They said many parents in a bid to amass wealth sell their girls to the highest bidder and groaned that such girls are often exposed to sexual violence and other forms of violence against women.

During an advocacy dialogue with executives of Women Faith-based Organisation for the Elimination  of Violence against Women, Girls and Children in Ezza South local government of the state, UNICEF desk officer in NOA, Mr. Uchenna Unah, said the advocacy dialogue was organized to sensitize the participants on the dangers of violence against women, girls and children and the need to always report such cases to the appropriate authorities.

Unah said the organizers have continued to support the campaign against violence against women, adding that though the campaign has yielded fruits, there was still a need for more enlightenment campaigns in churches, schools, and communities to ensure the reduction of violence in the society.

In his presentation, the Ebonyi State coordinator, National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Onyekachi Nworie, warned parents against seeing the girl child as an object for acquiring wealth.

Mrs. Ngwoke Anthonia, president of, Catholic Women Organisations (CWO), St Camelus Catholic Church Idembia, commended the organization for the dialogue and called on women to lead the cause for the elimination of huge financial burden on people getting married to their daughters.

“It is the way you take yourself that people will address you, as we go home now we will try to counter the motion that we are not objects, we are human beings and need to be respected, nobody should take us as property in the house, or a group that can be taken anyhow, we need to be handled with care,” she said.