Edo State Commissioner for Youth and Gender Issues, Hon. Andrew Emwanta Esq. JP has advised those involved in gender based violence to desist from the act as the sex offenders register is in the public, digitally and on the hard copy.
The Commissioner who gave the advise during a meeting with the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption, ROLAC team lead in Edo state, Uchenna Nwokedi said that there is no gender based violence that does not begin with sexual harassment, especially in work places and he noted that the sex offenders register should serve as a deterrent.
According to him, “ this is a social problem that must be dealt with and we are inviting ROLAC to join us with technical support because as a Ministry we are working closely with GIZ to develop a state wide sexual harassment policy .
“All GBV like rape, child molestation begins with harassment. A sexual harassment that is condole can lead to something else, therefore the only way we can fight GBV is to have a clear policy of what constitutes sexual harassment.
“It is both psychological and physical. We can find it in work places which is one place that it is rarely reported. If it happens in work places, at schools, at home, it is not something we take seriously because it has become a norm and for too long we have condole it,” he added
The Commissioner said that there is going to be a query system under the policy, adding that, “ if there is a sexual harassment policy and a Vice Chancellor condoles it, his job will be on the line. If as head of department or there is a case like that and the HOD, Permanent secretary, or myself as Commissioner condoles it, our jobs should be on the line”
While disclosing that the National Assembly has legislated on it, the Commissioner said, “ it should not be limited to just Universities alone because this now tend to make the University lecturers feel threatened that this is an attack on them”.
“The challenge is that the federal legislation of sexual harassment has not been passed, but we are inviting ROLAC to join us on this project,” the Commissioner added.
The Commissioner thanked ROLAC for the gazette of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) law in the state and he re-assured that this partnership will continue.
The ROLAC Project state team lead, Uchenna Nwokedi who Commended the Ministry for the initiative of setting up a sexual harassment policy noted that this will go a long way to complement the Violence Against Persons Prohibition law.
“I must commend Edo State for a comprehensive work done on the review of the state VAPP law without any gaps,” she added.
