By Ogechi Okorie
The National President of Nigeria Association of Women Entrepreneurs (NAWE), Barr Erelu Vera Ndanusa has called on states that have not domesticated the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) (VAP) Act 2015 to do that as a matter of urgency.
Barrister Ndanusa made the call yesterday while fielding questions from journalists shortly after the Public hearing on Bill to amend the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act 2015 to Prohibit Discrimination Against Wodows and All Forms of Repressive And Degrading Widowhood Practices and to Make Provision for the Defintion of the Offence of Image-based Sexual Abuse and for Related Matters at the House of Representatives.
She expressed excitement about the Bill I view of the stigma and stereotypes women are subject to in Nigeria.
In her words: ” I am excited because I know what it means to be a window in Nigeria. I know the harmful practices that is meted out to women and I also know that whether we appreciate it or not, there is this kind of stigma and stereotypes on widows in Nigeria. It may be subtle but it is there and it is glaring widows don’t get to enjoy what other women are enjoying and when you talk about sexual abuse, it is so rampant and due to our culture, we are brought up to always suffer in silence”.
“Women don’t speak out even when they are being abused. The same goes for the young boys, most youths in secondary schools are abused but they don’t speak out because of culture of respect that we have. I am very happy with this VAP Act, I am very happy the way the committee on Women Affairs is wading into the amendment of the VAP Act and I sincerely hope that other states that have not domesticated this act will do so without wasting much time, she added.
