STOPVAW Website News

Expert’s Corner: Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights’ Commentary on Draft Domestic Violence Laws

Is your country considering passing a domestic violence law? Minnesota Advocates can provide commentary on draft domestic violence laws and suggest ways to improve the law to better protect the rights of victims and hold perpetrators accountable. Minnesota has a long history in working against domestic violence. Since 1979, when Minnesota passed its Domestic Abuse Act, professionals from all sectors have spent years implementing the law; as a result, advocates in Minnesota have extensive experience in working on domestic violence legal reform. Minnesota Advocates has provided commentary on domestic violence laws in Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, Mongolia and Romania. Please email stopvaw@mnadvocates.org for more information.

Romania: Updated Main Page

As of December 1, 2006, the Romanian main page has been updated. (More information)

Romania: National Plan of Action Updated

As of January 1, 2007, the Romanian National Plan of Action page has been updated. (More information)

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International and Regional News

UN Meeting to Boost Girls' Rights Begins

Hundreds of women and girls from around the world are gathering at the United Nations this week to discuss how to eliminate discrimination and violence against girls. (More information)

Educators Aim to Eliminate Violence and Discrimination against Women and Girls

Eight women will represent Education International at the 51st session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women, from 26 February to 9 March 2007. They will work to strengthen political accountability and commitment to eliminating all forms of discrimination against women. (More information)

Belarus Sponsors UN Resolution on Human Trafficking

A Resolution on the Trafficking of Women and Girls was unanimously passed by the UN. It was sponsored by the Republic of Belarus and co-sponsored by Cuba, China, Anglo, Vietnam and other countries. (More information)

First Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Hearing on a Domestic Violence Victim's Complaint against the United States

On March 2, 2007, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights will hear Jessica Gonzales v. United States. This marks the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights’ first individual complaint against the United States brought by a domestic violence victim. (More information)

"Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls" to Be Theme of 2007 International Women's Day

The United Nations has selected the theme for International Women's Day 2007: Ending Impunity for Violence Against Women and Girls. (More information)

Activists Recognize Link between Violence and HIV/AIDS

At the World Social Forum (WSF) in Nairobi, Kenya, activists continually raised concerns about the links between violence against women and the spread of HIV/AIDS, especially in Asia and Africa. (More information)

Institute for War Reporting finds that Rape Victims Are Still without Justice

International law has made significant progress in recognizing horrors associated with crimes against women in times of conflict. There have been attempts to protect victims, but as war crimes shift from international to national legal bodies, advocates fear that inadequate resources (such as victim protection) and local attitudes about sexual violence will make convictions even less likely. (More information)

Council of Europe Releases Study on "Combating Violence against Women"

In 2006, the Council of Europe released a "Stocktaking study on the measures and actions taken in Council of Europe Member States." It stated that countries around the world have adopted new policies to eliminate violence against women, yet this is not enough, as women throughout Europe still report abuse. (More information)

Commission of the Status of Women to Focus on Girl Child

As part of its program in 2007-2009, the Commission on the Status of Women will consider “the elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against the girl child” as its priority theme in 2007. (More information)

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National News

Albania

· Albania Publishes Shadow Report to CEDAW (More information)

Armenia

· Women Are Paid 30% Less than Men in Armenia (More information)

Azerbaijan

· CEDAW Committee Issues Concluding Comments on Azerbaijan (More information)

Czech Republic

· New Domestic Violence Law in Czech Republic Takes Effect (More information)

· Czech Republic Romany Women’s Group Demands Compensation Fund for Forced Sterilizations (More information)

Kazakhstan

· CEDAW Committee Issues Concluding Comments on Kazakhstan (More information)

Lithuania

· Statistics of Gender Imbalance in Municipalities (More information)

Poland

· CEDAW Committee Issues Concluding Comments on Poland (More information)

Slovakia

· Roma Women Win in Court (More information)

Tajikistan

· CEDAW Issues Concluding Comments on Tajikistan (More information)

· Teenage Girls’ Enrollment Down in Tajikistan (More information)

Ukraine

· National Action Plan on Gender Equality in Ukraine – “Violence against Women and Men” instead of “Violence in Family” (More information)

· New Project on Domestic Violence Presented in Ukraine (More information)

· 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence in Ukraine - Hola Prystan (More information)

· 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence in Ukraine – Volyn (More information)

· 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence in Ukraine – Lviv (More information)

· Ukraine Has Most Trafficked (More information)

· Gender Equality in Ukraine (More information)

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New Research and Reports

How to End Child Marriage: Action Strategies

The International Center for Research on Women recently released a report on child marriage. (More information)

KARAT Creates Online Kit on European Neighborhood Policy and Gender

An online kit has been created by KARAT's East-East project on building capacity in NGOs. It offers a gender and civil society perspective on information on European Neighborhood Policy and EU standards. (More information)

New Women's Web Portal Launched in Mid-January

A new women's web portal, EKVIVA, was launched in mid-January by the "Women and Media" program of B.a.B.e. (More information)

European Union Annual Report on Human Rights 2006

The Council’s recently-published annual report on Human rights stresses that these cut across all action and that women’s rights should be at the heart of all EU action. (More information)

UK Police Report on Lessons Learned from Domestic Violence Enforcement

The United Kingdom Police Force has released a publication, "Lessons Learned from the Domestic Violence Enforcement Campaigns 2006," to assist and inform police forces on dealing with domestic violence crimes. (More information)

Study Reports Higher Health Care Costs

A group of researchers conducted a longitudinal study from 2003-2006 in an attempt to analyze health care costs for women who have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), as compared to women who have never experienced intimate partner violence. (More information)

New Guide for Researchers and Advocates

PATH, in collaboration with the World Health Organization, recently released a comprehensive guide for research on violence against women. (More information)

Interactive Dating Abuse Website for Teens Established

Liz Claiborne Inc. and the National Domestic Violence Hotline launched a 24-hour national website and hotline created to help teens who are experiencing dating abuse, at www.loveisrespect.org. The telephone number of the hotline is 866-331-9474. (More information)

Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Aspects of the Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, Released on 24 January 2007

On January 24, 2007, the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Aspects of the Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, released a report which covered the year 2006. (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.

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 Mahima Achuthan, Olivia Rick, Emily Sipiorski, and Kelly Soward.

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

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	Stop Violence Against Women Website The Violence Against Women Monitor A publication of Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights March 2007
STOPVAW Website News	International and Regional News	National News	New Research and Reports
Expert’s Corner: Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights’ Commentary on Draft Domestic Violence Laws	UN Meeting to Boost Girls' Rights Begins	Albania	How to End Child Marriage: Action Strategies
Romania: Updated Main Page	Educators Aim to Eliminate Violence and Discrimination against Women and Girls	Armenia	KARAT Creates Online Kit on European Neighborhood Policy and Gender
Romania: Updated National Plan of Action Page	Belarus Sponsors UN Resolution on Human Trafficking	Azerbaijan	New Women's Web Portal Launched in Mid-January
	First Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Hearing on a Domestic Violence Victim's Complaint against the United States	Czech Republic	European Union Annual Report on Human Rights 2006
	"Ending Impunity for Violence against Women and Girls" to be Theme of 2007 International Women's Day	Kazakhstan	UK Police Report on Lessons Learned from Domestic Violence Enforcement
	Activists Recognize Link between Violence and HIV/AIDS	Lithuania	Study Reports Higher Health Care Costs
	Institute for War Reporting finds that Rape Victims are Still without Justice	Poland	New Guide for Researchers and Advocates
	Council of Europe Releases Study on "Combating Violence against Women"	Slovakia	Interactive Dating Abuse Website For Teens Established
	Commission of the Status of Women to Focus on Girl Child	Tajikistan	Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights Aspects of the Victims of Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children Released
		Ukraine