people come to report and we Act.

“Most times we kill people’s zeal for justice when they report cases of injustice to you and nothing happens but when people see that when they report something is done, it further emboldens them to also report. We know that this is not an easy terrain for everyone who works in this space we know that it is not easy trying to prevent SGBV.”

Speaking on the contribution of the justice system in the prosecution of SGBV case, Chief Judge of FCT, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, said the FCT has appointed six judges to work on SGBV cases for speedy resolution and justice delivery.

Represented by Justice Angela Otaluka, he said “We know very well and have a great interest in SGBV matters. The chief Judge appointed six judges to work on all gender violence issues and we have recorded great success on it.

“Yes, there are more grounds to cover and we will not rest on our oars until this violence is reduced to the barest minimum.”

Workshop participants included traditional and religious leaders as well as NGOs.