A handful of civil society groups in Nigeria have formed a coalition to kickstart a social media and physical campaign to fight for actions that should check the incessant Sexual and Gender-based Violence in the country.
The groups include; Stand To End Rape, SilverChipFox, Yiaga Africa, TechHerNg, Girl Child Africa, Connected Development, Enough is Enough Nigeria, Dorothy Njemanze Foundation, and Education as Vaccine.
The coalition released a joint statement on Thursday of their plans to see that gender violence becomes a thing of the past.
The statement reads: “Starting Thursday, June 4, there will be posters on social media inviting citizens to call their legislators and ask what they’re doing to protect women and girls. We are also working with some lawmakers for urgent legislative action.
“On Friday, June 5 from 9am, we will converge at the Police Headquarters in Lagos and Abuja (these two locations are confirmed) presenting letters to the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force calling for prompt investigation and conclusion of rape and all SGBV cases.
“We will be submitting a memo to the Nigerian Governors’ Forum and the Federal Executive Council calling for an effective and sustained institutional response to SGBV in Nigeria.
“Our key asks are as follows: Domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act and Child Rights Act in all states of the federation; establishment of Sexual Assault Referral Centres in every state backed with a coordinated, sustainably-funded support system; criminalization and prompt state-led prosecution of SGBV cases within, regardless of requests or interference by the victim’s family or interested parties.
“Implementation of functional Family Support Units and Force Gender Units at the state level that are well equipped to address SGBV cases; the imposition of public disciplinary measures against officials of the NPF and state prosecutors that mishandle cases of SGBV.”
