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23
November 2007
Statement of United Nations High
Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour on the occasion of the
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 25 November:
Every day, in all corners of the world, countless women
and girls are killed, mutilated, beaten, raped, sold into sexual slavery or
tortured. Most of the survivors of this violence have little hope of seeing
their tormentors pay for their crimes. And so the violence goes on.
This impunity is built on a foundation of discrimination
and inequality. States have largely accepted the international human rights
framework in place to prevent, condemn and punish discrimination against
women. But unless these inequalities are addressed, including in the economic
and social spheres, the violence will persist. A woman is more likely to
remain in a relationship in which she is the victim of domestic violence when
the alternative is homelessness for herself and her children. A woman will
not report rape if we continue to stigmatize the victims of violence rather
than the perpetrators.
International law requires States to adopt appropriate and
effective legislative and administrative procedures for fair, effective and
prompt access to justice.
A sustained effort to end violence against women also
means a commitment to ensure equality with respect to economic and social
rights. This contributes not only to the equitable allocation of public goods
and services but also leads to improved law enforcement by facilitating
accountability for violence against women. As we prepare to commemorate the
sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there is
no better demonstration of the interdependence of all human rights.
On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence
against Women, and on every day that will follow, we must demand action to
stop the killing and the abuse. We must demand that States honour their
commitments to bring perpetrators to justice and provide redress for their
victims. We must demand, simply, that more than half of humanity is given the
full protection it is entitled to.
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