Africa-Press – Angola. The president of the National Assembly, Carolina Cerqueira, pointed out, this Saturday, the need to increase the sentences for perpetrators of sexual crimes and assaults against women.
In a message within the framework of the International Day for the Elimination of Discrimination and Violence against Women, Carolina Cerqueira considers it to be a deplorable practice, sometimes associated with economic and social causes combined with prejudices rooted in certain communities and their respective traditional and cultural, subjecting women to situations of subalternity and permanent violence.
“In the 21st century, it is incomprehensible that situations that prevent girls from enjoying their right to education and, therefore, not attending school still persist in some communities. They grow up without security and the necessary self-esteem, being forced, often, to early marriages and being subject to psychological, physical and even sexual attacks that, eventually, result in feminicide”, the message reads.
In her view, it is urgent that the competent public institutions investigate and punish social practices that violate women’s rights, including domestic violence, calling on society to continually denounce cases of discrimination and violence against women and girls.
To this end, it considers it imperative that all women parliamentarians, through specialized working committees and the Group of Women Parliamentarians, multiply ongoing education initiatives for a culture of defending women’s rights.
“This advocacy, together with public and private institutions, as well as civil society organizations, will allow the creation of a local and national database platform against violence against women and young girls”, he asserted.
The leader of the Angolan parliament invites women parliamentarians to be drivers and mobilizers of this campaign against gender violence.
“Thus, as legislators, it is important to ensure that there is a feminine vision in the adoption of the legal framework for preventing and combating violence against women, which also involves increasing the penalties for perpetrators of sexual and assault crimes and approving of gender-responsive budgets”, he said.
He hoped that, during the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, women parliamentarians could contribute to actions aimed at implementing, at national level, the international commitments of the Angolan State inherent to the protection of women’s political, economic, social and cultural rights .
“Only then will we be moving towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, in general, and, in particular, its Objective 5 regarding gender equality”, he pointed out.
Carolina Cerqueira expressed solidarity with all women who are victims of a society that discriminates and penalizes them for the simple fact that they are women.
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign to combat violence against women and girls. The campaign takes place every year, between November 25th, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and December 10th, International Human Rights Day.
For More News And Analysis About Angola Follow Africa-Press
