[women-rights] New UN report says violence against women is a human rights violation

Classification obliges States to punish perpetrators and prevent abuse

(New York, October 9, 2006) -- Human Rights Watch and the Center for
Women's Global Leadership welcomed a report issued by United Nations today
that classifies abuse against women -- whether it happens in the home or
elsewhere -- as a human rights violation. As such, states are obliged by
international human rights standards to hold perpetrators accountable.

The 140-page report entitled "In-depth study on all forms of violence
against women (http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/vaw/)," which was issued
by Secretary-General Kofi Annan's office, confirms that violence against
women by spouses, family members, and employers is a human rights
violation, settling any outstanding debate on this issue. By squarely
stating that it is, the report says that governments have an obligation to
protect women whether the perpetrators are state or non-state actors.

"This report acknowledges for the first time from the highest levels of
the United Nations what human and women's rights advocates have documented
over the past few decades: violence against women is a massive human
rights violation that is both a cause and a consequence of deeply
ingrained inequality between men and women," said Charlotte Bunch,
Executive Director of the Center for Women's Global Leadership at Rutgers
University, and a member of the Secretary General's International Advisory
Committee for the study.

The report describes promising practices in the fight against violence
against women but dismisses state efforts so far as mostly ineffective.
Even with a sophisticated analysis of the problem and, in certain cases,
strong laws related to this violence, most national-level responses have
been inadequate, and have not eradicated the impunity perpetrators too
often enjoy.

"The Secretary-General's study conveys a very simple message," said
LaShawn R. Jefferson, Executive Director of Human Rights Watch's Women's
Rights Division. "The individual who carries out any form of violence
against women has committed a crime. A government that does not develop,
fund, and implement all necessary laws and programs to prevent and to
punish this violence violates international human rights law. Both the
individual committing the violence and the government blithely letting it
happen must be held responsible."

The study highlights the need for additional attention to violence
suffered by women from marginalized groups (such as indigenous peoples or
ethnic minorities). The report also draws attention to the problem of
under-documentation of violence and control of women’s bodies and
sexuality as an insidious component of gender inequality. In addition, the
study addresses violence in conflict situations, pertinent issues related
to criminal justice systems, service provision for survivors, the need to
work with men to address violence, and needs of women who are facing
multiple forms of discrimination.

It is incumbent upon the next Secretary General to commit to advancing the
specific recommendations set out in Kofi Annan's study and it is
imperative for human rights advocates to keep pressure on governments to
fulfill their responsibility, said Human Rights Watch and the Center for
Women's Global Leadership upon the launch of the report.

The report's recommendations are directed at member states and at various
entities within the United Nations system and include a call to document
and register all forms of violence against women and to provide leadership
at all levels in the condemnation and prevention of violence against
women.

"What the Secretary-General's study makes clear is that this violence is
not inevitable: with sufficient political will, funding, and carefully
developed and targeted programs, violence against women can be
significantly reduced," said Bunch. "The issue now is will governments and
the United Nations make a firm commitment to act on the findings of this
report."

Human Rights Watch Press release