The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently released a new document entitled "Addressing violence against women and achieving the Millenium Development Goals (MDG's)." The document addresses the interconnections between violence against women and each of the eight MDG's recognized in the Millennium Declaration of September 2000, in which the General Assembly of the United Nations resolved “to combat all forms of violence against women and to implement the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.” The document focuses on the connections between the MDG's and prevention of violence against women. It first describes how working towards the MDGs will reduce violence against women. Second the document concludes preventing violence against women will contribute to achieving the MDG's. It addresses several audiences:
- politicians and other leaders who wish to take action in the area of violence against women;
- decision-makers and policy specialists working in development, public health, legal reform, social policy and other relevant fields;
- advocacy groups working to raise the profile of violence against women as well as related issues of gender equality and women's empowerment; and
- program and policy staff in donor organizations, development and aid agencies.
The document begins with a discussion of gender and development in the context of the MDGs, and a short overview of violence against women. The main body of the document discusses specific MDGs and their links with the prevalence and prevention of violence against women. The final section has an emphasis on actions needed to move forward.
Compiled from: http://www.who.int/gender/documents/newpublications/en/
To view the full report see: http://www.who.int/gender/documents/MDGs&VAWSept05.pdf