The Consul-General ofNigeria in New York Benanoyagha Okoyen has called for stringent measuresagainst discrimination and violence against women and girls in the society. Okoyen spoke at a sideevent organised by some Nigerian organisations with the theme “Empowering Womenand Girls in the Rural Area” at the ongoing 63 Session of theUN Commission on the Status of Women. The organisations wereHope Edge International, Shamar Educational Foundation and World MissionFoundation. The Nigerian envoy,who spoke on: “The Role and Impact of the Male Champion in the Advancement andEmpowerment of Women and the Girl Child” said violence against women was nowunfashionable. Okoyen saiddiscrimination and violence against women are no longer acceptable, notexcusable, not even fashionable and never tolerable. He said the call forwomen empowerment was a call to duty with an ever-increasing seriousness, callingon women to stand boldly to confront every limitation against theiradvancement.$u�”�Y�r