The Kaduna government has reiterated its readiness to conduct surgical castration for male rapists and bilateral salpingectomy for their female rapers.

Rabi Salisu, the ministry of human services and social development commissioner disclosed this on Tuesday at a press briefing in Kaduna.

Ms Salisu spoke at the gender-based stakeholders conference organised by the ministry in collaboration with the Centre for Integrated and Health Programmes (CIHP).

Ms Salisu said the punitive measures were contained under the Kaduna government’s Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law (VAPPL), 2018.

“The law followed a lengthy process of advocacy, lobbying and awareness raising by civil society organisations in the state in collaboration with relevant government agencies. Reported cases of violence against women and girls (VAWG) have been notably on the increase in Kaduna state since the passage of the VAPPL in December 2018.

“This could probably be attributed to increased awareness about VAWG and also the availability of the law,” the commissioner explained.

According to her, Kaduna has witnessed a rise in cases of gender-based violence.

Ms Salisu added, “According to the National Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Data Situation Room and dashboard for prevention and response to Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in Nigeria, a total of 832 cases have been reported in 2023 so far.”

She said the 16 days between November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and December 10 were known as the ‘Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign’.

“It also serves as a means of demonstrating solidarity in eliminating all forms of violence, and it is therefore used as the colour of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,” said Ms Salisu. “While some level of progress has been made in this campaign to end violence against women and girls through the VAPPL, some challenges still exist.”

Ms Salisu, however, enumerated some factors encumbering the implementation of the law in Kaduna, including the slow uptake of the law characterised by prosecutors not applying the law to reported GBV cases.

“VAWG cases are reported but not charged using the VAPP Law as other laws – Penal Code and the Administration of Criminal Justice Law take precedence over the VAPP due to stiffer penalties in those laws than the VAPP.

“Others included Undue pressure on survivors and/or families to accept out-of-court settlements by the community is also a major hindrance, in addition and poor awareness amongst citizens and service providers. Others are delays in prosecuting cases by the Police and the courts also pose a barrier to access to justice by survivors and victims of VAWG,” the commissioner explained.

She added, “It is therefore imperative to strengthen the justice system, intensify GBV case findings, and provide crucial clinical and non-clinical services to survivors of GBV while improving access to these crucial services.”

(NAN)