By Adeyinka Adeniran
As part of efforts to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, a non-governmental organisation, the Women Supporting Women Network (WSWN), has joined the global call for an end to violence against women and girls.
The organisation made the call by advocating increased investment in women’s organisations, better legislation, prosecution of perpetrators, more services for survivors, and training for law enforcement officials.
A statement signed by the Founder/CEO of WSWN, Mrs Toyin Omozuwa, said the organisation recognized that violence against women and girls is not inevitable, but could be eliminated through collective action and breaking the silence.
It noted that WSWN has been at the forefront of creating awareness and educating the public about the dangers of gender-based violence.
Omozuwa stated: “Violence against women and girls remains one of the world’s most pervasive human rights violations. With more than five women or girls killed every hour by someone in their own family, and almost one in three women experiencing physical and/or sexual violence, it is clear that urgent action is needed.
“The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, observed on November 25th each year, marks the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which runs until December 10th, Human Rights Day.”
She disclosed that WSWN had undertaken various initiatives to educate the public about gender-based violence, including organizing workshops and training sessions to raise awareness about the issue, collaborating with schools to implement educational programmes, conducting public awareness campaigns through social media, and hosting events to engage the community in discussions about gender-based violence.
The WSWN founder noted that the organisation would continue to educate society about the culture of gender-based violence, collaborate with policymakers to relegate it to history, as well as partner with the media to raise awareness and push GBV-related issues to the forefront of public consciousness.
She said: “Join WSWN during the #16Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence to speak out, break the cycle of abuse, promote respect, eliminate gender stereotypes, increase awareness, advocate for change, and support survivors. Protecting women and girls is not an expense; it is an investment in a safer and more equitable society.”
Omozuwa further invited the public to join the WSWN annual event, ‘The Orange Forum,’ on Zoom, on Saturday, December 2nd, 2023, at 4:00 p.m (WAT), to feature eminent speakers, interactive panel discussions, and stories from survivors of domestic violence from across the globe, saying more information could be got from: networkwsw@gmail.com or wswnetwork.org.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed annually on November 25th, and the 2023 global theme for the 16 Days of Activism is “Unite! Invest to Prevent Violence against Women and Girls”, emphazising the importance of investing in prevention initiatives.
