REPORT OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE OF THE TWENTY-THIRD
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Supplement No. 3 (A/S-23/10/Rev.1),
United Nations, New York, 2000.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Action taken by the Ad Hoc Committee of the
Whole
III. Recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee of
the Whole
Draft resolution I : Political
declaration
Annex : Political declaration
Draft resolution II
: Further actions and initiatives to implement the Beijing
Declaration and Platform for Action
Annex: Further actions and initiatives
to implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
I. Introduction
II. Achievements in and obstacles to the
implementation of the 12 critical areas of the Platform for
Action
A. Women and poverty
B. Education and training of women
C. Women and health
D. Violence against women
E. Women and armed conflict
F. Women and the economy
G. Women in power and decision-making
H. Institutional mechanisms for
the advancement of women
I. Human rights of women
J. Women and the media
K.Women and the environment
L. The girl child
III. Current challenges affecting
the full implementation of the Beijing
Declaration and the Platform for Action
IV. Actions and initiatives to overcome
obstacles and to achieve the full and accelerated implementation
of the Beijing Platform for Action
A. Actions to be taken at the
national level
B. Further actions to be taken
at the national level
C. Actions to be taken at the
international level
D. Actions to be taken at the
national and international levels
Notes
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Chapter I : Introduction
1. At the 1st plenary meeting of its twenty-third special session,
on 5 June 2000, the General Assembly established an Ad Hoc Committee
of the Whole of the twenty-third special session and elected
Ms. Christine Kapalata (United Republic of Tanzania) Chairperson
by acclamation.
2. The Ad Hoc Committee held 3 meetings, on 5, 9 and 10 June
2000, to hear
representatives of the United Nations system and non-governmental
organizations and to consider the question of the review and
appraisal of progress made in the implementation of the 12 critical
areas of concern in the Beijing Platform for Action (agenda
item 8) and the question of further actions and initiatives
for overcoming obstacles to the implementation of the Beijing
Platform for Action (agenda item 9).
3. At its 1st meeting, on 5 June, the Ad Hoc Committee elected,
by acclamation, Aicha Afifi (Morocco), Asith Bhattacharjee (India),
Patricia Flor (Germany), Misako Kaji (Japan), Sonia R. Leonce-Carryl
(St. Lucia), Mónica Martínez (Ecuador), Kirsten
Mla ak (Canada), Rasa Ostrauskait (Lithuania) and Dubravka-imonovi
(Croatia) Vice-Chairpersons. The Ad Hoc Committee decided that
Ms. Martínez would also serve as Rapporteur.
4. In connection with its consideration of agenda items 8 and
9, the Ad Hoc
Committee had before it the report of the Commission on the
Status of Women
acting as the preparatory committee for the twenty-third special
session of the
General Assembly, entitled inWomen 2000: gender equality, development
and peace for the twenty-first centuryli, on its third and resumed
third sessions (A/S-23/2 and Add.1 and 2 (Parts I-IV and IV/Corr.1)).
5. At the 1st meeting, the Chairperson made a statement.
6. A statement was also made by the Special Adviser to the
Secretary-General on Gender Issues and Advancement of Women.
7. At the same meeting, the representative of Mauritius made
a statement on
behalf of the Southern African Development Community.
8. Also at the 1st meeting, statements were made by the Executive
Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS,
the Regional Manager of the World Food Programme, the Director
of the International Research and Training Institute for the
Advancement of Women, the Deputy Representative of the New York
Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention and the Deputy
Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for
Western Asia.
9. At the same meeting, statements were made by the Director
of the Human
Resources Department of the International Monetary Fund, the
Assistant Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations, the Special Representative of the Director-General
of the International Labour Organization and the Assistant Director-General
of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
10. A statement was also made by the representative of the
All India Women's
Conference, a non-governmental organization in consultative
status with the
Economic and Social Council, who spoke on behalf of a number
of non-
governmental organizations.
11. At the 2nd meeting, on 9 June, statements were made by
the Director-General of the World Health Organization, the United
Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Executive Secretary
of the Economic Commission for Europe and the representatives
of the World Bank, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner
for Refugees and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.
12. Statements were also made by the representatives of the
following non-
governmental organizations accredited to the special session.
Caucus on violence against women; Uprooted women's caucus; Asia
Pacific Women's Watch; Media caucus; NGO Committee on Mental
Health, International Network of Girls and World Vision; Agence
de recherches d'information et de formation pour les femmes;
International Self-Reliance Agency for Women; Soroptimist International
(on behalf of a number of NGOs); World Association of Community
Radio Broadcast; and African Women's Development Network.
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Chapter II : Action taken by the Ad Hoc Committee of the
Whole
13. At its 3rd meeting, on 10 June, the Ad Hoc Committee of
the Whole
considered its draft report (A/S-23/AC.1/L.1 and Add.1-42) and
two draft
resolutions submitted by the Chairperson in document A/S-23/AC.1/L.2.
14. Statements were made by the representatives of Honduras,
Colombia (also on behalf of Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica,
Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay,
and Venezuela), Gabon, Cuba, Mauritania, Nigeria (on behalf
of the States Members of the United Nations that are members
of the Group of 77 and China), the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the
Islamic Republic of Iran, Nicaragua, the Sudan, Kuwait, the
United Arab Emirates, Canada (on behalf of JUSCANZ), Argentina,
Iraq, Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.
15. The Ad Hoc Committee then adopted its report and recommended
that the
General Assembly adopt the two draft resolutions to which were
annexed,
respectively, the texts entitled inPolitical declarationl, and
inFurther actions and
initiatives to implement the Beijing Declaration and the Platform
for Actionlm (see para. 16 below)
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Chapter III : Recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee
of the Whole
16. The Ad Hoc Committee recommends to the General Assembly
the adoption of the following draft resolutions:
Draft resolution I : Political declaration
The General Assembly,
Adopts the political declaration annexed to the present resolution.
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Annex : Political declaration
We the Governments participating in the special session of the
General
Assembly,
1. Reaffirm our commitment to the goals and objectives
contained in the
Beijing Declaration [1]
and Platform for Action, [2]
adopted in 1995 at the Fourth World Conference on Women, and
the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of
Women [3]
to the year 2000 as the culmination of the United Nations Decade
for Women, 1976 to 1985;
2. Also reaffirm our commitment to the implementation
of the 12 critical
areas of concern in the Beijing Platform for Action, which are
women and poverty, education and training of women, women and
health, violence against women, women and armed conflict, women
and the economy, women in power and decision- making, institutional
mechanisms for the advancement of women, human rights of women,
women and the media, women and the environment, and the girl
child; and call for the implementation of the agreed conclusions
and resolutions on the follow-up to the Fourth World Conference
on Women adopted by the Commission on the Status of Women since
the thirty-ninth session of the Commission;
3. Recognize that we have primary responsibility for
the full
implementation of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies for
the Advancement of Women, the Beijing Declaration and Platform
for Action and all the relevant commitments for the advancement
of women, and, in this connection, call for continued international
cooperation including the reaffirmation to strive to fulfil
the yet-to-be-attained internationally agreed target of 0.7
per cent of the gross national product of developed countries
for overall official development assistance as soon as possible;
4. Wel come the progress made thus far towards gender
equality and the
implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and reaffirm
our commitment to accelerate the achievement of universal ratification
of the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women [4]
and in this regard
acknowledge the efforts at all levels of Governments, the United
Nations system, and intergovernmental, other international and
regional organizations and urge continued efforts for the full
implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action;
5. Recognize the role and contribution of civil society,
in particular non-
governmental organizations and women's organizations, in the
implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action,
and encourage their participation in further implementation
and assessment processes;
6. Emphasize that men must involve themselves and take
joint
responsibility with women for the promotion of gender equality;
7. Reaffirm the importance of mainstreaming a gender
perspective in the
process of implementation of the outcome of other major United
Nations
conferences and summits and the need for a coordinated follow-up
to all major
conferences and summits by Governments, regional organizations,
and all of the
bodies and organizations of the United Nations system within
their respective
mandates.
We the Governments at the beginning of the new millennium,
8. Reaffirm our commitment to overcoming obstacles encountered
in the
implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action and the Nairobi
Forward-looking Strategies and to strengthening and safeguarding
a national and international enabling environment, and to this
end pledge to undertake further action to ensure their full
and accelerated implementation, inter alia, through the promotion
and protection of all human rights and fundamental freedoms,
mainstreaming a gender perspective into all policies and programmes
and promoting women™s full participation and empowerment
and enhanced international cooperation for the full implementation
of the Beijing Platform for Action;
9. Agree to regularly assess further implementation
of the Beijing Platform
for Action with a view to bringing together all parties involved
in 2005 to assess
progress and consider new initiatives, as appropriate, 10 years
after the adoption of the Beijing Platform for Action and 20
years after the adoption of the Nairobi Forward-looking Strategies;
10. Pledge to ensure the realization of societies in
which both women and
men work together towards a world where every individual can
enjoy equality,
development and peace in the twenty-first century.
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Draft resolution II : Further actions and initiatives to
implement the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
The General Assembly,
Adopts the further actions and initiatives to implement the
Beijing Declaration [5]
and Platform for Action [6]
annexed to the present resolution.
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Annex : Further actions and initiatives to implement
the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
I. Introduction
1. The Governments which came together at the special session
of the General
Assembly have reaffirmed their commitment to the goals and objectives
contained in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995 as contained
in the report of the Conference. The Beijing Declaration and
the Platform for Action set as goals gender equality, development
and peace and constituted an agenda for the empowerment of women.
The Governments reviewed and appraised progress and identified
obstacles and current challenges in the implementation of the
Platform for Action. They
recognized that the goals and commitments made in the Platform
for Action have not been fully implemented and achieved, and
have agreed upon further actions and initiatives at the local,
national, regional and international levels to accelerate its
implementation and to ensure that commitments for gender equality,
development and peace are fully realized.
2. The Beijing Platform for Action identified 12 critical areas
for priority action
to achieve the advancement and empowerment of women. The Commission
on the Status of Women has reviewed progress in each of the
12 critical areas of concern and since 1996 has adopted agreed
conclusions and recommendations for accelerated implementation.
The Platform for Action, together with these agreed conclusions
and recommendations, forms the basis for further progress towards
the achievement of gender equality, development and peace in
the twenty-first century.
3. The objective of the Platform for Action, which is in full
conformity with the
purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations
and international law, is the empowerment of all women. The
full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms
of all women is essential for the empowerment of women. While
the significance of national and regional particularities and
various historical, cultural and religious backgrounds must
be borne in mind, it is the duty of States, regardless of their
political, economic and cultural systems, to promote and protect
all human rights and fundamental freedoms. The implementation
of the Platform, including through national laws and the formulation
of strategies, policies, programmes and development priorities,
is the sovereign responsibility of each State, in conformity
with all human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the significance
of and full respect for various religious and ethical values,
cultural backgrounds and philosophical convictions of individuals
and their communities should contribute to the full enjoyment
by women of their human rights and the achievement of equality,
development and peace.
4. The Platform for Action emphasizes that women share common
concerns that can only be addressed by working together and
in partnership with men towards the common goal of gender equality
around the world. It respects and values the full diversity
of women's situations and conditions and recognizes that some
women face particular barriers to their empowerment.
5. The Platform for Action recognizes that women face barriers
to full equality
and advancement because of such factors as their race, age,
language, ethnicity, culture, religion or disability, because
they are indigenous women or of other status. Many women encounter
specific obstacles related to their family status, particularly
as single parents; and to their socio-economic status, including
their living conditions in rural, isolated or impoverished areas.
Additional barriers also exist for refugee women, other displaced
women, including internally displaced women, as well as for
immigrant women and migrant women, including women migrant workers.
Many women are also particularly affected by environmental disasters,
serious and infectious diseases and various forms of violence
against women.
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II. Achievements in and obstacles to the implementation
of the 12 critical areas of the Platform for Action
6. Assessment of achievements and obstacles must be made in
relation to the
commitments made in the Beijing Platform for Action and its
12 critical areas,
namely by looking into the actions taken and the results attained,
as indicated in
national reports as well as taking note of the reports of the
Secretary-General and of the results, conclusions and agreements
of the five regional meetings held in preparation for the special
session of the General Assembly and other relevant sources.
Such assessment shows that, even though significant positive
developments can be identified, barriers remain and there is
still the need to further implement the goals and commitments
made in Beijing. The summary of achievements and of persistent
or new obstacles can therefore constitute a global framework
for the identification of further actions and initiatives to
overcome obstacles and to achieve the full and accelerated implementation
of the Platform for Action at all levels and in all areas.
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A. Women and poverty
7. Achievements. Considerable progress has been achieved
in increasing
recognition of gender dimensions of poverty and in the recognition
that gender
equality is one of the factors of specific importance for eradicating
poverty
particularly in relation to the feminization of poverty. Efforts
have been made to
integrate a gender perspective into poverty eradication policies
and programmes by Governments, in cooperation with non-governmental
organizations. Multilateral, international and regional financial
institutions are also giving increased attention to the incorporation
of a gender perspective into their policies. Progress has been
made by pursuing a two-pronged approach of promoting employment
and income-generating activities for women and providing access
to basic social services,.including education and health care.
Microcredit and other financial instruments forwomen have emerged
as a successful strategy for economic empowerment and have widened
economic opportunities for some women living in poverty in particular
in rural areas. Policy development has taken account of the
particular needs of female-
headed households. Research has enhanced the understanding of
the differing
impacts of poverty on women and men and tools have been developed
to assist with this assessment.
8. Obstacles. Many factors have contributed to widening
economic inequality
between women and men, including income inequality, unemployment
and
deepening of poverty levels of the most vulnerable and marginalized
groups. Debt burdens, excessive military spending, inconsistent
with national security
requirements, unilateral coercive measures not in accordance
with international law and the Charter of the United Nations,
armed conflict, foreign occupation, terrorism, low levels of
official development assistance and the unfulfilled commitment
to strive to fulfil the yet to be attained internationally agreed
target of 0.7 per cent of the gross national product of developed
countries for overall official development assistance and 0.15
to 0.2 per cent for the least developed countries, as well as
the lack of efficient use of resources, among other factors,
can constrain national efforts to combat poverty. In addition,
gender inequalities and disparities in economic power-sharing,
unequal distribution of unremunerated work between women and
men, lack of technological and financial support for women's
entrepeneurship, unequal access to, and control over, capital,
particularly land and credit and access to labour markets, as
well as all harmful, traditional and customary practices, have
constrained women's economic empowerment and exacerbated the
feminization of poverty. Fundamental economic restructuring
experienced by the countries with
economies in transition has led to lack of resources for poverty-eradication
programmes aimed at empowerment of women.
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B. Education and training of women
9. Achievements. There is an increased awareness that
education is one of the most valuable means of achieving gender
equality and the empowerment of women. Progress was achieved
in women's and girls' education and training at all levels,
especially where there was sufficient political commitment and
resource allocation. Measures were taken in all regions to initiate
alternative education and training systems to reach women and
girls in indigenous communities and other disadvantaged and
marginalized groups to encourage them to pursue all fields of
study, in particular non-traditional fields of study, and to
remove gender biases from education and training.
10. Obstacles. In some countries, efforts to eradicate
illiteracy and strengthen
literacy among women and girls and to increase their access
to all levels and types of education were constrained by the
lack of resources and insufficient political will and commitment
to improve educational infrastructure and undertake educational
reforms; persisting gender discrimination and bias, including
in teacher training; gender-based occupational stereotyping
in schools, institutions of further education and communities;
lack of childcare facilities; persistent use of gender stereotypes
in educational materials; and insufficient attention paid to
the link between women's enrolment in higher educational institutions
and labour market dynamics. The remote location of some communities
and, in some cases, inadequate salaries and benefits make attracting
and retaining teaching professionals difficult and can result.in
lower quality education. Additionally, in a number of countries,
economic, social and infrastructural barriers, as well as traditional
discriminatory practices, have
contributed to lower enrolment and retention rates for girls.
Little progress has been made in eradicating illiteracy in some
developing countries, aggravating women's inequality at the
economic, social and political levels. In some of these countries,
the inappropriate design and application of structural adjustment
policies has had a particularly severe impact on the education
sector since they resulted in declining investment in education
infrastructure.
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C. Women and health
11. Achievements. Programmes have been implemented to
create awareness among policy makers and planners of the need
for health programmes to cover all aspects of women's health
throughout women's life cycle, which have contributed to an
increase in life expectancy in many countries. There is: increased
attention to high mortality rates among women and girls as a
result of malaria, tuberculosis, water-borne diseases, communicable
and diarrhoeal diseases and malnutrition; increased attention
to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights of
women as contained in paragraphs 94 and 95 of the Platform for
Action, as well as in some countries increased emphasis on implementing
paragraph 96 of the Platform for Action; increased knowledge
and use of family planning and contraceptive methods as well
as increased awareness among men of their responsibility in
family planning
and contraceptive methods and their use; increased attention
to sexually transmitted infections, including human immunodeficiency
virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) among women
and girls and methods to protect against such infections; increased
attention to breastfeeding, nutrition, infants' and mothers'
health; the introduction of a gender perspective in health and
health-related educational and physical activities, and gender-specific
prevention and rehabilitation programmes on substance abuse,
including tobacco, drugs and alcohol; increased attention to
women's mental health, health conditions at work, environmental
considerations and recognition of the specific health needs
of older women. At its twenty-first special session, held in
New York from 30 June to 2 July 1999, the General Assembly reviewed
achievements and adopted key actions [7]
in the field of
Women's health for further implementation of the Programme of
Action of the
International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD).[8]
12. Obstacles. Worldwide, the gap between and within
rich and poor countries with respect to infant mortality and
maternal mortality and morbidity rates, as well as with respect
to measures addressing the health of women and girls, given
their special vulnerability regarding sexually transmitted infections,
including human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome and other sexual and reproductive health problems,
together with endemic, infectious and communicable diseases,
such as malaria, tuberculosis, diarrhoeal and water-borne diseases
and chronic non-transmissible diseases, remains unacceptable.
In some countries, such endemic, infectious and communicable
diseases continue to take a toll on women and girls. In other
countries, non-communicable diseases, such as cardio/pulmonary
diseases, hypertension and degenerative diseases, remain among
the major causes of mortality and morbidity among women. Despite
progress in some countries, the
rates of maternal mortality and morbidity remain unacceptably
high in most
countries.
Investment in essential obstetric care remains insufficient
in many
countries. The absence of a holistic approach to health and
health care for women and girls based on women™s right
to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical
and mental health throughout the life cycle has constrained
progress. Some women continue to encounter barriers to their
right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of
physical and mental health. The predominant focus of health-care
systems on treating illness rather than maintaining optimal
health also prevents a holistic approach. There is, in some
countries, insufficient attention to the role of social and
economic determinants of health. A lack of access to clean water,
adequate nutrition, safe sanitation, of gender-specific health
research and technology, insufficient gender sensitivity in
the provision of health information and health care and health
services, including those related to environmental and occupational
health hazards, affect women in developing and developed countries.
Poverty and the lack of development continue to affect the
capacity of many
developing countries to provide and expand quality health care.
A shortage of
financial and human resources, in particular in developing countries,
as well as
restructuring of the health sector and/or the increasing trend
to privatization of
health-care systems in some cases, has resulted in poor quality,
reduced and
insufficient health-care services, and has also led to less
attention to the health of the most vulnerable groups of women.
Such obstacles as unequal power relationships between women
and men, in which women often do not have the power to insist
on safe and responsible sex practices, and a lack of communication
and understanding between men and women on women's health needs,
inter alia, endanger women's health, particularly by increasing
their susceptibility to sexually transmitted infections, including
HIV/AIDS, and affect women's access to health care and education,
especially in relation to prevention. Adolescents, particularly
adolescent girls, continue to lack access to sexual and reproductive
health information, education and services. Women who are recipients
of health care are frequently not treated with respect nor guaranteed
privacy and confidentiality, and do not receive full information
about options and services available. In some cases, health
services and workers still do not conform to human rights and
to ethical, professional and gender-sensitive standards in the
delivery of women's health services, nor do they
ensure responsible, voluntary and informed consent. There continues
to be a lack of information on availability and access to appropriate,
affordable, primary health-care services of high quality, including
sexual and reproductive health care, sufficient attention to
maternal and emergency obstetric care as well as a lack of prevention,
screening and treatment for breast, cervical and ovarian cancers
and osteoporosis. The testing and development of male contraceptives
is still insufficient. While some measures have been taken in
some countries, the actions contained in paragraphs 106 (j)
and 106 (k) of the Platform for Action regarding the health
impact of unsafe abortion and the need to reduce the recourse
to abortion have not been fully implemented. The rising incidence
of tobacco use among women, particularly young women, has increased
their risk of cancer and other serious diseases, as well as
gender-specific risks from tobacco and environmental tobacco
smoke..
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D. Violence against women
13. Achievements. It is widely accepted that violence
against women and girls, whether occurring in public or private
life, is a human rights issue. It is accepted that violence
against women, where perpetrated or condoned by the State or
its agents, constitutes a human rights violation. It is also
accepted that States have an obligation to exercise due diligence
to prevent, investigate and punish acts of violence, whether
those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons,
and provide protection to victims. There is increased awareness
of and commitment to preventing and combating violence against
women and girls, including domestic violence, which violates
and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment of their human rights
and fundamental freedoms, through, inter alia, improved legislation,
policies and programmes. Governments have initiated policy reforms
and mechanisms, such as interdepartmental committees, guidelines
and protocols, national, multidisciplinary and coordinated programmes
to address violence. Some Governments have also introduced or
reformed laws to protect women and girls from all forms of violence
and laws to prosecute the perpetrators. There is an increasing
recognition at all levels that all forms of violence against
women seriously affect their health. Health-care providers are
seen to have a significant role to play in addressing this matter.
Some progress has been made in the provision of services for
abused women and children, including legal services, shelters,
special health services and counselling, hotlines and police
units with special training. Education for law enforcement personnel,
members of the judiciary, health-care providers and welfare
workers is being promoted. Educational materials for women and
public awareness campaigns have been developed as well as research
on the root causes of violence. Research into and specialized
studies on gender roles are increasing, in particular on men's
and boys' roles, and all forms of violence against women, as
well as on the situation of and impact on children growing up
in families where violence occurs. Successful cooperation has
been achieved between governmental and non-governmental organizations
in the field of preventing violence against women. The active
support of civil society, in particular women's organizations
and NGOs, has had an important role, inter alia, in promoting
awareness-raising campaigns and in the provision of support
services to women victims of violence. Efforts towards the eradication
of harmful traditional practices, including female genital mutilation,
which is a form of violence against women, have received national,
regional and international policy support. Many Governments
have introduced educational and outreach programmes, as well
as legislative measures criminalizing these practices.
In addition, this support includes the appointment of the Special
Ambassador for the Elimination of Female Genital Mutilation
by the United Nations Population Fund.
14. Obstacles. Women continue to be victims of various
forms of violence.
Inadequate understanding of the root causes of all forms of
violence against women and girls hinders efforts to eliminate
violence against women and girls. There is a lack of comprehensive
programmes dealing with the perpetrators, including programmes,
where appropriate, which would enable them to solve problems
without violence. Inadequate data on violence further impedes
informed policy-making and analysis. Sociocultural attitudes
which are discriminatory and economic inequalities reinforce
women's subordinate place in society. This makes women and girls
vulnerable to many forms of violence, such as physical, sexual
and psychological violence occurring in the family, including
battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household,
dowry-related violence, marital rape, female. genital mutilation
and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal
violence and violence related to exploitation. In many countries,
a coordinated multidisciplinary approach to responding to violence
which includes the health system, workplaces, the media, the
education system, as well as the justice system, is still limited.
Domestic violence, including sexual violence in marriage, is
still treated as a private matter in some countries. Insufficient
awareness of the consequences of domestic violence, how to prevent
it and the rights of victims still exists. Although improving,
the legal and legislative measures, especially in the criminal
justice area, to eliminate different forms of violence against
women and children, including domestic violence and child pornography,
are weak in many
countries. Prevention strategies also remain fragmented and
reactive and there is a lack of programmes on these issues.
It is also noted that, in some countries,
problems have arisen from the use of new information and communication
technologies for trafficking in women and children and for purposes
of all forms of economic and sexual exploitation.
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