Jos – Women’s rights are human rights but the world over, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, SGBV is the most pervasive breach of human rights. Despite efforts, the trend continues putting women and girls at risk of mental health challenges and even death.
Although the perpetrators are mostly seen as men, in the last week in Jos, Plateau State, some women subjected three underaged girls to extreme abuse leading to the death of one. The cases are those of the 11 years old Margaret Joshua who was allegedly tortured to death by her madam, the 17-year-old Khadija locked up and starved by her aunt, and that nine years old Mmesoma locked up in a goat pen by her aunt.
In line with this year’s theme for the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence which is UNITE – A global action to increase awareness, some organizations jointly call for justice for the victims and advocate for concrete actions to prevent/ eliminate Violence Against Women and Girls, VAWG.
The organizations: Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA, Plateau State office, National Human Rights Commission, and NHRC, say enough is enough.
16 Days of Activism is an annual international campaign from 25th November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10th December (Human Rights Day); used to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.
Citizens need to know that legal frameworks like the Child’s Right Law, Administration of Criminal Justice Law, Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law, Gender and Equal Opportunities, GEO law, and the Plateau State Penal Code No.7 2017 Vol. 1. protect victims of child abuse.
The State Chairperson of NAWOJ, Nene Dung who called on the Plateau government to provide safe homes to shelter abused children also asked that perpetrators of child abuse be served justice saying, “The spate of child maltreatment and molestation is at an alarming rate and must not be left unchecked. The case of Margaret Joshua is still fresh in our minds, this is one out of many unreported cases.
“A woman who has children meted out such brutality on another woman’s child. We call for justice for Margaret, her death cannot be swept under the carpet nor should the perpetrator be allowed to go free. NAWOJ receives many cases of child molestation in different parts of the State.
“A 14-year-old girl had her leg broken by her father because she took N100 from his N500 to buy food to eat. The case of a nine years old girl being locked up in a goat pen, the 17 years old girl being starved and locked up, and many others.
“There are legal instruments to protect children from any form of abuse. We call on the Nigerian Police not to compromise when such cases are reported rather, speedy investigations should be carried out so that perpetrators can be charged to courts.”
Similarly, the State Chairperson of FIDA, Ngozi Achilefu, called for the full implementation of the laws which protect the right of a child and cautioned people to desist from employing minors as help because children ought to be in schools.
Her words, “It is not a sign of responsibility to produce children and abandon them with people to care for. Margaret from Kebbi State died allegedly from the grievous physical abuse meted on her by one Nneamaka Nwachukwu. The perpetrator took this displaced girl as a house girl because of the crisis in her State.
“A whistleblower called on Monday, 14th Nov. 2022, and reported that a case of child abuse was lodged in K/Vom Police Station; that the child was hospitalized in Mandela Hospital and later taken to Jos University Teaching Hospital where she was immediately supported with oxygen, medications and thereafter had blood transfusion but the girl later passed on.
“We met 31 years old Nneamaka Nwachukwu, from Enugu State but married to Imo State indigene. A mother of two, a Microbiologist with the National Institute of Trypanosomiasis Research Vom. On interaction, she claimed that Margaret was into masturbation and lesbianism.
“She said it was the water she boiled to soak her towel before beating Margaret, that she fell into and she could not immediately take her to the hospital because her husband was not home and nobody could take care of her two children… We hope that the investigation will be concluded soon and the perpetrator prosecuted because the world is listening, watching, and waiting for the outcome of this case.”
The State Coordinator of the NHRC, Grace Pam added her office had received 247 cases of abuse between January and October 2022, stressing, “Child abuse is a social ill that must be addressed with actionable commitment else the future of our country will be made up of abused children who grow up to become loveless, emotionally withdrawn and hardened thereby leading to involvement in all sorts of social vices which often leads to a troubled society.”
She asked that the Judiciary give more attention to the Family court to ensure speedy dispensation of such cases while citizens who see something, say something.
