The Edo Government is reviewing the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) (VAPP) Law 2021 to address implementation gaps and strengthen legal protection against sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), including technology-facilitated abuse.
The review was discussed on Friday in Benin at a consultative forum on strengthening policy implementation for SGBV prevention in Edo, which brought together government agencies, civil society organisations, security institutions and development partners.
At the forum, Mrs Edesili Okpebholo-Anani, Coordinator of the Office of the Governor’s Wife and Chairperson of the Gender-Based Violence Management Committee, emphasised the need to protect women, girls and children from violence and ensure timely assistance for survivors.
Okpebholo-Anani said survivors should be treated with compassion and dignity rather than blamed or stigmatised, adding that women and girls needed to understand their rights and know where to seek help.
She said the committee would continue to promote the rights of women and children through advocacy, community engagement, public enlightenment and sustained collaboration with relevant institutions across Edo.
Okpebholo-Anani called for greater awareness of gender-based violence in schools, including the establishment or strengthening of clubs in primary and secondary schools across Edo North, Central and South.
She explained that the clubs would help children understand personal safety, appropriate boundaries, respect for others and the importance of promptly reporting abuse to trusted adults, teachers and relevant authorities.
Okpebholo-Anani urged parents to maintain open communication with their children and ask questions about their safety, while encouraging teachers and school administrators to take reports of abuse seriously and make appropriate referrals.
She emphasised that boys could also be victims of violence and sexual abuse, although girls were more frequently affected by gender-based violence in communities across Edo.
She urged parents to pay equal attention to the safety and well-being of male and female children, ask about their experiences and encourage them to speak out whenever they felt uncomfortable.
Okpebholo-Anani said parents should not assume that boys were less vulnerable to abuse, adding that open communication could help children feel safe reporting incidents and seeking assistance without fear.
She also expressed concern about sexual abuse within families, explaining that some children might not recognise inappropriate conduct as abuse or could be afraid to speak out because of their relationship with the perpetrators.
The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Eugenia Abdallah, said the review provided an opportunity to address gaps in the implementation of the law and strengthen coordination among institutions involved in preventing and responding to SGBV.
Abdallah emphasised the importance of a survivor-centred approach involving government agencies, security institutions, health workers, justice-sector actors and civil society organisations working together to ensure protection, justice and support.
She said survivors needed access to protection, support services and justice, while their privacy and dignity were safeguarded throughout reporting, investigation, prosecution and rehabilitation.
Mrs Priscilla Usiobaifo, Founder and Executive Director of the BraveHeart Initiative for Youth and Women, urged stakeholders to make practical contributions to the review based on their experiences in preventing and responding to violence.
Usiobaifo emphasised the need to examine existing provisions carefully, identify areas requiring amendment and propose changes that would improve implementation and strengthen institutional responses to reported cases of gender-based violence across the state.
She highlighted the importance of prompt and thorough investigations and effective prosecution, noting that survivors could face barriers to reporting abuse and obtaining justice because of stigma, fear and limited awareness.
Usiobaifo also emphasised public awareness, particularly in communities where limited knowledge of human rights and the law could prevent survivors from seeking assistance and accessing justice and support services.
She called for stronger collaboration between government institutions and civil society organisations to improve referral systems and access to legal, psychosocial and other support services for survivors across Edo.
The Edo Coordinator of the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption Programme (RoLAC), Mrs Uche Nwokedi, delivered a goodwill message on behalf of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA).
Nwokedi commended the Edo Government for taking steps to strengthen the prevention of and response to gender-based violence through inclusive consultation, policy review and improved multi-stakeholder collaboration.
She described the VAPP Law as a critical instrument for protecting fundamental rights, promoting access to justice and ensuring accountability for acts of violence against women, girls and children across the state.
Nwokedi said the review provided an opportunity to strengthen the legal framework for addressing gender-based violence and improve coordination, protection and accountability mechanisms across institutions and communities in Edo.
In a technical presentation, Mr Imonitie Omokhodion of RoLAC highlighted areas requiring attention in the review, including emerging forms of technology-facilitated abuse and gaps in the existing legal framework that required urgent amendment.
He said the proposed amendments included provisions addressing cyberstalking, sextortion, non-consensual recording or sharing of intimate images, AI-generated intimate material, online harassment, unlawful tracking and the unauthorised disclosure of personal information online.
Omokhodion also highlighted the need to strengthen provisions on digital evidence, improve the handling of SGBV cases and enhance coordination among institutions responsible for investigation, prosecution and survivor support services across the state.
On penalties for rape and gang rape, Omokhodion proposed life imprisonment for both offences to promote deterrence, accountability and justice for survivors while strengthening legal protection under the amended VAPP Law.
He explained that, under the proposal, every individual involved in gang rape would face life imprisonment, as would a person convicted of rape committed by a single perpetrator.
The proposed amendments remain subject to further consideration as the review process continues, with stakeholders expected to submit additional inputs before final validation and legislative action in Edo.
A representative of the Edo Ministry of Justice, Mr Omage Dimowo, highlighted the importance of strengthening the legal response to SGBV and improving case handling through effective investigation, prosecution and coordination with relevant agencies.
Dr Paul Eighemhenrio, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, who represented the Commissioner, Dr Cyril Oshiomhole, highlighted the health sector’s role in responding to SGBV through medical care and referrals.
He emphasised the importance of providing medical care, documenting cases appropriately, safeguarding survivors’ confidentiality and referring them for further support where necessary within the health system and partner organisations.
During the stakeholders’ input session, participants considered recommendations aimed at strengthening the implementation of the law and improving survivors’ access to justice through better coordination, evidence handling and referral pathways.
The recommendations included improving coordination among relevant agencies, strengthening the preservation and handling of physical and digital evidence, safeguarding survivors’ confidentiality and improving referral pathways between health, security and justice institutions.
Participants also called for greater public awareness of the law and more effective investigation and prosecution of cases to build trust, promote deterrence and strengthen confidence in the justice system across Edo.
They emphasised the need to ensure that reports of sexual and gender-based violence were not dismissed as private or family matters and that survivors could report abuse safely and access medical, psychosocial and legal assistance.
The recommendations are expected to inform further consideration of the proposed amendments as the review process continues, with a commitment to strengthening legal protection, survivor support and institutional responses across Edo.
Mrs Joy Ihensekhien, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, urged stakeholders to sustain their collaboration to strengthen the prevention of and response to sexual and gender-based violence across the state.
