Call to tackle violence against women

CAIRO, Feb 23, (Agencies): A Kuwaiti diplomat on Tuesday hailed a new pan-Arab plan to clamp down on violence against women, saying the introduction of new legislations over the matter is a “positive step” forward. Any measure aiming to generate awareness on the need to stop all forms of violence against women is supported by all Arab states, Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for Human Rights Affairs Ambassador Talal Al-Mutairi said on the sidelines of pan-Arab talks on human rights. He mentioned recent laws his country had approved to combat violence against women, while the new Arab strategy would enable countries around the region to address the matter collectively.

Meanwhile, addiction specialists have warned of the high rates of abuse and addiction among women, stressing that the gap between men and women in the field of abuse was ten to one fifty years ago, and now it has become six to one, and in cities four to one, reports Al-Jarida daily.

The Arab Federation for Addiction Prevention called for the re-formation of the National Committee for Drug Control, with the aim of continuing to raise awareness, praising Kuwait’s efforts and interest in monitoring this phenomenon. A consultant psychiatrist, President of the Arab Federation for Addiction Prevention, Dr. Ahmad Abul-Azaim speaking on the social aspects of abuse and addiction prevention and treatment, warned of upcoming waves of dangers targeting the nation’s youth. Abul-Azaim called for confronting these fierce drug mafias at the state level to protect young people who are the hope of the future.

In turn, the Secretary-General of the Arab Federation for the Prevention of Addiction, Dr. Khaled Al-Saleh between addiction from harmful psychological substances and its relationship to human health and its cells, so addiction becomes a mental and health disease at the same time. He pointed out that the poorest countries are the most abused of drugs. The head of international relations at the Arab Federation for Addiction Prevention Dr Hessa Al-Shaheen, spoke of the importance of this scientific meeting, “because of the dangerous targeting of young people in our region in order to bring them down in the clutches of drugs.”