EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE VIOLENCE AGAINST PERSONS PROHIBITION (VAPP) ACT, CURBING THE IMPUNITY OF PERPETRATORS OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE (GBV) AND PROMOTING SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Violence is an age old phenomenon, and violence against women and girls is pervasive in society for all time and cultures probably due to the vulnerable position of women as the weaker sex; and being also generally amplified by gender roles attributed to women. Violence has always been related to women, and though it has long been recognized by women movements as a pressing problem, it was only recognized as a violation of human rights by the UN in 1993 leading to the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. However, violence can be targeted against any person who has informed studies on gender-based violence and ways of curbing the menace as the world over, coordinated actions are being planned and implemented to tackle the problem. An appraisal of the Nigerian Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPPA) 2015 will be necessary. The study adapted the social theory, while the survey methodology which uses the instrument of questionnaire for data collection is adopted. The focus of the study is effective implementation of the VAPP Act as preventive and mitigated measures of gender based violence in Nigeria, highlighting cases in Taraba State for emphasis.