Mrs Ndidi Mezue, the Anambra Commissioner for Children and Women Affairs, has called on stakeholders to join hands with the government to eliminate any form of violence against women.
Mezue made the call during an opinion sample on violence against women, conducted by correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Awka.
NAN reports that International Day for the Elimination of violence against women is an annual event celebrated globally on November 25.
The importance of the day is to press home the need for a violence-free society for the women and girl children.
NAN reports that the day was set aside by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993 to create awareness on the negative effects of violence against women in the society and the need to stop it.
“The theme for this year’s celebration is ‘‘Orange the World: End Violence against women now,’’.
Mezue said that the celebration was worth the day and disclosed that Anambra government through her ministry has fought violence against women to a reasonable extent.
She disclosed that the government has carried the campaign of violence against women and girls to all the nook and crannies of the State to stop gender-based violence.
“We have tried and not relenting in designing new ways to curb the menace to sustain the rights of women in all ramifications,” she said.
Mezue said that Dr Ebelechukwu Obiano, wife of the Anambra governor, deserves commendation in her efforts to curb violence against women through attention placed on the plight of vulnerable and indigent women in the state.
She disclosed that through Obiano’s NGO, Caring Family Enhancement Initiative CAFE, she has waded into many issues concerning ugly treatment meted on some widows in the State.
Miss Hope Okoye, Anambra Coordinator of Violence Against Person’s Prohibition Implementation Committee, said that the event is apt with regards to the level of violence against women in this part of the world.
Okoye said that the celebration no doubt is yielding positive results in the reduction of violence against women and girls in the society because of the constant enlightenment it gives to the public.
She said, in a bid to curb the menace against women, community leaders and the society should look into some of the culture, traditions and norms that negate the rights of women.
Okoye said that the aspect of placing more value to the boy child, sharing method of inheritance and widowhood practices should be looked into and proffer a fair practice that is beneficial to all.
She said that the leaders should agree on a standard rule that excludes all forms of violence against women, enact a law to bring to book perpetrators of all ugly acts against women.
Also speaking, Mrs Ujunwa Ekwoanya, called on the judiciary and lawmakers to enact stiffer measures against those who abuse the rights of women.
Ekwoanya said that women in rural areas are worst hit and that they lack voice to speak as greedy men who live in their mix take their landed property, especially when the woman has no male child.
“I will like to see this celebration benefits extends to local women where their rights would be defended for them as many really are victims of violence in hands of their men,” she said.
Mrs Alice Nsofor, an Evangelists, said that the Church should have a role to play for the elimination of violence against women and girls in the state because government cannot do all things..
Nsofor said that the church, through teachings of the bible and their sermons, has condemned violence against women, praying that people who engage in the act would repent.
She said that faith-based oragnasations as a matter of patriotism should design programmes that condemn violence against women and girls in all its shades.
“God did not discriminate against anybody and that the church should be fully involved in activities that would ensure that women are not dehumanised under any guise.
Mrs Chioma Beluchukwu said all forms of organisation, including Non for profit bodies, should talk more on these bad practices against women and the girl child.
Beluchukwu said that orientation agencies of the government should embark on more enlightenment programmes to educated the masses on how to live a better life and speak out once abused.
Mrs Ngozi Agu said that violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, shocking human rights violations in the world today.
Agu said that such violence remains largely unreported due to the stigma and shame attached to such a victim by the public.
She said that violence against women has continued to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as the fulfillment of women and girls human rights.
“I pray that as we celebrate the day that it would someday come to an end that women and girl would celebrate total freedom from violence against them,” she said. (NAN)