By Prof. Joy N. Ezeilo, SAN
Every year, women’s rights activists around the world participate in the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This campaign begins on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Girls, and concludes on Human Rights Day, December 10.
As I was preparing my message to commemorate this important event, I received an urgent call from a 21-year-old mother of two who desperately needed to escape severe domestic violence from her husband.
For over 30 years, I have dedicated my life to assisting individuals in such situations, listening to the painful stories of vulnerable women and children. The cases are overwhelming for me and my organisation- Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL) and Tamar Sexual Assault Referral Centre (Tamar SARC).
Enough is enough! Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and Gender-Based Violence (GBV) are unacceptable, and their effects are devastating for both the individual victims and society as a whole.
Take action to prevent violence against women and children. It is time to put an end to GBV and VAWG. We must adopt a zero-tolerance policy toward these issues now.
