Stop Violence Against Women Website

The Violence Against Women Monitor

A publication of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights

February 2007

STOPVAW Website News

International and Regional News

National News

Research

and Reports

Expert’s Corner: American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative’s CEDAW Assessment Tool Report for Moldova

European Women’s Lobby Issues Statement for the 51^st Commission on the Status of Women

 Armenia

U.S. State Department Releases Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessment

Gender-based Violence Project in the Balkans

 Azerbaijan

Report Urges UK Government to Improve Services for Women Facing Violence

PACE Committee Calls for Measures to Improve Situation of Women in South Caucasus

 Bulgaria

European Report on Health Risks and Consequences of Trafficking in Women and Adolescents

Defendant Admits Wartime Rapes

 Czech Republic

Report on Home Ownership and Domestic Violence

Countries Reporting for CEDAW 39^th Session

 Kazakhstan

Romania and Bulgaria Plagued by Sexual Slavery

 Kyrgyzstan

 Montenegro

 Poland

 Serbia

 Slovakia

 Tajikistan

 Turkey

 United States

STOPVAW Website News

Expert’s Corner: American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative’s CEDAW Assessment Tool Report for Moldova

The American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative’s CEDAW Assessment Tool Report for Moldova measures the degree to which Moldova’s legal framework promotes and protects the rights of women as required by the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), and the degree to which women are accorded these rights in practice. (More information)

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International and Regional News

European Women’s Lobby Issues Statement for the 51^st Commission on the Status of Women

The European Women's Lobby (EWL), a non-governmental organization that is a consultant to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, released a statement for circulation preceding the 51st Session for the Commission on the Status of Women, to be held 26 February-9 March 2007. The EWL released the statement in recognition that the session will focus on the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child as its major theme. (More information)

Gender-based Violence Project in the Balkans

The International Center for Research on Women has launched a three-year program on gender-based violence, an issue that has become pervasive in the western Balkans since the breakup of the former Yugoslavia (More information)

PACE Committee Calls for Measures to Improve Situation of Women in South Caucasus

The Committee on Equal Opportunities for Women and Men of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has adopted a report aimed at improving the situation of women in the South Caucasus. (More information)

Defendant Admits Wartime Rapes

Bosnian Serb former paramilitary leader Dragan Zelenovc has admitted to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) that he repeatedly raped two Bosnian Muslim girls between July and October of 1992. (More information)

Countries Reporting for CEDAW 39^th Session

Both Hungary and Estonia will submit country reports to be examined during this session.  (More information)

Romania and Bulgaria Plagued by Sexual Slavery

Despite public efforts to educate and inform Romanian and Bulgarian women and girls about the risks of trafficking, sex tourism around the Black Sea continues demand for young women in girls in forced prostitution. The UN lists Romania and Bulgaria as two of the top eleven countries as sources for victims.  (More information)

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National News

 Armenia

·          National Strategy and National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Armenia (More information)

·          Second International Conference on Domestic Violence (More information)

·          A Story of a Family (More information)

·          Preferred Pimping (More information)

·          Recruited and Transported to Trabzon (More information)

·          Café as a Den of Prostitution (More information)

·          Deceitfully Recruited and Sent to Dubai (More information)

·          A Pimp Exploited Prostitutes (More information)

·          A Rape Attempt (More information)

·          Kidnapped and Raped (More information)

·          Mass Media Results for September 2006 (More information)

·          Mass Media Results for October 2006 (More information)

·          Mass Media Results for November 2006 (More information)

·          The Problem of Trafficking Demands a Solution (More information)

·          A Woman’s Place is…in Parliament?  Women’s Group Says Make Room for Armenia’s Majority Population (More information)

·          Armenian Women are Silent Victims (More information)

·          Fatal Jealousy (More information)

·          Murder of 65-Year-Old Woman Has Been Disclosed (More information)

·          Father-in-Law Beat His Daughter-in-Law (More information)

·          Transportation of an Underage Person to Turkey (More information)

·          The Wanted Has Been Found (More information)

  Azerbaijan

·          Statement of Milli Mejlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan to Prevent Violence Against Women, Including Violence in Private Life (More information)

·          8,948 Crimes Committed Against Women Within 2 Years in Azerbaijan (More information)

·          Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women Considered the Azerbaijan Report (More information)

 Bulgaria

·          Bulgarian Arrested for Procuring in Ukraine (More information)

·          The National Assembly Adopted a Declaration to Combat Violence against Women (More information)

·          16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence (More information)

·          Animus Association Foundation and Sofia Film Fest Organized a Film Festival Dedicated to Trafficking in Human Beings (More information)

·          And This Year P.U.L.S. Foundation Again Joins the Campaign (More information)

·          Face to Face Organized a Two-Day Forum on the Fight Against Trafficking in Human Beings in Blagoevgrad (More information)

·          Center of Women’s Studies and Policies Took Part in the 16 Days Campaign (More information)

·          Bulgarian Fund for Women Organized a Charity Dinner in BGRF’s Favor for the Shelter for Survivors of Domestic Violence (More information)

·          Sofia Municipality Joins the 16 Days Campaign (More information)

·          Sofia Municipality, the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation and the Women’s Association to VMR Organized a Charity Concert to Collect Money for the Repair of the Shelter for Women and Children Victims of Domestic Violence (More information)

 Czech Republic

·          The Czech Republic Has Officially Joined the Campaign of the Council of Europe to Combat Violence Against Women (More information)

 Kazakhstan

·          Bill on Equal Rights Introduced in Kazakhstan (More information)

·          Kazakhstan Releases Its Second Report to CEDAW (More information)

 Kyrgyzstan

·          In Osh, Province of Kyrgyzstan an Information Campaign on VAW (More information)

·          In Osh, a Plan of Interaction Between Bodies of Local Governance and Institutes for Domestic Violence Prevention Was Discussed and Supported (More information)

·          In Kyrgyzstan, the Number of Addresses to Crisis Centers Has Doubled (More information)

·          30% of Marriages in Kyrgyzstan Occur Under Force (More information)

·          Bride Kidnapping is Punished By Law (More information)

·          British Journalists are Concerned That There Are No Women in the Kyrgyzstan Parliament (More information)

·          7 Meetings on Gender Policy in Kyrgyzstan Cities (More information)

·          Workshop Held in the South of the Country in the Framework of the Project “Women and Their Rights” (More information)

·          Chair of the Issyk Kul Province Court Initiated Organization of Training on Prevention of Violence in the Family (More information)

·          OSCE Field Office Completes Project Addressing Domestic Violence in Southern Kyrgyzstan (More information)

·          No Cases of Violence Against Women Brought to Court in Osh (More information)

·          A Draft Strategy on the Promotion of Children’s Rights and Interests is Adopted in Kyrgyzstan (More information)

·          Kyrgyzstan Laws on Gender Policy are Not “Just For Looks,” Experts State (More information)

·          President Says Kyrgyzstan Lacks Women in Power (More information)

·          In Osh, the Status of Women in Islamic Marriages Was Discussed (More information)

·          In Osh, a Complex Approach to the Issues of Equality of Women and Men in Governance Bodies Was Discussed (More information)

·          In Osh, Kyrgyzstan, a Meeting on Counter-Trafficking Will Be Held (More information)

·          In Osh, an Action Against Trafficking (More information)

·          In Kyrgyzstan, an International Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence Has Ended (More information)

·          Public Hearing on the Draft of Law on Equal Rights and Opportunities Takes Place (More information)

·          New Informational Website Aims At Assisting Struggle Against Slave Trade (More information)

·          Thanks to the Efforts of the IOM Representatives in Bishkek, Each Year More Than 100 People Return Home From Forced Slavery (More information)

·          In Osh, a “16 Days” Action Against Violence Has Ended (More information)

·          In Osh, a Meeting on Counter-Trafficking Took Place (More information)

·          Mobilization of Links and Interaction of Local Self-Governance Bodies (More information)

 Montenegro

·          Negative Attitude of the President of Parliamentary Committee for Gender Equality on the Need for Development of Gender-Sensitive Montenegrin Constitution (More information)

 Poland

·          Leader of Samoobrona Accused of Sexual Harassment (More information)

·          Member of Law and Justice Expelled from the Party Because of Obscene Text Messages (More information)

·          Perpetrator of Domestic Violence Drove His Wife to Suicide (More information)

·          CEDAW 37th Session: "Progress Made in Mainstreaming Gender Equality into Poland's Legislation” (More information)

 Serbia

·          International Conference Speakers Discuss Legislation in Serbia (More information)

 Slovakia

·          Gender Equality Is Not Only a Women’s Issue (More information)

 Tajikistan

·          Alternative Human Rights Report Released on Tajikistan (More information)

 Turkey

·          Shelters in Turkey Need More Support (More information)

 United States

·          A statement from Ambassador John R. Miller, of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, released on 15 December emphasized the importance of language when describing the conditions of trafficked persons. (More information)

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New Research and Reports

U.S. State Department Releases Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessment

On 19 January 2007, the United States State Department released the Trafficking in Persons Interim Assessment, which contains a list of countries that have significant human trafficking problems, countries which have not improved their efforts to put a halt to trafficking, or whose efforts in this area have been declining, in the time period between May and November of 2006. (More information)

Report Urges UK Government to Improve Services for Women Facing Violence

A report released in the UK by the End Violence Against Women Campaign expresses concerns that government is not doing enough to support women who are survivors of violence. (More information)

European Report on Health Risks and Consequences of Trafficking in Women and Adolescents

Several European organizations released a report on a two-year, multi-country report, Health Risks & Consequences of Trafficking in Women & Adolescents. (More information)

Report on Home Ownership and Domestic Violence

In an effort to address the idea of social protection in terms of gender, the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) released a report linking South Asian women's home ownership with decreased risk for domestic violence. (More information)

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Subscribe to The VAW Monitor

The VAW Monitor is a free, monthly newsletter sent out on the first of each month. Printable versions of The VAW Monitor are also available on the website at http://www.stopvaw.org/The_VAW_Monitor.html.

To subscribe to The VAW Monitor, please fill out the form provided at http://www.stopvaw.org/The_VAW_Monitor.html.

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About STOPVAW

The Stop Violence Against Women website (STOPVAW) is a forum for information, advocacy and change.  Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights developed this website as a tool for the promotion of women's human rights in the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Mongolia, and the U.N. Protectorate of Kosovo.  STOPVAW was developed with support from and in consultation with the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) and the Open Society Institute's Network Women's Program. This site addresses violence against women as one of the most pervasive human rights abuses worldwide. STOPVAW provides women's rights advocates with information and advocacy tools focused on ending the most endemic forms of violence against women in the region, including domestic violence, sexual assault, sexual harassment and trafficking in persons.

Current staff members of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights involved with the development of STOPVAW include Mary Hunt, Laura Nelson, Rosalyn Park, Robin Phillips, and Cheryl Thomas. Current interns and volunteers include Kelly Soward and Emily Sipiorski.

For more information about STOPVAW, please contact the Website Administrator at stopvaw@mnadvocates.org.

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