Niger State government has put in place a legal policy and institutional frameworks to address Gender Based Violence (GBV).
The framework clearly stated that henceforth, any person who batters his or her spouse in the state will be jailed for three years.
Director Planning, Research and Statistics, Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Mary Yisa who disclosed this while addressing journalists on Sexual Exploitation and Abuse/Sexual Harassment (SEASH) in Minna, said the law has become necessary in order to stem the trend of this social injustice in the society.
"A person who batters his or her spouse commits offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 3 years or to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand naira (N200,000) or both”.
According to her, "the SEASH broadly encompasses physical, sexual, economic, psychological/emotional abuse/violence including threats and coercion and harmful practices that occur between individuals either at place of work, within families and in the community, at large”.
"Such violations also include sexual violence, domestic or Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), trafficking, forced and/or early marriage and other traditional practices that might cause harm," she disclosed.
She said the legal frame work include the Violence Against Person Prohibited Law and Child Right Act, penal code, section 34 of the constitution Federal Republic of Nigeria and other laws peculiar to the state at large as well as Child Rights law.
Mrs Yisa also disclosed that the state had also put in place policies such as integrated Gender Policy embedded with 5 years strategic Action Plan (SAP), Communication Strategy and MnE framework, Violence Against Person Prohibited (VAPP) Law, Standard Operational Procedure on Prevention and response to GBV amongst others.
Accordingly, the Law has also taken care of not only the offenders but also those who make attempts to commit the offense.
"Subsection 2 provides that “a person who attempts to commit the act of violence provided for in subsection(1) commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or to a fine not exceeding One hundred thousand naira (N100,000) or both.
The Law also make it clear that "a person who incites, aids, abets, or counsels another person to commit the act of violence as provided for in subsection (1), commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 1 year or to a fine not exceeding two hundred thousand naira (N200,000) or both”.
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