Our courts active in fight against Gender-Based Violence – Kogi CJ Majebi
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The Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Josiah Majebi says all categories of courts in the state, as well as the Gender Based Violence jurisdiction, are working actively to end violence against women in the state.
Justice Majebi said this on Wednesday when he received in audience, Civil Society Organizations, comprising Challenged Parenthood Initiative, (CPI), Kogi Women Constituency Lead (KWCL), Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) that are jointly combating the threat posed by Gender-Based Violence, (GBV) in Kogi State.
The Chief Judge who disclosed that courts in the state have been asked to be diligent in handling issues concerning GBV, noted that the establishment and existence of the Family Court in the state was meant to address such related matters as a core mandate while the offences were already being handled by the High Court and Magistrates Courts which also have jurisdictions over the matter.
Justice Majebi advised the group to direct all actions concerning GBV to the Family Court, adding that the establishment of specialized courts, requires processes and attracts enormous funding must pass through a budgeting process.
He, however, directed that all registrars at the magisterial level submit monthly returns on such matters and all other cases that are related to gender-based violence in the state to enable proper documentation and assessment of their nature and volume before courts in the state.
He encouraged the group to also take time to periodically evaluate the performances of courts on GBV to be well informed on how the courts are performing.
The Kogi State Chief Judge also commended Nigerian women for their steadfastness in trying to engender discipline and morality in Nigerian societies.
Earlier in her remarks, the Executive Director, Challenged Parenthood Initiative, (CPI) Eunice Abimbola Agbogun who led the team to the Chief Judge’s office advocated the establishment of a designated court for GBV cases in Kogi State.
For the effective implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law of Kogi State signed into law on 22nd June 2022, Agbogun stressed the need for Kogi State to have a Multi-Sectoral Costed Action Plan for MDAs, CSOs and the designated court.
“A Costed Action Plan (CAP) is a multi-year road map designed to help the state achieve its goal of eliminating violence against persons.
“It’s a critical tool in transforming the state’s broad goal of zero tolerance for violence against persons into concrete activities and policies. CAP determines the human, financial, material and technical resources needed for policy implementation” she added.
“One of the many rationales for costing action plan is that it “is a practical application of a gender-responsive budgeting framework to ensure equity in resource allocation.
“While about four other states, including Lagos State, have model costed action plans, she said “many donors are prepared to fund activities on the implementation of the Kogi State VAPP Law but the challenge is that Kogi State does not have costed action plan” against gender-based violence” she added.
By John Akinfehinwa
