*VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN: CHIEF ROSEMARY EMMANUEL FULMINATES,*

*.....Seeks Amendment of Penal Code, Stiffer punishment for offenders.*

*By Amb Timothy Nwachukwu*
_____________________________


*Chief Mrs Rosemary Nwakaego Emmanuel, The Founder, Egobekee Foundation For Better Living and the CEO N-Petals Credit and Thrift Co-operative Society Limited has called condemned the rising spate of violence against women in Nigeria.*


Chief Mrs Rosemary Emmanuel, a veracious advocate for a Better living for the Nigerian women made the call while reacting to the recently concluded 16 days of activism against gender- based violence, an annual international campaign coordinated yearly by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership at Rutgers University in New Jersey.


In a study on violence against women during pregnancy, Messa, etal had shown that repercussion of violence against women during pregnancy may include abortion, preterm labour, chronic pelvic pain, headaches, depression, attempted suicide, post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD), anxiety, drug abuse for the mother; intrauterine fetal retardation, low birth weight, fetal loss, increased rate of prenatal morbidity for the fetus.


*In her words, Chief Mrs Rosemary Nwakaego Emmanuel described Domestic violence as "a violation of women’s human rights and a
contravention of the fundamental rights provisions contained in the constitution, As appalling and deleterious as domestic violence against pregnant women is, it has been shown that its prevalence continues to be high especially in developing countries like Nigeria.*


*Domestic violence affects women irrespective of societal status age, educational attainment and place of residence, Women are more at risk from violence than men in all sectors of the society and there is an urgent need to amend the penal code, Section 55(1)(d) of the Penal Code of Northern Nigeria which provides that an assault by a man on a woman is not an offense if they are married, if native law or custom recognizes such “correction” as lawful, and if there is no grievous hurt."*


She lauded the
the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons for initiating the first
sex offenders register in Nigeria and the name-and-shame policy which aids in tracking offenders to enable recruitment agencies, individuals and organisation who may be recruiting teachers, house helpers, drivers among others So as to avoid employing a rapist or a pedophile."

She further called for the domestication of the VAPP ACT by states that are yet to enact it into their laws, She called on government agencies to partner NGOs, civil Society organisation and other women groups in it's advocacy towards the elimination of all forms of violence against women.


*******************************
*Amb Timothy Nwachukwu, A Media Consultant and Publisher StandOut Africa Magazine mcan be reached on +2348097311499.*