Stakeholders in Anambra State have commenced further consultations on the review of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law, with particular attention to technology-facilitated gender-based violence and other emerging forms of abuse.
The town hall meeting, facilitated by Barrister Mimi Ifeoma Azikiwe, the lawmaker representing Onitsha North One Constituency and Chairman of the House Committee on Women Affairs and Law Reviews, was held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at the Onitsha North Local Government Secretariat.
The engagement was organised with support from the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare and the Rule of Law and Anti-Corruption (RoLAC) Programme, Anambra, as part of efforts to strengthen the legal and institutional response to Technology-Facilitated Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (TF-SGBV).
Speaking at the event, Azikiwe described the VAPP Law as an important instrument for protecting vulnerable persons, particularly women, girls and children, and ensuring access to justice.
She highlighted the proposed inclusion of Section 29, which addresses the non-consensual recording or capturing of sexual intimacy, as well as the preservation or circulation of images of persons while unclad.
Honourable Azikiwe said technology-facilitated offences could have far-reaching consequences for victims and stressed the need for firm legal responses to emerging forms of digital abuse. She also emphasised the need to protect the privacy of minors and maintained that cases covered by the law should not be subjected to informal settlement.
The lawmaker reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to addressing issues affecting women and children.
In her remarks, the Anambra State RoLAC Coordinator, Dr. Josephine Onah, said the programme was pleased to collaborate with the convener and other stakeholders on the review process.
She explained that RoLAC’s work focuses on three thematic areas: reforming the criminal justice system, enhancing access to justice for women, and strengthening the capacity of anti-corruption agencies to fight corruption.
Onah noted that the programme had supported the implementation of laws, including the VAPP Law, Child Rights Law and Disability Rights Law, and emphasised the need to update existing legal provisions to reflect changing social realities.
She described the VAPP Law as legislation with a strong human dimension and called on participants to make meaningful contributions on provisions that should be incorporated into the review.
Also speaking, the Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Anambra State, Barr. Amara Muojeke, explained the concept of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including sextortion and other forms of digital abuse.
Muojeke said the review should accommodate emerging offences such as image laundering and reputation damage, adding that the reviewed law is expected to be launched in November.
Giving an overview of the VAPP Law, Mrs. Linda Nnoduogu stressed that legislation can only be effective when citizens are aware of its provisions.
She called for wider dissemination of the law at the grassroots and increased awareness among children and young people about their rights and measures for preventing violence.
Also speaking, Dr. Ifiorah Chukwudozie noted that laws must evolve alongside society.
He highlighted innovations already introduced through the VAPP framework, including provisions addressing oral sex, spousal rape, compensation for survivors, harmful widowhood practices and female genital mutilation, among others.
In a goodwill message, the local government Chairman of Onitsha North Local Government Area, Hon. Tony Nweze Nwora, described the engagement as an important awareness-building exercise.
Nwora stressed the need for citizens to understand the laws available to protect them and criticised attempts to enable or resolve criminal cases through informal settlements.
Participants subsequently made suggestions on areas they believed should be reflected in the reviewed law, while also raising questions on survivor protection, reporting mechanisms and institutional responses to emerging forms of violence.
Other members of the VAPP Law Implementation Committee (VAPPLIC) and Legal Aid Implementation Committee at the engagement included Mrs. Uju Loveth Onyendilefu, Barr. Roseline Okeke, Mrs. Ugochi Freeman, Ambassador Yohana Rachel, Mrs. Chioma Ezechukwu of the Ministry, Dr. Ifiorah Chukwudozie and Dr. Gabriel Chy Alonta, alongside Mr. James Osubor, RoLAC Associate Programme Officer.
