By Nana Musa
Mrs Rukaiya Emmaunel, the Abuja branch coordinator of the African Women Lawyers Association of Nigeria (AWLA), has called for more sensitisation to end violence against women and girls.
Emmaunel said this at the AWALA Abuja branch 16 days activism against gender based violence and end of the year party in Abuja.
The theme of the event was: Towards Beijing +30 unit to end violence against women and girls.
She said that in 1995 during the united nations world conference on woman adopted the Beijing declaration and platform for action.
Emmaunel said that the platform considered progressive blueprint for the advancement and protection of women’s right, as a result of the continuous collaboration efforts to attain its objective.
“12 critical area was identified to be paramount concern: girl child, women in power, institutional mechanisms, economy, violence against women, armed conflict, human rights, health, environment, education, media and poverty.
“In anticipation of the global review, there are ongoing assessment on the progress made so far and strategies required to implement further change pertaining the bias against women and girls worldwide, by not only for government also for diverse organisations advocating for womens right,” the coordinator said.
Emmaunel said that AWLA is free association, they helps woman and girls whom are violeted seek justice, ” but we don’t tolerate lies.”
Mrs Dikibujiri Bobmanuel, from the AWLA national executive body, said that this years theme focuses on the urgent need to address the escalation of violence against women and girls particularly gender-related killing.
She said that the Beijing resolution promulgated sets rules concerning equality of men and women.
“Some of the resolution are: Equal right and inherent human dignity of women and men, to ensure full implementation of the human rights of women and girl child as an inalienable, integral and indivisible part of all human rights.
“Women empowerment and their full participation on the basis of equality in all sphere of the society, also, equal rights, opportunities and access to resources, equal sharing of responsibility for the family and harmonious partnership,” Bobmanuel said.
She said that some of the rights of women and girl child are right to bodily integrity and autonomy, freedom from sexual violence, right to vote and be voted for, right to hold public offices.
Bobmanuel said that right to enter legal contract, right to work, right to fair wages/equal pay, reproductive rights, right to own a property and right to education.
Lead Consultant, Mr Segun Oyedijo, said that it was important to end gender base violence.
“If you see something say it, they need to be aware of what is happening to be able to help because they are always ready to help,” he said.
