Anambra monarchs flay violence against women

Traditional Rulers Council of Anambra State has condemned all forms of violence against women and girls, including harmful practices and social norms in the state.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a multi-stakeholder strategy conference between the Traditional Rulers Council of Anambra and the WomenAid Collective (WACOL) in partnership with the Ford Foundation West Africa, support ministries of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Justice, Women Affairs and the 50/50 Action Women of Anambra, the council expressed commitment to the empowerment of womenfolk.

The communiqué, which was signed by chairman of Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers, the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Achebe, read in part: “We are committed to eliminating harmful traditional practices such as widowhood practices; denial of inheritance, forced and girl child marriage, harmful rituals, exploitation and trafficking of women and girls, including degrading treatment and practices.

“We are committed to respecting the rights of women and girls as recognised in the state, national and international laws.”

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The monarchs also decided to “make a commitment towards actions to codify communal laws and regulations that will protect women and girls which include rejection of harmful traditional widowhood practices, including disinheritance of widows.”

According to the communiqué, the traditional rulers committed to respecting the rights of widows and widowers, and to implement the Supreme Court judgment that females have a right to inherit property from the family estate whether married or not.

They also committed to support the inclusion of women in decisions affecting them; consider the inclusion of women in the leadership of traditional institutions; encourage women’s leadership at the community level, and mediate and report women’s rights cases in line with state, national, regional, and international human rights legal frameworks.

The conference was attended by the Commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, the Commissioner for Lands, the Commissioner for Women Affairs and the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, amongst traditional rulers across the three senatorial districts under the umbrella of the Anambra State Council of Traditional Rulers.