The federal government has decried the low rate of conviction in the number of persons found guilty of sexual violence offences in the country.
Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Pauline Tallen, said though 33 states had domesticated the VAPP Act, it is more important to ensure its proper implementation to reduce the menace of sexual violence particularly against the vulnerable in the society.
Tallen said the names and photographs of all sexual offenders in the various states to serve as detterent to others.
She called on victims of sexual and other forms of violence to come forward and report cases, adding that parents, guardians and Nigerians should break the culture of silence, which she said had encouraged perpetrators to continue in the criminal act.
She urged law enforcement agencies should rise to their responsibility.
The Director General of National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), Dr. Fatima Waziri-Azi, called for a coordinated effort to effectively address issues of gender-based violence.
“As at today, 573 cases have been uploaded onto the database, 78 convictions, 320 cases pending in court and 173 cases are under investigation,” she said.
“We are stepping up our efforts by applying 24 hours all hands-on-deck approach to all SGBV cases to ensure that no one falls through the cracks.
“And to enhance the rapid response of all cases, the Rapid Response Unit is now domiciled in the Office of the DG). The Unit reports directly to the DG, curbing any bottlenecks that may slow down the traction of their work. The unit handles the timely rescue of survivors, amongst others,” she added.
