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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