Source: This Day Live
Edo State Government, in conjunction with Edo Women's Development Initiative (EWDI), have decried all forms of violence against women.

They were also unanimous that there was need to intensify campaigns to stop violence against women irrespective of cultural barriers and other factors that have tended to promote gender violence. According to both parties, violence against women has in no small way created inequality among the people.

Declaring open the recent 2nd Edo Women's conference with theme 'Violence, Crime and Unemployment', Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole lamented that violence against women is one of the most frequent human rights violations - yet one of the least prosecuted - and urged those who had been victims of such violence to speak out and end the impunity.

Represented by the state commissioner for women affairs, Mrs. Blessing Maigida, Oshiomhole said "Violence against women is one of the most occurring human rights violations yet one of the least prosecuted. In our societies, women have continued to be victims of violence and crime, lack of equal access to education, credit facilities and traditional attitudes. Violence against women in any form not only violates our integrity but also our sense of personality."

"Violence against women has no less devastating effect and these affect their employment opportunities, and productivity both in their homes and places of work. The social and economic effect of violence against women are too grievous to be ignored, they are obstacles to achieving parts of the MDGs which serve as a framework for eradicating extreme poverty and hunger and promoting gender equality and empowering women. We must develop a multi-faceted approach to this.

"Access to productivity resources coupled with the girl child education, as well as change in the attitude and traditional practices complemented with legal measures are portent weapons to prevent gender based violence. I will like to use this opportunity to call on young girls and women who have endured gender based violence to speak out and end this culture of impunity. It is also imperative that government and others challenge that culture that permits gender based violence", he added.

In her welcome address, Chairperson EWDI, Prof. Yinka Omoregbe described Nigeria as a country where there are no inadequate responses to pervading violence "much of which is criminal". She also described Nigerian society as "too docile" where people do not react "either from ignorance, fear or from a sense of inevitability or fatalism".
Omoregbe noted that the annual conference was borne out of the desire by her group and others who collaborated to lift the average woman and young people in Edo State and Nigeria.

In her opening remarks, Chairman of the event and former Minister of Women Affairs, Mrs. Josephine Anenih, said the action of the women groups and their collaborators was an exemplary role of Edo women, as symbolised by the late Emotan who was said to have allowed herself to be used as sacrifice for peace to reign in Benin Kingdom.

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