YAOUNDE, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno signed an order on Tuesday introducing stricter penalties for violence against women and girls in the Central African nation.

The measures include up to five years in prison for those involved in forced or arranged marriages, 15 years for rape and up to three years for domestic violence.

Amina Priscille Longoh, minister of women and child protection, called the move "historic," marking significant progress in safeguarding women's rights in Chad. ■