UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women Warns of Threats to Gains on Women's Human Rights
UN Commission on Human Rights, UN Press Release, 5 April 2004

As Commission Continues Consideration of Women's Human Rights, Speakers Raise Issues on Human Trafficking, HIV/AIDS Infection and Domestic Violence

The Special Rapporteur on violence against women this morning addressed the Commission on Human Rights, warning against alarming trends toward political conservatism and backlash which threatened the gains made thus far in the global women's human rights agenda.

Yakin Erturk, Special Rapporteur on violence against women, said she had emphasized the universality of violence against women, the multiplicity of its forms and the intersectionality of diverse kinds of discrimination against women rooted in other systems of subordination and inequality in her report to the Commission. Thus, while recognizing positive developments, it must also be noted that great divisions among humankind were increasingly articulated along cultural lines and that the management of conflict based on cultural and religious specificities often resulted in the justification of violence against women both within and between conflicting groups.

On the subject of official visits undertaken in 2004, Ms. Erturk said she had been to both El Salvador and Guatemala in February. While both countries had the necessary legal framework in international human rights law, the challenges faced were grave as violence against women and girls continued to be widespread inside and outside the home. The official response to brutal murders of women had illustrated that violence against women was not seen as a serious crime. Moreover, women in both countries shared problems related to the armed conflicts and, more recently, related to the violence and exploitation linked with domestic and transnational criminal networks.

El Salvador, speaking as a concerned country, affirmed that the protection of women was a priority at both the national and international levels and that efforts had been made to implement important projects for the modernization of organizations entrusted with oversight of violence against women.

Guatemala, also speaking as a concerned country, highlighted the priority accorded to combating the causes and consequences of violence against women. Among ongoing efforts, a new unit had been established within the national civil police to investigate crimes against women.

Switzerland, Canada, Cuba, Ireland (on behalf of the European Union) and Pakistan participated in the inter-active dialogue that followed the Special Rapporteur's presentation.

As the Commission continued with its general debate on the integration of women's human rights and the gender perspective, it heard from national delegations who emphasized the need to ensure effective implementation – into national legislation and practice – of international agreements, the rising threat of trafficking in women and children and the interconnectedness of HIV/AIDS infection and the vulnerability of women due to traditional cultural and sexual roles.

Participating in the general debate were Representatives of the Dominican Republic, New Zealand (on behalf of Canada and Australia), Ireland (on behalf of the European Union), Lithuania (on behalf of the Baltic and Nordic States), Sri Lanka, Republic of Korea, South Africa, Cuba, China, India, Paraguay, Pakistan, Bahrain, Croatia, United States, Sudan, Indonesia, Nigeria, Bhutan and Chile.

Speaking in exercise of the right of reply were the Representatives of Japan, the United States and the Republic of Korea.
The Commission will resume its consideration of the integration of the human rights of women and the gender perspective at 3 p.m. this afternoon.

Documents on the Integration of the Human Rights of Women and the Gender Perspective

Under this agenda item the Commission has before it the report (E/CN.4/2004/66 and Add.1) of Yakin Erturk, Special Rapporteur on violence against Women, its Causes and Consequences , which concludes that violence against women is a continuum of acts that violate women's basic human rights, resulting in devastating consequences for women who experience it, traumatic impact on those who witness it, de-legitimization of States that fail to prevent it and the impoverishment of entire societies that tolerate it. Over the past decade, the problem has gained recognition as a human rights violation that can be eliminated through political will and legal and civil action. On the other hand, increased trends towards militarization, armed conflict and global terrorism have naturally focused on violence in emergency situations, while the proximity of people of different cultures has drawn attention to the "other": both often result in a normalization of violence against women and have caused a depoliticization of public discourse on violence against women in certain areas.

The report cites among the critical issues requiring further attention promoting a constructive dialogue among civilizations and diffusing the adverse impact of religious extremism on women's human rights; the impact of transnationalism on women in terms of types of violence encountered, the multiplicity of normative systems at work and the multiplicity of State and non-State actors involved; strengthening the capacity of States to comply effectively with their obligations under international law; the intersection of violence against women and the HIV/AIDS pandemic; and "gender budgeting as a mechanism for monitoring State compliance with international law to eliminate violence against women".

The Addendum contains summaries of general individual allegations, as well as urgent appeals transmitted to Governments, and their replies. Such communications were carried out with Angola, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Greece, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Malaysia, Mexico, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Singapore, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Uruguay.
There is also a report of the Secretary-General on the j oint work plan of the Division for the Advancement of Women and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (E/CN.4/2004/65-E/CN.6/2004/7), which contains an assessment of the implementation of the current work plan and sets forth the joint work plan for 2004, including aspects for support for human rights bodies; support for intergovernmental bodies and special procedures; technical cooperation, advisory services and meetings; awareness raising and outreach; and inter-agency coordination.

Statements on the Report of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women

YAKIN ERTURK, Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, stressed that her report emphasized the universality of violence against women, the multiplicity of its forms and the intersectionality of diverse kinds of discrimination against women rooted in other systems of subordination and inequality. She had also expanded upon the concept of violence again women to capture that wide spectrum of acts manifested "from the domicile to the transnational arena". New issues and concerns were continually emerging and transnational actors, including intergovernmental organizations, corporations and other business enterprises, among others, were implicated in the need for further standard setting and implementation.

Official missions had been undertaken to El Salvador and Guatemala in February 2004, she said, while noting that the final mission reports would be presented during the Commission's 2005 session. While both countries had the necessary legal framework in international human rights law, the challenges were grave as violence against women and girls continued to be widespread inside and outside of the home. The official response to the brutal murders of women who had been kidnapped and later found dead with signs of rape and torture illustrated that violence against women – whether domestic violence, rape or sexual harassment – was not seen as a serious crime. Women in both countries also shared problems related to the long years of armed conflict and to more recent problems of violence and exploitation linked to domestic and transnational criminal networks. Most crimes remained uninvestigated, resulting in impunity, reinforcing patterns of gender discrimination and constituting a source of perpetual terror in the everyday lives of women. However, among positive developments, legal reforms had been undertaken in El Salvador, while Guatemala and the United Nations had recently agreed to establish a Commission for the Investigation of Illegal Groups and Clandestine Security Organizations.

While violence against women persisted in all countries, the international women's movement and human rights advocates worldwide had made the issue a priority on the international agenda, the Special Rapporteur noted. The Declaration by women Ministers of Foreign Affairs and other dignitaries made at the beginning of the Commission's present session, and the high-level segment's focus on violence against women, were encouraging. However, concern must also be expressed over alarming trends toward political conservatism and backlash, which threatened the gains made thus far in the global women's human rights agenda. Noting that great divisions among humankind were increasingly being articulated along cultural lines, she warned that the management of conflict based on cultural and religious specificities often resulted in the justification of violence against women both within and between conflicting groups.

Stressing that HIV/AIDS had emerged as the single most devastating epidemic experienced in modern history, she noted that its interconnection with and impact on women's human rights had become a major area of concern as women and girls were particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS, owing not only to their biological conditions, but also to economic and social inequalities and culturally accepted gender roles that placed them in subordinate positions vis-à-vis men regarding decisions on sexual relations. The development of guidelines for the practical implementation of international law on the human rights of women, and enhancing understanding and developing strategies to respond to violence against women at the transnational, national, community and individual levels and security were among the priorities she envisaged addressing.