Coalition Lauds Bayelsa Govt for Domesticating VAPP Act, Calls for Sexual Offenders’ Register

Even as more rape and violence against women cases continue to be on the increase in Bayelsa State, the Association Against Child Sexual and Gender-based Violence (AACSGBV) has commended the state government for the passage and signing into law of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP). The Chairperson of the association, Dr. Eris Ibi, made the commendation at the third National Sexual and Gender Based Violence Conference/Association Against Child Sexual and Gender Based Violence (AACSGBV) annual general meeting held in Yenagoa, the state capital. Ibi, who is also the outgoing national coordinator of association, noted that with the passage of the VAPP Act and publication of same, Bayelsa State was ahead of many states in the country, but, however, pointed out that the state was yet to open a Sexual Offenders’ register, which is one of the provision of the Act. AACSGBV, as an association, she said, is a coalition comprising non-governmental organisations (NGOs) faith-based organisation and Community Based Organisations (CBOs), whose objective is to coordinate what community-based actors are doing towards eliminating sexual and gender-based violence. She said: "Bayelsa State is ahead of others state. The state government has not only passed the law but has also produced the hardcopy. We must commend the state because it is ahead of other states. Some states have passed the VAAP laws but have not produced copies, so it is a plus for Bayelsa State Government. "There should be Sex Offenders register, Delta and other states already have theirs, but Bayelsa State does not have. We are starting the advocacy right away that Bayelsa State needs to have the Sexual Offenders register because it is important to us, as it shames the offender, which is another step the gender movement has taken to curb abuse. "We were among those that came here to advocate for these laws. The Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) was passed in 2021 in Bayelsa State, I was among those who advocated for it, and I was here in 2019 to advocate that these laws should be passed." Speaking on the theme: ‘Promoting Strategic Social Security and Investment’, the Chairperson, Governing Council of AACSGBV, Professor Josephine Alumanah, said the association has a mission to protect, promote the rights of women and girls, children and other vulnerable persons to provide psychological and emotional care and support, build capacity, rehabilitate victims and survivors of all forms of Sexual and Gender-based Violence (SGBV) through the co-operation of relevant stakeholders. She noted that recently, there has been increase in cases of rape, defilement, incest, dehumanisation, discrimination and other forms of abuse and violence to mostly children, the female gender and other members of the population, adding that there was an astronomical rise in violence against women and girls during the COVID-19 pandemic. Alumanah lamented the lack of coordination among key stakeholders and poor implementation of legal frameworks combined with entrenched gender discriminatory norms, which hamper government and civil society efforts to address gender-based violence. She called for social support for victims and survivors of SGBV and access to protection, legal and medical services, adding: "If there are any sort of survivorship provision for the victims/survivors of SGBV, but there seem nothing like survivors’ benefit instituted by the government where poor women and victims/survivors of SGBV may have some opportunity to benefit from the wider social security support."