CLEEN Foundation pushes for better VAPP Law implementation in Imo

The CLEEN Foundation, a non-governmental group, has called on security agencies, justice players, and community leaders in Imo State to tackle knowledge gaps that are stopping the proper implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law.

Peter Maduoma, the Executive Director of the foundation, made this appeal in Owerri on Wednesday. He spoke at the start of a two-day policy dialogue aimed at closing the gaps in VAPP Law implementation.

Maduoma explained that the goal of the dialogue is to improve the skills of institutions and hold stakeholders accountable for a better response system that focuses on survivors.

He pointed out that even with the laws in place, survivors of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) still struggle to get justice, protection, medical help, and psycho-social support.

"Ground-level evidence shows that the main reason for this failure is a serious lack of knowledge among key duty-bearers at the local level," he said.

He stressed that many enforcement officers and civil society groups in various states have never seen, read, or received proper guidance on the VAPP Law.

"The success of these legal provisions depends on whether institutions and duty-bearers understand and do their jobs well," he stated.

According to Maduoma, the foundation plans to distribute copies of the VAPP Law, check for bottlenecks in institutions, and help local government bodies set up reporting desks.

He mentioned that this project is funded by the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs through the Norwegian Embassy and is being carried out in 13 selected states.

Maduoma urged participants to create and sign a specific action plan for the state with clear monitoring signs. This is to ensure proper local enforcement of the law in Imo.

The traditional ruler of Umuororonjo Autonomous Community, Clinton Uboegbulam, also spoke. He asked the Imo State Government to create a Sexual Assault Referral Centre.

Uboegbulam said a dedicated centre would help in collecting victim data and allow institutions to handle GBV cases better.

"GBV happens every day, but our success in dealing with these cases depends on the facilities and processes we set up," he said.

Juliet Okeihi, the Executive Director of the Open Arms Initiative, added that the lack of centralised data is slowing down full implementation of the law.

Okeihi noted that many law enforcement officers, lawyers, and community members still do not fully understand the law.

She praised the dialogue for highlighting gaps between agencies and the need for better coordination among duty-bearers in the state.

"The law is there, but how well are we using it to address these cases?" she asked.

Amarachi Ekeocha, the State GBV Coordinator and Social Welfare Officer, spoke about the need for an active agency to manage referral pathways.

Ekeocha expressed worries about long court delays, mentioning that some rape cases take over five years, even though the law says they should be resolved within three months.

She called for ongoing awareness campaigns in the judiciary, better use of the sex offenders register, and stronger collaboration among state actors.

Martins Udoku, the state Director of Public Prosecutions, added that the state Ministry of Justice has started putting rape and violent crime records into official registers.

The two-day event attracted participants from the police, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Justice, NAPTIP, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, traditional rulers, and civil society groups, among others.