Nigeria, March 27 -- Community and religious leaders have called for an end to gender-based violence across West African countries.

The leaders, drawn from Nigerian communities, spoke at an event in New York, US, on 17 March, organised by the Ford Foundation Center for Social Justice, the foundation said in a statement on Monday.

The event, entitled "Traditional, religious, and community leaders driving meaningful change," was held as part of the 69th session of the Commission on the Status of Women.

It was organised to mark the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

The event highlights Ford Foundation's ongoing commitment to preventing gender-based violence and advancing justice and equity for women and...