Speaking on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence
against Women, which is being marked on Saturday, UNIFEM Executive Director
Noeleen Heyzer told
reporters in New York that there were welcome signs of progress around the
world.
In 2003 only 45 countries had specific laws on domestic violence, she said,
but that number has now increased to 60, and in total there are 89 nations with
some form of legislative provisions that deal with domestic violence.
Funding for initiatives is also on the rise, with the UN Trust Fund to End
Violence against Women – which is disbursed by UNIFEM – set to hand out nearly
$4 million this year, almost twice the amount of last year.
Noting that many countries still had a long way to go, Ms. Heyzer said the
key challenge is to help nations ensure that the laws and measures they have
introduced are fully implemented, enforced and monitored, especially at the
local level.
She also said the rise in both anti-violence laws and Trust Fund grants is no
coincidence – many grants in recent years have gone to campaigns that push for
legislation on violence against
women.