By Edwin Philip, Lafia
The Nasarawa State Government has reiterated its commitment to tackling gender-based violence through the implementation of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, enacted in the state in January 2021.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Rebecca Adamu Kwaji, gave the assurance on Wednesday at a two-day workshop on bridging gaps in the implementation of the VAPP Law through policy dialogue, capacity building, institutional compliance and accountability among duty-bearers.
The workshop, held at Awa Diamond Hotel, Lafia, was organised with the support of CLEEN Foundation.
Kwaji said the state government had demonstrated the political will to address gender-based violence by incorporating the VAPP Law into the state’s legal framework.
She expressed optimism that stronger implementation of the law would help reduce cases of gender-based violence.
“With this programme in place, I want to say it will bring about a reduction in gender-based violence,” she said.
The commissioner said the ministry, through its Social Welfare Department, had been handling cases of gender-based violence, with alleged perpetrators prosecuted and survivors provided with care and support.
She added that the ministry had established a shelter where survivors could receive assistance and remain safe until they recovered and could be separated from their abusers.
Kwaji commended CLEEN Foundation for selecting Nasarawa as one of its focal states for efforts to strengthen stakeholders’ capacity to implement the law, improve public awareness and increase its visibility among residents.
She expressed hope that the workshop would encourage stronger enforcement of the law and help stakeholders identify practical ways to address implementation challenges.
“CLEEN Foundation has really come to take a very good position in our midst to help us put this law to be appreciated, because this Violence Against Persons law has been in place, but I don’t see it much executed, as not so much emphasis [has been] placed on it,” she said.
“I believe that after this programme, this law will be very much recognised, and something new will be added to it,” she added.
Implementation gaps
Earlier, the Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, Peter Maduoma, said discussions on the VAPP Law centred on human rights, access to justice, public safety, institutional accountability and the protection of vulnerable persons.
Maduoma, who was represented by the foundation’s Senior Programme Officer, Bernard Ekobay, acknowledged the support of the Royal Norwegian Embassy, saying its partnership had created opportunities for policy engagement, institutional strengthening and practical action towards more responsive and accountable justice and security institutions in Nigeria.
He described the VAPP Law as an important legal framework for preventing violence, protecting survivors and holding perpetrators accountable.
However, he said the existence of a law, regardless of how progressive its provisions might be, did not automatically guarantee justice for those who needed its protection.
“The real test of the law is not simply whether it has been enacted, but whether a person experiencing domestic violence can safely seek help and receive a timely response; whether a survivor of sexual violence can report an incident without intimidation, stigma, or victim-blaming; whether a child exposed to abuse can access appropriate protection; and whether the institutions responsible for investigation, prosecution, adjudication, rehabilitation, and support can work together effectively,” he said.
Maduoma identified limited public awareness of legal protections and reporting channels, poor coordination among relevant institutions, and weak or inconsistent investigation and prosecution as some of the challenges that could undermine implementation.
He also listed inadequate survivor support services, resource and capacity constraints, and social pressures that discourage reporting or promote informal settlements in cases requiring legal accountability and survivor protection.
He said stakeholders needed to establish the specific challenges affecting Nasarawa, identify weaknesses in institutional processes, assess existing successes and determine feasible reforms.
“We need to understand which challenges are most pronounced in Nasarawa State, where institutional processes break down, what is already working, and which reforms are feasible within existing structures,” he said.
He urged participants to engage constructively and work towards translating the law’s provisions into meaningful protection for residents.
VAPP Law provides for compensation
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nasarawa State chapter, Halima Hudu Abubakar, said the workshop could help improve the prosecution of offenders and strengthen the state’s response to gender-based violence.
Abubakar said the Penal Code previously used in the state did not adequately address all forms of abuse, particularly physical, economic, sexual and emotional violence.
She said the VAPP Law introduced provisions that could enable victims to seek compensation, in addition to the prosecution of offenders.
“Before the coming of the VAPP Law, no law talked about compensating the victim. Only the offenders used to be prosecuted. Some of them don’t even know that they are supposed to go to court to seek for their rights,” she said.
She argued that compensation could help victims obtain redress and reinforce accountability, while potentially discouraging repeat offences.
Abubakar added that the full implementation of the law would help curb gender-based violence in Nasarawa State.
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