Thai PM Urges End to Violence Against Women and Children

BANGKOK, November 17 (TNA) – Thai Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Sunday presided over the ‘People’s Power Ending Violence’ programme, aimed at ridding violence in which many women and children are seen victims of men in the country. Her attendance came as November 25 is designated by the United Nations as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Miss Yingluck said during the opening speech that cooperation from every sector must be given in order to end violence. The society and everybody must be responsible in ridding every form of violence while the government has established a centre to provide assistance to victims regardless of sex, age and nationality with an objective to enable the victims to live in the society normally. Miss Yingluck later handed flags to 48 groups who have joined the programme. Social Development and Human Security Minister Paveena Hongsakul, meanwhile, said that she wanted to see every concerned agency to realise the severity of violence inflicted upon children and women which tends to rise. The prime minister wants to end violence against children and women in the society as the national agenda by setting up the centre to receive complaints as well as solving family problems in the country, said Mrs. Paveena. On Saturday, she said as many as 11,764 people telephoned the centre between July 11-November 13 this year and sought help from the government. Out of the total complaints, nearly 900 callers complained on family problems while the rest on labour exploitation and human trafficking. (TNA)