Gender and rights advocates in the FCT have attributed the slow dispensation of justice as the cause for frustrating trial of sexual violence offenders.
They made this known at a four day media Dialogue on Ethical Reporting and Advocacy to Eliminate Violence against Women and girls in the FCT, organized by Spotlight Initiative.
One of the expert and the FCT Desk Officer, Sexual and Gender Based Violence Response, Mrs Ngozi Ike, said that out of the 444 reported cases of sexual offences in Nigeria, only one has been convicted this year.
she said, it was not good enough.
She therefore called for the establishment of special courts to hasten trial of such cases.
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Also the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Tochie Odele, in her presentation disclosed that about 30% of girls who have experienced sexual violence in Nigeria before the age of 15 years, while 1 in every 4 girls have experienced sexual violence , which according to her is now worse because of the coronavirus locked down.
She added that unfortunately 19% of girls are married before they get to the age of 15 years old, and experience violence at home.
The Chief Child Protector , UNICEF, Ibrahim Sesay, urged media practitioners to be strategic partners on issues surrounding women and girls through ethical reporting.
