British High Commission decries rise in sexual violence in Nigeria

THE British High Commission has decried increase in cases of sexual violence in Nigeria, lack of proper planning and weak institutions to tackle the menace.

The Commission also declared that lack of statistical details and poor implementation of the relevant laws were the reasons why the incidences of violence against women is high in the country.

The Commission, however, charged the Federal Government to embark on awareness campaign on the existence of the law, adding that adequate statistics should be provided for government to prepare a legal framework on how to eradicate the menace.

The Communication Manager and Political Adviser, British Deputy High Commission, Mr. Wale Adebajo, said this yesterday at a stakeholders’ workshop/training on Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act, 2015 organised by New Initiative for Social Development (NISD).

Adebajo said it is disheartening that most Nigerians were oblivious of the existence of the law passed by the National Assembly in 2015, after 13 years of its proposition.

“In Nigeria, with special focus in South West. There is no statistical data on sexual violence the government can work with for proper planning. Institutions are very weak in rising up to tackle the issue of sexual violence. The citizens have no access to the law.

“The political will and low capacity of actors are also limiting the progress on actions against this problem. Human rights and protection of the rights of women are at the heart of British government’s foreign policy. The UK government promotes gender equality and tackles violence against women and girl-child as a matter of principle.”

The Acting South West Regional Coordinator, British Department for International Development, Mrs. Margaret Fagboyo, identified local customs, traditional beliefs and value system as those factors accentuating violence against women in Nigeria.

The Coordinator of NISD, Mr. Abiodun Oyeleye, said available statistics shows that the southern states top the list in sexual violence cases, with Ekiti leading in the South West with an average of 6.6 percent.