High Level Stakeholders Meeting for Advocacy and Implementation of the Vapp Law

On 22nd June, Olive Community Development Initiative (OCDI), in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, organized a high-level stakeholder meeting focused on the gazetting and implementation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Law in Kwara State. The meeting brought together key government officials and stakeholders, including the Honourable Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, the Permanent Secretary, Director of Women Affairs, and representatives from the Ministry of Communication, Ministry of Tertiary Education, Ministry of Justice, the Kwara State Police Command (including the Police Public Relations Officer), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Gender Desk Officers, the National Orientation Agency (NOA), WOMICAN, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and various Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) working on gender-based violence (GBV), among others. The engagement served as a strategic platform to strengthen collaboration, drive policy implementation, and ensure coordinated efforts toward protecting individuals from all forms of violence. As a key outcome of the meeting, five technical committees were established to support the effective implementation of the VAPP Law. These include the Security Committee, Awareness Committee, Prosecution Committee, Resource Mobilization Committee, and the Training and Capacity Building Committee. This initiative marks a significant step toward strengthening legal frameworks, improving response systems, and advancing the protection of rights and dignity for all, particularly women and vulnerable groups in Kwara State.