Abuja, Feb. 11, 2021 – The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) says it has intensified advocacy toward ending harmful traditional practices and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in all local government areas of the country.
Harmful traditional practices are forms of violence committed against women and girls for so long that they are considered or presented by perpetrators as part of accepted cultural practice.
The National President of FIDA, Rhoda Tyoden, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of an event on Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Abuja that the federation had increased enlightenment on implications and law surrounding VAWG and harmful traditional practices at the grassroots.
She said “we have taken our campaign to the grassroots; we are going to all the local government area councils to educate, sensitise and create awareness on issues of Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
“Many people are not aware that acts of violence against girls and women are prohibited; we need to do a lot of sensitization and create awareness on the provisions of the law that prohibits such acts,’’ she said.
She explained that harmful traditional practices are against Nigeria’s constitution, hence the adoption and domestication of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act of 2015 and the Child Rights Act to protect victims.
She said “anyone who performs or engages another to carry out Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) committed an offence punishable by four years imprisonment or a fine of N200,000 or both.”
Tyoden, therefore, called for increased sensitisation to end the practice, which she described as “discriminatory and degrading as it violates human rights of a person.”
The FIDA president also reiterated the commitment of the association toward protecting, preserving and promoting the rights of women, girls and children. (NAN)
