The Kaduna State government has reiterated its readiness to perform surgical castration on male rapists and bilateral oophorectomy on female rapists.
In 2022, former Governor Nasir El-Rufai signed the amended Penal Code of 2020, which provides for surgical castration and oophorectomy for convicted child rapists.
In November 2020, the Kaduna State Assembly approved castration as a penalty for convicted rapists in the state.
Commissioner for Welfare and Social Development Ravi Sarris made this known at a gender-based stakeholders’ summit held in Kaduna on Thursday, November 30.
The summit was organized by the ministry in collaboration with the Centre for Integrated and Health Programmes (CIHP).
Salisu said the punitive measures are contained in the Kaduna State Government Violence Against Persons Act (VAPPL) of 2018
She said, “This law is the result of a long process of advocacy, lobbying, and awareness-raising by civil society organizations in the state, in collaboration with relevant government agencies.”
Since the VAPPL was passed in December 2018, there has been a marked increase in the number of reported cases of violence against women and girls (VAWG) in Kaduna State. This can be attributed to increased awareness of VAWG and the availability of the law,” she said.
According to the commissioner, there has been an increase in cases of gender-based violence (GBV) in the state.
According to the National GBV Data Status Office and Dashboard for GBV Prevention and Response in Nigeria, “832 cases have been reported so far in 2023
She said the 16-day period from November 25 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to December 10 is known as the ‘Day of Action Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence.
She said, “This period of time is a call to action to end violence against women and girls around the world, and November 25 has been designated Orange Day by the UNiTE Campaign to End Violence Against Women. The color orange symbolizes a brighter future without violence
It is also a means of showing solidarity for the elimination of all forms of violence. Hence, it is used as the color of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.”