Mr. Charles Habiah, a gender advocate, has urged government to enact stringent laws and initiate effective measures to prevent all forms of violence against women in the country. He also appealed to the authorities to ensure that persons, particularly women who suffered violence or brutalities were counselled and rehabilitated. Mr Habiah was speaking on the topic: “Violence Against Women and Reproductive Rights in Ghana”, at a workshop organized by FIDA Ghana, for 40 paralegals from Wa West District in the Upper West Region, at Wa. He expressed worry that a study showed that one out of every three Ghanaian women had suffered physical abuse from intimate partners. Mr. Habiah said statistics indicated that 18 per cent of women and girls had their first sexual intercourse through force while 21 per cent of women were reportedly forced by husbands to have sex. He said women were been discriminated against in the labour front and cited that one out every six women was prevented from getting a job or for going to work. Mr. Habiah called on all Ghanaians to help eliminate violence against women adding “Apart from government, the responsibility to end violence against women rest on individuals, organisations, families and communities.” The paralegals were expected to undertake outreach programmes to create awareness about rights of women and children and violence against women and its impact on families and communities, after the workshop. Source: GNA