WUNRN
http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=15487&LangID=E
ISRAEL’S LACK OF COOPERATION LEADS TO CANCELLED VISIT BY
UN SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR ON VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TO THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORY
GENEVA (16 January 2015) – An official information-gathering
visit to the occupied Palestinian territory by a United Nations human rights
expert was cancelled today until further notice for lack of cooperation of the
Government of Israel.
The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and
consequences, Rashida Manjoo, was scheduled to visit the occupied Palestinian territory
at the invitation of the Palestinian Authority from 19 to 29 January 2015 to
obtain first-hand understanding of issues related to violence against women.
“For the past six weeks, I have repeatedly sought the cooperation of the
Government of Israel to facilitate access to the occupied Palestinian territory
for me to undertake this visit. Regrettably, I did not receive the necessary
support, including a visa by the Government of Israel, ahead of my travel,
which is scheduled for tomorrow.
It is unfortunate that I have been denied the opportunity to engage
directly with women survivors of violence, and that the exercise of my mandate
has been hindered by the unwillingness of the Government of Israel, as the
occupying power, to facilitate access to the occupied Palestinian territory.
My intention, as per practice during my country visits, was to support the
Palestinian Authority to strengthen its capacity to protect and promote women’s
rights and to meet its international human rights obligations.
The programme of the visit included meetings with Palestinian officials,
law enforcement agents, representatives of civil society organisations and
survivors of violence in different locations. It also included visits to
prisons, refugee camps and shelters for women survivors of violence, among
others.
I wish to express my gratitude to all those who have been involved in
supporting the organization of this visit, in particular to the Palestinian
Authority, representatives of civil society organizations, the Office of the
High Commissioner for Human Rights and the United Nations Country Team.
“I remain interested in visiting the occupied Palestinian territory, and
call on the Government of Israel, as the occupying power, to facilitate access
to the territory.”
*****
Ms. Rashida Manjoo (South Africa) was appointed Special
Rapporteur on Violence against women, its causes and consequences in June 2009
by the UN Human Rights Council. Ms. Manjoo is a Professor in the Department of
Public Law of the University of Cape Town. Learn more, visit: http://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Women/SRWomen/Pages/SRWomenIndex.aspx
The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures
of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of
independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the
independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms of the Human Rights Council
that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts
of the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are
not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent
from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.