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Summary: The annual day of discussions on women's rights took place on 10 June in Geneva, with the topic focusing on violence against women and girls. "Good practices and remaining gaps in the prevention of violence against women" Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, said that violence against women was not inevitable; it could be prevented and avoided with the right combination of tools and policies. In the discussion, speakers said violence against women and girls was the most pervasive kind of violence in society. Violence against women in vulnerable situations such as victims of trafficking was particularly hard to detect and needed special attention. The increasing commodification of women also needed to be addressed. A persisting lack of timely, reliable and accurate data on violence against women prevented a better understanding of the scope of the phenomenon and impeded effective responses and strategies. "Conflict-related violence against women" Kyun-wha Kang, Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, introducing the panel, said conflict situations exacerbated pre-existing patterns of gender discrimination and put women and girls at heightened risk of sexual, physical and psychological violence. The end of conflict did not translate into an end to the violence that women and girls endured. Zohra Rasekh, Vice President, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, said that the Committee had been vigilant about women's human rights during armed conflict and post-conflict situations through its regular examinations of the States parties, and through concluding observations and recommendations. Ms Rasekh continued saying that as violence against women, and specifically sexual violence during armed conflict, had become an epidemic, the Committee had decided at its forty-seventh session to adopt a general recommendation on the protection of women's human rights in conflict and post-conflict contexts. This general recommendation would underscore the disproportionate and unique impact of armed conflict on women, especially given that conflicts were often accompanied by gender-based violence. In the discussion, speakers said millions of women around the world were far from enjoying the rights they were guaranteed by the various conventions, as violence against women was among the most widespread forms of discrimination. The instrumentalisation of women in the media, female genital mutilation and the spread of HIV/AIDS as a weapon of war were but some examples illustrating the painful reality in which women were forced to live. All countries, as well as civil society and other relevant stakeholders, must be mobilised to appropriately combat this issue and tackle its root causes. The objective of the day was for the panel discussions to lead to practical recommendations on the role the Human Rights Council can continue to play in consolidating a human rights-based approach to preventing violence against women. CRIN will be monitoring the follow-up to these discussions. Further Information
Panel 1
Panel 2
Outcomes of the day