An advocacy cluster, known as the Sexual and Gender-Based Network (SJN), under the USAID-funded Strengthening Civil Advocacy and Local Engagement (SCALE) program, has urged journalists in Enugu State to raise awareness about the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law (VAPP law).
The cluster, which includes the SGBV Justice Network, NAWOJ, Agbani Farm, Lawyers Alert, and the Nigerian League of Women Voters, among others, aims to spur action from relevant stakeholders towards achieving justice law reforms.
Margaret Obiegue, the state coordinator of SJN, emphasized the importance of implementing the VAPP law and the ACJ law in Enugu State. She highlighted that highlighting the benefits of these laws would help reinforce the need for their effective implementation.
The chairperson of the Nigeria Union of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, Comrade Ngozi Ngene, called on media workers to utilize their tools to raise public awareness about violence against persons. She stressed that NAWOJ has zero tolerance for gender-based violence and urged the media to rally support for the implementation of the ACJL and VAPP laws in Enugu State.
According to Ngene, the lack of awareness about the reformed laws often leads to the protection of perpetrators of sexual-based violence instead of the victims. She emphasized that the media should highlight the punishments involved in contravening these laws.
“Whenever gender violence occurs, either against males or females, the media should extend its coverage to discourage gender-based violence in society,” she said.
Barrister Nnenna Anozie, a gender activist, explained that the administration of criminal justice law focuses on restorative justice. She highlighted that the objective of the reformed laws is not solely punitive but also to ensure timely dispensation of justice without unnecessary delays.
Anozie further elaborated, stating that the ACJL addresses the rights of both victims and perpetrators of crimes. She emphasized the importance of observing the rights of perpetrators while providing compensation to survivors for their losses and trauma.
Regarding the VAPP law, Anozie clarified that its purpose is to eradicate all forms of violence in public and private life.
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