Bernhard Schlagheck, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, has called for a collective global action to end violence against women and girls.
Schlagheck made this known during the 2017 Human Rights Day celebration which held at his residence in Abuja with theme: ‘End Violence against Women and Children’.
The event which was in collaboration with the French embassy, exhibited art works by ladies of the Female Arts Association of Nigeria which showed the pain of victims of the violence.
He said everyone has a responsibility to prevent and end violence against women and girls.
`This is a major issue that has to be addressed that has ruined many of our daughters, sisters, mothers, wives and aunts worldwide and we have to take measures to put a stop to this inhumane act.
“Many young ladies are forced into actions that they will never think of partaking in and many of them are used in ways we can’t imagine.
“It is time that we take proactive steps to improve our society and ensure that these acts of violence are no longer tolerated.
Also speaking at the event, Denys Gauer, French Ambassador to Nigeria said “we are making necessary efforts to support civil society organisations against human trafficking, child labour and abuse.
“it is necessary for us to make contributions in various ways to stop this crime against humanity.
“The fight against this problem shouldn’t only be carried out in the big cities but also in the rural areas.’’
Schlagheck and Gauer proceeded to honour the 2017 German-French Human Rights award to Grace Osakwe, who had been recognised by both embassies for her actions towards to ending violence against women and children.
Osakwe is a school principal in Benin City and co-founder of an NGO known as Girls Power Initiative and she was earlier recognised for her fight for gender equality perpetrated by local traditions.
She continues to fight for the rights, development and protection of women and girls across Nigeria.
NAN reports that a global estimates published by WHO indicate that about one in three (35 per cent) of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.
WHO said most of this violence is intimate partner violence.
Worldwide, almost one third (30 per cent) of women who have been in a relationship report that they have experienced some form of physical and/or sexual violence by their intimate partner in their lifetime.
The WHO globally, as many as 38 per cent of murders of women are committed by a male intimate partner.(NAN)
