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Shina Abubakar, Osogbo

The wife of Osun State Governor, Mrs Kafayat Oyetola has disclosed that tackling violence at home and during electioneering campaigns is a battle that must be collectively tackled.

A statement issued by the wife of the Governor and Chairperson, Ileri-Oluwa Development Initiative, disclosed that to make Osun violence-free, stakeholders must ensure violence between intimate partners is totally eliminated.

Mrs Oyetola who was speaking at a town hall meeting on Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law 2021 and presentation of the law to the public organised in conjunction with the United Kingdom-based, Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), held at the Government’s House Banquet Hall, said it is imminent to collectively work to prevent violence against women, men, girls and boys and any other person to endear love in the society.

It reads partly, “Here in Osun, we are saying violence against persons, women, girls, boys and men should be eliminated and prevented completely. We do not want violence at homes, between intimate partners, during pollical campaigns and elections, or at any time at all. I urge everyone in this state to join in this campaign and make our state a violence-free state.

“We triggered our advocacy during campaigns, we realized that there was a gap in the legal instruments available to tackle some of the gender-based violence that occur or could occur. Yes, we had various laws that had been passed by the House Assembly such as the Criminal Code Cap 34, Volume 2 of 2002, the 2013 Protection Against Domestic Violence law and the Child Rights Law of the State of Osun 2007.

“However, because of certain noticeable gaps, especially with regards to the scope of violence and the weight of punishments, there was a need to further strengthen the laws through the passage of the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act. Recall that this Act had been passed by the National Assembly in 2015. States were required to domesticate the Act and make it specific to their respective needs and circumstance.

“We realized this gap and commenced work on getting the VAPP law passed in our State. All these laws were designed to tackle the issue of violence against women and girls as well as our men who also suffer gender and domestic violence in some forms”.