Group Seeks Prosecution Of Community, Religious Leaders Over GBV, Sexual Exploitation

A non-for-profit organisation operating in Nigeria under the aegis of Women Aid Collective (WACOL), has called for the prosecution of community and religious leaders that sexually exploit, harass or take advantage of underage girls under their custody irrespective of thier social status.

The organisation, which cardinal objective is to fight against gender based violence (GBV) and several harmful traditional practices, advocated arrest and prosecution of perpetrators of the criminal acts, to serve as deterrence to others with intention to toe the same line.

Founding director of WACOL, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, SAN, made the call during a one-day interactive meeting with opinion leaders, to secure support for women and girls’ access to sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR), prevention of violence against woman and girls, sexual and gender based violence, harmful practice (VAWG/SGBV/HP) organised by WACOL in collaboration with UNDP under EU-UN Spotlight Initiative project in Calabar, Cross River State on Thursday.

Representing the founding director, Programme Manager of WACOL, Mrs. Anulika Ezennia, warned against sexual exploitation of underaged girls and violation of women’s rights by those who ordinarily ought to give them protection.

The academic Don called for stiff punitive measures for perpetrators of the heinous crime, which includes rape, wife battery, witchcraft branding, abandonment and total neglect nothwitstanding the social status, which they belong in the society.

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In her earlier remarks, a legal practitioner and resource person, Helen Kalu, who spoke on importance of faith-based and traditional actors in Violence Against Women and Girls prevention, stated that, “No one is above the law. Everyone is equal before the law. Anyone who breaks the law should be made to face the music. As a religious or traditional leader, you are not immune to prosecution.

“If you go ahead to commit gender based crime like rape, wife wife battery, violation of rights of a woman, you will be brought to book.

“We call on victims to speak out and break the culture of silence even when you are harassed sexually. We stand against gender based violence of all kind.

“To the trainees, let there be advocacy, let there be sensitisation, ensure that those who indulge in this criminal act are brought to book notwithstanding their financial or social status.

“When you speak out there are organisations and some agencies or human rights activists ready to pick the matter up without any fee paid, and I assure you that justice would be done.”