Cross section of stakeholders in Nasarawa State have vowed to exposed perpetrators of gender-based violence in their respective communities in order to serve as deterrent to potential offenders.
The stakeholders made the pledge at a sensitisation meeting for COVID-19 Preparedness and Response Project (CoPREP) on sexual exploitation and abuse on Tuesday in Lafia.
The stakeholders comprising community, youth, women and religious leaders, were drown from the 13 Local Government Areas (LGA) of the state.
Speaking at the event, Barr. Allu Justina, Director Public Defender and Gender, Nasarawa State Ministry of Justice, said the sensitisation was aimed at creating awareness against the violence against persons prohibition law, the offenses and their punishments.
She explained that emotional, psychological, sexual, verbal, economical violence against a partner, child among others are crimes and are punishable in the state.
“The ministry for Justice is the only one saddled with the responsibility to charge perpetrators of gender-based violence to court because it is an offence against the state.
“Our services are free, so victims of abandonment, neglect or harassment can report to our office for redress.
“Whoever sends his wife parking or abandons her, the punishment is three years in prison or 500,000 fine or both.
“If a wife harassed her husband as well or abandoned him is also an offence and punishable under the laws of the state,” she added.
She also explained that those dressing indecently and working half naked if report with evidence the ministry would prosecute them as it is now a crime to dress indecently in the public.
“Whoever is seen naked on the street commits an offense and the punishment is one year imprisonment or 100, 000 fine or both” she added.
Also speaking at the event, Adams Maka-Namgba, District Head of Wakama community of Nassarawa-Eggon LGA expressed gratitude to the organisers of the programme and promised to stepdown to the other of his colleagues who were not at the meeting.
He added that now they are aware that there is a law that forbids gender-based violence and it would help them in settling disputes as the people saddled with the responsibility of settling disputes in their communities.
He therefore called on those in the habit of attacking others, physically, emotionally, verbally and otherwise to desist or be ready to be expose for prosecution.
Also, Fatima Kassim, Woman leader from Keana LGA attributed the increasing rate of gender-based violence to inability of the victims and thier families as well as community leaders to speak out.
She explained that if victims and thier families always speak out and report that perpetrators and they face the punishments they deserved, it would go a long way to reduce the rate of the crime.
“But if a perpetrator goes unpunished, the same person and even more people will still commit that act another day because nothing happened when they last committed the crime'” she added.
Earlier, Mrs Esther Yonah, Gender Pillar Head of CoPREP in the state, explained that the project was World Bank Supported programme aimed at addressing the high rate of domestic violence caused due to lacked down during COVID-19 pandemic.
She explained that the meeting with the stakeholders from the 13 LGAs was part of the implementation of the state action plan to tackle gender-based violence.
“So, we will ensure that the community leaders also have action plans from the respective areas and we will follow it up to ensure its implementation at various LGA,” she added.
She therefore warned those still in the habit of harassing others because of their gender to desist or be ready to face the law. (NAN).