Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and
consequences
Introduction
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights in resolution 1994/45,
adopted on 4 March 1994 , decided to appoint a Special Rapporteur on
violence against women, including its causes and consequences. The
mandate was extended by the Commission on Human Rights in 2003, at
its 59th session in resolution 2003/45
. In the same resolution the Commission on Human Rights:
"Strongly condemning all acts of violence against women
and girls and in this regard called, in accordance with the
Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, for the
elimination of all forms of gender-based violence in the family,
within the general community and where perpetrated or condoned by
the State, and emphasized the duty of Governments to
refrain from engaging in violence against women and to exercise due
diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national
legislation, punish acts of violence against women and to take
appropriate and effective action concerning acts of violence against
women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State, by private
persons or by armed groups or warring factions, and to provide
access to just and effective remedies and specialized, including
medical, assistance to victims;
Affirmed, in this light, that violence against women
constitutes a violation of the human rights and fundamental freedoms
of women and that violence against women impairs or nullifies their
enjoyment of those rights and freedoms."
According to her mandate the Special Rapporteur is requested to:
(a) Seek and receive information on violence against women, its
causes and consequences from Governments, treaty bodies,
specialized agencies, other special rapporteurs responsible for
various human rights questions and intergovernmental and
non-governmental organizations, including women's organizations,
and to respond effectively to such information;
(b) Recommend measures, ways and means, at the national,
regional and international levels, to eliminate violence against
women and its causes, and to remedy its consequences;
(c) Work closely with other special rapporteurs, special
representatives, working groups and independent experts of the
Commission on Human Rights and the Sub-Commission on Prevention of
Discrimination and Protection of Minorities and with the treaty
bodies, taking into account the Commission's request that they
regularly and systematically include in their reports available
information on human rights violations affecting women, and
cooperate closely with the Commission on the Status of Women in
the discharge of its functions.
In the discharge of the mandate the Special Rapporteur:
Transmits urgent appeals and communications to States regarding
alleged cases of violence against women. See Individual
Complaints
Undertakes fact-finding country visits. See Country
Visits
Submits annual thematic reports. See Annual
Reports
Special Rapporteurs:
· Dr. Yakin Ertürk (Turkey), since August
2003
· Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy (Sri Lanka), 1994 -
July 2003
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