Violence against women a common crime

Violence against women remains an all-too common crime, United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Friday.

“Whether it is domestic violence, sex trafficking, so-called honor crimes or female genital cutting, violence against women and girls continues to be a horrific and all-too common crime,” Ban said in his remarks to a panel at UN headquarters provided by the UN office in Manila.

Such trend, according to Ban, devastates individuals and societies alike.

“In addition to causing personal suffering, violence against women undermines development, generates instability, and makes peace in society much harder to achieve,” he noted.

These sentiments were echoed by Dr. Noeleen Heyzer, the UN undersecretary general and executive secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in a speech she delivered at the Women of Independence Conference held in Malaysia.

“Violations of women’s rights continue in areas ranging from ongoing violence against women in the name of culture, the abuse of migrant and domestic workers, and trafficking of women and girls,” she added.

Ban has called for greater accountability for the violations of the rights of women and girls by putting concrete steps in ending impunity.

“We must address the roots of violence against women by eradicating discrimination and changing the mindsets that perpetuate it,” the secretary general pointed out.

Such action, according to Ban, is in congruent to the Beijing Platform for Action, which states that putting an end to violence against women is critical to achieving equality, development and peace.

“Let us rid our societies of this cause for global shame. Let us end the violence and empower women and girls for the benefit of all,” Ban stressed. –LLANESCA T. PANTI Reporter, Manila Times