International: 15 years of UN SR on VAW Report
Source:
UN This report was initiated and guided by Yakin Ertürk, United Nations Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Its Causes and Consequences.
This review aims to take stock of the achievements of 15 years of work on the VAW mandate, which has produced an impressive collection of 14 annual reports, 32 country mission reports, 11 communication reports comprising many communications to and from governments, and several other pieces of research.2 Given the quantum of work and its significance, a review provides an opportunity to consolidate the main achievements, and the space to reflect upon
the gains and the potential for future progress and directions of the mandate. The expansive coverage by the mandate and the complexity and interconnections among the concerns and categories of violence make it difficult to undertake a comprehensive review—and this exercise does not aim to be one. Rather, it is selective in terms of its focus on the substantive achievements of the mandate and the challenges before it.
The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (DE VAW) provides a more comprehensive framework on VAW in terms of definition, scope, obligations of the State, and the role of the United Nations.11 It defines VAW to mean “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring
in public or private life.” DE VAW further outlines the scope of private and public to include violence in the family, violence in the community, and violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.
In their reports, the Special Rapporteurs have further elaborated upon these forms of violence as follows:
»» Violence in the family—such as domestic violence; battering; marital »» rape; incest; forced prostitution by the family; violence against domestic workers and the girl-child (non-spousal violence, violence related to exploitation); sex-selective abortion and infanticide; traditional practices such as female genital mutilation; dowry-related violence; and religious/customary laws
»» Violence in the community—such as rape/sexual assault; sexual harassment; violence within institutions; trafficking and forced prostitution; violence against women migrant workers; and pornography
»» Violence perpetrated or condoned by the State—such as gender-based violence during armed conflict; custodial violence; violence against refugees and internally displaced persons (IDP s); and violence against women from indigenous and minority groups Ertürk also suggested adding the “transnational arena”, which, due to globalization and increased transnational processes, has emerged as a fourth level where women are encountering new vulnerabilities.
To read the full report: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/women/rapporteur/docs/15YearReviewofVAWMandate.pdf
