The
campaign will
aim to mobilize
public opinion
to ensure that
policy makers at
the highest
level work to
prevent and
eradicate
violence against
women. A key
target will be
to secure
political will
and increased
resources from
governments,
international
institutions,
United Nations
entities, the
private sector
and other donors
for policies and
programs to
tackle the
problem.
"Violence
against women
and girls makes
its hideous
imprint on every
continent,
country and
culture," said
UN
Secretary-General
Ban Ki-moon of
the launch of
the campaign
during the
opening
meeting
of the
Commission on
the Status of
Women.
(story
continues
below)
Michealene
Risley (right),
Director of Stop
Violence Against
Women and a
youth delegate
blow whistles to
mark the launch
of the Campaign
to End Violence
Against Women
during a meeting
of the
Commission on
the Status of
Women on
"Financing
for gender
equality and
empowerment of
women" on
Monday at the UN
Headquarters in
New York. UN
Photo/Mark
Garten
The
campaign will
build upon the
decades of work
by women
activists,
women's groups
and other civil
society
organizations
who, as agents
of change,
continue to lead
the struggle to
expose and
counter
violence.
"It
is time to focus
on the concrete
actions that all
of us can and
must take to
prevent and
eliminate this
scourge - Member
States, the
United Nations
family, civil
society and
individuals -
women and men.
It is time to
break through
the walls of
silence, and
make legal norms
a reality in
women's
lives," Mr.
Ban said.
The
campaign will
focus on three
key areas:
global advocacy;
United Nations
leadership by
example; and
strengthened
efforts and
partnerships at
the national,
regional and
international
levels.
The
campaign will
harness the
existing strong
momentum in the
General Assembly
and the Security
Council to take
action against
all forms of
violence against
women, including
rape in conflict
and
post-conflict
situations.
At
the 2005 World
Summit, world
leaders pledged
to redouble
efforts to
eliminate all
forms of
violence against
women and,
following the
release of an in-depth
study
by the
Secretary-General,
further impetus
was generated by
two General
Assembly
resolutions (61/143
and 62/133) on
intensification
of efforts to
eliminate all
forms of
violence against
women, adopted
in December 2006
and 2007
respectively,
and a resolution
on rape and
sexual violence
(62/134)
adopted in
December 2007.
California
Congresswoman
Barbara Lee will
give the keynote
address and UN
Under-Secretary-General
for Communications
and Public
Information Kiyo
Akasaka will also
give remarks.
