The Country Director of The Hunger Project-Ghana (THP-Ghana), Dr Naana Agyemang-Mensah, has called on government to enforce laws and policies that protect women and children against all forms of violence and abuse. This according to her, would help eliminate obstacles to the achievement of equality, peace and the advancement of women to enable them contribute to national development. Dr Agyemang-Mensah made the call when she addressed some women groups at Adomfe near Bompata in the Asante Akim South District to mark the United Nation's 16 Day of Activism Against Gender Violence. The celebration, which was on the theme, "Commit-Act-Demand: We Can End Violence Against Women", was also attended by teachers, pupils, assembly members, officials from the district assembly and the general public. Dr Agyemang-Mensah regretted that most sexual violence against women and children were perpetrated by people in position of trust, who use their positions to initiate sexual favours. She said the over-dependence on men for survival contributed to violence against women, adding that some women in marriage were subjected to extreme form of violence but were forced to tolerate the situation and suffer in silence. Dr Agyemang-Mensah urged chiefs and elders to acknowledge the critical roles that women played in the development of communities and provide them with the right support that would give them hope for justice. She also noted that psychological violence against women in politics was as damaging as subjecting them to physical violence and called for support for women, who would master confidence to contest in the forthcoming District Assembly Elections. Mr De-graft Forkuo, the District Chief Executive (DCE), in a speech read on his behalf underscored the need for perpetrators of violence against women to be given stiffer punishment to halt the canker. He commended THP-Ghana for their numerous human-centered programmes initiated in the district, which he said complemented the assembly's efforts at improving the livelihood of the people. Source: GNA