Group Advocates For Implementation Of VAPP,  Child Protection Laws In Bauchi

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A Non Governmental Organisation, Aid Connect for Development (AIDCODE), has advocated for the implementation of the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition and the Child Protection laws in Bauchi state.

Mrs Abigail Hardo, the Executive Director, AIDCODE, made the call in Bauchi on Thursday during a roundtable discussion with stakeholders on Child Protection law and Violence Against Person’s Prohibition (VAPP) law.

According to her, the roundtable with the stakeholders was imperative as the organisation saw the need for the safety of children and girls in the state.

“We see the need for the safety of our children and girls and we noticed that Bauchi state has introduced the child protection law but it has not been implemented.

“We felt we should bring in stakeholders to be able to come together and see to as why the implementation being delayed, why is it not active even in our schools.

“The participants in this meeting are to understand the strategies to implement these laws, the challenges and how to overcome them generally.

“As an organisation, we want to see the change on the right of a child. Where a child is violated, what is the protection law saying regarding that child,” she said.

On the Violence Against Person’s Prohibition, Hardo explained that AIDCODE and other stakeholders wanted to see what the law is saying on violations of any form and how to go about it.

She advocated that children must know that they have a right of protection or they have the right to be protected by their state, communities, places of worship and the society as a whole.

Also speaking, one of the stakeholders, Maimuma Yusuf, Gender Desk Officer, Bauchi state Ministry of Justice, said one of the strategies to ensure the implementation of these laws is to create awareness.

She explained that laws are something not easily understood by the people, adding that even an educated person might not necessarily understand the content of the law.

“As part of the strategies, we are to sensitise the masses on these laws and build the capacities of the service providers because it’s one thing to be a service provider and it’s another to know the procedure to follow,” said the legal practitioner.

On his part, Rev. Jibila Dani from the Prevailing Faith Ministry International, said that some of the challenges of the implementation of the laws in the state have to do with the cultural and religious background of the people in the state.

Dani, who lauded the efforts of the state government in accenting to the law, urged the government to do more in the area of awareness creation.

“The religious perspective is not against charting ways for the implementation of these laws.

“Religious organisations are ever ready and with arms open to see that these laws are implemented and put to use in Bauchi state,” he assured.

It could be recalled that the Bauchi state House of Assembly had passed the two laws and assented to by Gov. Bala Mohammed but are yet to be implemented effectively.