The United Nations Association of Africa, UNAA, has continued its advocacy on the elimination of violence against women and girls with a renewed call to promote global awareness to end the menace.
The event, themed “Unite! Invest to prevent Violence against Women and Girls, Advancing Sustainable Development Goal 5”, also featured the formal unveiling of the UNAA Girls’ Mentorship Club at Regan Memorial Girls Secondary School, Yaba, Lagos.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is usually held between November 25 and December 10th every year.
In an opening remark, the Ghana Coordinator of UNAA, Princess Gifty Okafor, who said violence against women and girls remains one of the most widespread human rights violations in the world, stressed that UNAA Girls mentorship club is designed to strengthen awareness, prevention and timely response to all forms of violence against women and girls.
Princess Okafor who maintained that violence against women cut across culture, religion and social class, said investing in preventing violence against women and girls is crucial and key to achieving gender equality and making their voices heard.
“No society can achieve peace, prosperity or sustainable development while half of its population lives in fear. Ending violence against women is not optional, it is a fundamental right to development, justice and human security. Together we can and we must build a society where every woman, every girl lives free of fear and full of opportunity.”
Presenting a paper on, “Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls: Advancing Sustainable Development Goal 5”, Head of Mathematics at the Yaba College of Technology and Girls Advocate, Mr. Toyin Ogunjare, who encouraged women to speak out when violated for others to learn, said violation of women and girls is a violation of human rights, rooted in gender inequality and an impediment to sustainable development.
While commending the Lagos State Government for its legal framework in establishing the Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency, DSVA, in the State for women’s right, called on government at all levels, community and religious bodies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal 5, to end violence and discrimination against women.
“We recognise that eliminating violence against women and girls requires a multi-faceted approach. As we embark on this important day of reflection and action, let us use the platform to share knowledge and engage practices, preventing and responding to violence including through effective implementation of laws, strengthening partnerships among governments and responding to violence against women.”
A media executive, Mrs Aghatha Amata encouraged young girls to develop themselves, be proud of who they are, and support each others to stand out.
“When a woman knows what she wants, the men comply. It is now that you start to be the person that you want, a person who cannot create you, cannot be in a position to decide what happens, you are an individual. The person that you think is important now, in a few years, you will not remember the person’s name, what you will remember is who you are and what you’ve done with your life and that is what should be important to you because every human being has a purpose.”
The event, which featured presentations and unveiling of a mentorship club, had in attendance government officials, security agents, stakeholders, students from different girl schools and other partners.
Reporting by Eunice Olile