MONROVIA, February 4 (LINA) - The Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Julia Duncan-Cassell, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to ensure that all forms of violence perpetrated against women are speedily prosecuted.

 
Cassell noted that violence against women remains unpunished and perpetrators rely on the culture of impunity to commit these acts, leaving government with no alternative but to exert efforts to prosecute offenders as a deterent.
 
She made the statement at the Ministry of Information daily Ebola press conference held at the ministry in Monrovia on Wednesday.
 
Cassell noted that violence against women does not only violate their human rights, but also hampers productivity, reduces human capital and undermines economic and health growth.
 
The minister called for concerted efforts by all Liberian to uproot such practice from society, adding that “violence against women takes many forms as it happens through female genital mutilation, marital rape, forced marriage and sexual harassment.”
 
She also named other forms of violence against women as forced pregnancy and abortion, trafficking, prostitution and intimidation at workplaces and educational institutions.
LINA