Gombe first lady Asama’u Yahaya has urged parents and guardians to report incidents of rape and other gender-based violence (GBV) to authorities without hesitation.

Mrs Yahaya, in a statement, on Sunday, praised the Gombe House of Assembly for passing the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) bill.

The house, on Tuesday, passed the VAPP bill during plenary following the approval and adoption of the report of the house committee on judiciary.

“I am calling on key stakeholders in the fight against GBV, especially parents and victims, to summon the courage and report perpetrators of rape and other forms of abuse against women and girls, to serve as a deterrent,” said Mrs Yahaya. “In the past, lack of laws to govern and provide relevant constitutional punishment for offenders and those involved in violation of women’s rights left the female folks in fear and dying in silence.”

The Gombe first lady added that the bill’s passage was timely considering that children, especially the girls who are more vulnerable, live in a society plagued by violence.

She commended the Gombe governor for his commitment to assent to the act, thereby giving the necessary impetus to curtail the menace of rape and other forms of gender-based violence in Gombe.

(NAN)