Source: AllAfrica
Top United Nations Official: No Country Has Totally Eradicated Those 'Abhorrent' Crimes. Violence against women and girls remained pervasive and widespread throughout the world, with no one country able to say that it had eradicated those "abhorrent" crimes, ministerial-level speakers said as the Commission on the Status of Women continued its general debate today.

"Most countries have put in place measures in an attempt to curb the prevalence of violence against women," said Rashida Manjoo, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, as she briefed the Commission. However, she warned, many of those measures went unimplemented and a number of civil society groups had argued that the problem was not only increasing, but reaching epidemic proportions.

"The adoption of a United Nations international instrument on violence against women and girls, with its own universal monitoring body, would ensure that States were held accountable for the protection of women and girls globally," she went on. She had mapped "soft law developments" and found that the lack of a specific, legally binding instrument constituted a major challenge. Further obstacles included the lack of transformative remedies that addressed the root causes of violence against women.

"Violence against women and girls in all its forms is an abhorrent crime and must be eradicated," said Lindsay Northover, Minister for International Development of the United Kingdom. In her country, national measures addressed domestic violence prevention and allowed women to check their partners' criminal history, she said.

Many speakers described a range of national laws, measures and action plans aimed at combating the scourge of gender-based violence. In that connection, Palau's Minister for Community and Cultural Affairs -- speaking for the Pacific Islands Forum -- said that significant strides had been made in his region in breaking the silence on violence against women and girls, increasing women's access to justice and initiating a dialogue on sexual and reproductive health and rights.

Among other countries that had adopted legislation to root out gender-based violence was Mongolia, whose Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs said that a national law aimed at combating domestic violence was currently being amended in order to make it more effective. Egypt's president of the National Council of Women said that much had been achieved in her country through legislation, policies and a national strategy targeting violence against women. However, she stressed, challenges remained, including those rooted in traditions, customs and poverty.

A number of speakers brought up the increasing number of violent, targeted attacks against women and girls by extremists. "The kidnapping, selling and systematic rape of women and children should horrify us all," said Australia's Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women and Senator. She added that it was an "outrage" that the world was still struggling to ensure the full realization of human rights for women and girls.

This afternoon, the Commission held three panel discussions, moderated by Ivan Šimonović, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. The discussions tackled the role of national mechanisms in a number of key areas, ranging from legislative change and accountability to advocacy and awareness raising and increasing women's participation and leadership, and featured panellists from Government ministries, civil society and other arenas.

Also speaking during this morning's general debate were ministers and other high-ranking officials from Palau (national capacity), Papua New Guinea, Kiribati, Cameroon, Nepal, Côte d'Ivoire, Mali, Uganda, Rwanda, Spain, Ireland, Bangladesh, Hungary, Belgium, Benin, Switzerland, India, Sri Lanka, Venezuela, Romania, Pakistan and Lithuania.

Representatives of Japan and the Republic of Korea spoke in exercise of the right of reply.

The Commission will meet again at 10 a.m. on Thursday, 12 March, to continue its work.