Shoka Noda: Violence against women is unacceptable

Resident representative of United Nations Development Program to Maldives, Shoka Noda has called for protection of human rights, stressing that violence against women is unacceptable.

Speaking during the conference on human rights issues in Maldives which started this Wednesday at Kurumba Maldives, Noda said that protection of human rights was necessary at all cost, and that it contributed to socioeconomic development.

Noda spoke specifically about violence against women and the importance of protection of the rights of women.

“We need to work on protecting rights of women. Statistics show one in every three women in Maldives has experienced an act of violence against them. This is unacceptable,” said Noda.

The two-day conference will focus on domestic violence, involvement of women in politics, rights of the disabled, and human rights from an Islamic perspective, said Transparency Maldives.

Senior Project Coordinator of Transparency Maldives, Ahmed Tholal said that NGOs and State organizations will be participating in the discussion over human rights.

“It’s the purpose of this conference to open dialogue regarding human rights. We want NGOs and State departments to participate in this. So that instead of the dialogue being one-sided, the dialogue produces solutions to the issues,” said Tholal.

Transparency Maldives reports that the conference will be held with 38 participants.