Punitive measures against gender-related violence advocated

Ho, May 12, GNA- Mrs Hilary Gbedemah, a Gender Rights Campaigner, on Wednesday recommended that punitive measures applicable under the law should be evoked to fight the wanton disregard for the intestate succession law.

She said this, however, should not preclude education and advocacy to promote adherence of the law. Mrs Gbedemah, a former Senior Legal Advisor to the Legal Awareness Programme-Volta Region (LAP-VR) was reacting to concerns raised by a contributor at a ceremony in Ho to mark the seventh year of the project.

It was on the theme: "Redefining Voluntarism; The year Of the Sabbatical".

Mrs Gbedemah said criminal penalties should be sought in the courts against perpetrators of all forms of gender violence. Mr Johnson Ganyo, Kpetoe District Police Commander, appealed to partners in the fight against gender violence to collaborate to improve the level of public appreciation of gender related issues. LAP-VR is a gender rights promotion and advocacy project of Women In Law and Development in Africa.

During its seven years of existence the LAP-VR, trained Legal Literacy Volunteers for all the districts in the region to serve as first line gender rights advocates.