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"Violence Against Women "

From: United Nations Department of Public Information,
January, 1995.

http://www.earthtym.net/abuse.htm

A Platform for Action

" Violence against women derives essentially from the lower status accorded to women in the family and in society. It is abetted by ignorance, lack of laws to prohibit violence, inadequate efforts by public authorities to enforce existing laws, and absence of educational and other means to address its causes", says the Draft Platform for Action. Experience in a number of countries shows that women and men can be mobilized to fight against violence in all its forms and that effective public measures can be taken to address both the consequences and the causes of violence.

The Draft Platform proposes specific measures Governments and communities can take to eliminate violence against women.

These include:

1. Recognize violence against women as a violation of women's human rights;

2. Cooperate with the Special UN Reporter on Violence against Women;

3. Study and widely publicize root causes and mechanisms of different forms of violence against

women;

4. Analyze and review existing laws relevant to violence against women and develop new

legislative efforts, in accordance with the Declaration on Violence against Women;

5. Address both the causes and the consequences of violence against women, using both legal

and social measures. Emphasize preventing violence as well as protecting women subject to

violence;

6. Launch legal literacy program and information campaigns on existing laws and women's

human rights;

7. Include in the curricula material on gender inequality and violence;

8.Train the judiciary and the police to ensure fair treatment of women targets of violence,

increase recruitment of women into the police forces and ensure higher representation of

women in the judiciary;

9. Set up high-level national bodies to oversee the working of safeguards for women;

10. Take specific action to protect women and girls who are subjects of sex trafficking and

forced prostitution;

11. Take special measures to protect women with disabilities and female migrant workers.