Osogbo-Osun State Deputy-Governor, Mrs. Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, has estimated that one in every five women faces some form of violence during their lifetime, in some cases leading to serious injury or death.

Represented by Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. M. Adegboyega, Mrs Laoye-Tomori at a workshop on Violence Against Women, VAW, by the state Ministry for Women Affairs in collaboration with British Department for International Development, DFID, in Osogbo, said Nigeria could not develop when half its population was subject to unchecked abuse.

In a goodwill message, Sina Fagbenro-Byron, of DFID said there was connection between (MDGs) and VAW, particularly, “Goals 3: Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women; 4: Reduce Child Mortality and 5: Improve Maternal Health.”

Resource persons led by Prof.Oluyemisi Obilade of the Obafemi Awolowo University spoke on Managing Violence against women strongly recommending capacity building and adoption of a gender policy for Nigerian Police and state social workers; setting up of a specialised police unit to handle VAW; more serious sanctions for offenders and domestication of the Child Rights Act and the Convention for the Elimination of all forms of discrimination against women