Tallen advocates special court to prosecute rape cases

The Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs Pauline Tallen, on Monday, advocated the establishment of a Special Court to prosecute rape, Gender-Based Violence (GBV) cases and other sex offenders.

Tallen made the suggestion in Abuja on Monday while briefing the media on the incessant cases of rape as part of activities to mark the forthcoming International Day of the African Child celebration.

The minister decried the increasing cases of rape and other forms of violence being recorded during the ongoing COVID-19 lockdown across the country.

She described the situation as worrisome and called for urgent attention to curb the tide.

According to her, the ministry is making efforts to expand the existing temporary shelters for women victims of abuse, as well as build new ones for the safety of survivors.

“As we were smarting from the effects of COVID-19, we were again hit by this spate of rapes and murders across the country.

“I want to send a very loud signal to these mindless criminals that they can run but they cannot hide as the long arm of the law will catch up with them,” she said.

The minister also advocated the setting up of a Special Fund to address Gender-Based Violence and ensure sustainability of on-going initiatives with contributions from the public and private sectors.

Tallen said the ministry, with the support from UNDP would launch a National Gender-Based Violence Data Collation Tool to ease the dearth of GBV data in the country for uniformity, effective coordination and planning.

She said plans were underway to convene a National Virtual Town Hall Meeting on Sexual and Gender-Based Violence to enhance coherence and complementarity to improve synergy with all sectors for the safety of women and children.

The minister said the theme of the 2020 Day of the African Child: “Access to a Child-Friendly Justice System in Africa” would further strengthen government advocacy to demand for justice for those who lost their lives and those who lost their dignity as a result of violence meted out on them.

She, therefore, gave an assurance that the ministry was working tirelessly with NGOs, Civil Society Organisations, states, local governments and other stakeholders to end the menace.

UN Women’s Country Representative to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms Comfort Lamptey, said the theme for 2020 African Child was apt considering the huge impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the society, especially the children.

Lamptey noted the need for more efforts to encourage students to return to school and also to address challenges of early marriages, harmful practices and women empowerment.

Also, Ms Inimfon Etuk, Founder, SHE Forum Africa, an NGO, said the 2020 theme for African Child celebration would clearly define the challenges faced by children in Africa.

Etuk urged stakeholders to join forces and tackle the challenges.

Mrs Nkiru Maduechesi, a Child Protection Expert with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), reiterated commitment in supporting government to end all forms of violence against children.

Julie Okah-Donli, Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), said the agency was working to publish names, photographs, addresses and offences of convicted sex offenders.

Okah-Donli, represented by an Assistant Director in the agency, Mrs Tolu Odugbesan, said NAPTIP would partner with the Women Affairs ministry and other stakeholders to end violence against women and children in the country.