Lead campaign against violence on women - Civil society told

Ho, Nov. 28, GNA - Mr Mawutor Goh, Ho Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has called on civil society to lead the crusade against physical violence on women.

He said the government required the co-operation of the people to effectively exercise its responsibility of protecting the rights of all citizens especially women against maltreatment.

Mr Goh made the appeal in a speech read on his behalf at the launch of an Art Book for the youth on violence against women in Ho on Friday, as part of activities to mark the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence," November 25 to December 10.

The Art Book is a compilation of drawings, depicting various forms of violence against women and children by pupils of Mawuli, Dora Memorial, Prince of Peace and Kabore Junior Secondary Schools ain Ho. Mr Goh urged Churches, youth and men's groups to make education on gender rights one of their major preoccupations.

He urged men to change their mind-sets that women are tools to be used. The Women In Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF), Volta Region, and Rhema-Tech, a Ho based NGO organised the competition while the Africa Women's Development Fund (AWDF) sponsored the book.

Mrs Hilary Gbedemah, Legal Officer of WiLDAF, said the Art Book was aimed at getting the youth to understand gender issues before they grew into adults since they "relate better to pictures than script". She said graphic representation of many acts of violence against women and children by the pupils was an indication that such deviant behaviour was widespread.