New Delhi: A three-day international seminar on prevention of violence against women concluded here on Saturday with parliamentarians from participating countries expressing hope that governments become sensitive to the problem and deal with it more effectively.
About 150 delegates, including 47 Parliamentarians from 10 countries, deliberated on the issue of "Preventing and Responding to Violence against Women: From Legislation To Effective Enforcement" at the seminar organised jointly by the Parliament of India and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU).
Addressing the valedictory session, IPU president Theo-Ben Gurirab hoped that the findings of the seminar would lead to credible action by the governments concerned to tackle the issue.
Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had inaugurated the seminar on September 15, saying that despite the presence of 45 women Presiding Officers in Parliaments across the world and majority of countries having enacted laws against domestic violence, up to 76 percent women have been victims of either physical or sexual violence.
Emphasising on a change in the mindset of men to empower women educationally and to strengthen institutional mechanisms to ensure decisive action and effective implementation of relevant laws, she called upon parliamentarians to work together and make continuous efforts to achieve the goal.
The three-day programme spread over eight sessions deliberated on themes like domestic violence, sexual violence and sexual harassment in public space and harmful practices against women.
PTI
