With 44% of respondents in a recent research survey stating that they have been victims of intimate partner violence, domestic violence has become a “virtual epidemic.” The recently published study, conducted by Dr. Robert S. Thompson of the Group Health Center for Health Studies, indicates the prevalence of domestic violence and its impact on both the physical and mental health of women.

The study revealed that both physical abuse, such as hitting and forced sex, and psychological abuse, such as threats and controlling behavior, both leave a significant negative effect on women’s health whether having taken place together or separately.

The research showed that women who have recent victims of domestic violence are three to four times more likely than other women to report symptoms of severe depression and poor/fair health. The study also showed that domestic violence was more common among younger women, single mothers, women with low incomes and low amounts of education, and those who had been previously abused as a child.

Researchers concluded that the active participation of physicians routinely questioning their patients about domestic violence, and subsequently referring them to appropriate help services, could possibly lower the rate of domestic violence.

Compiled from: “Epidemic of Domestic Violence Affecting Women Physically and Mentally,” Gender Informational Network of South Caucasus, http://www.ginsc.net, 2 June 2006, Accessed 26 June 2006.

Statistical evidence indicates that rape in the United States may actually be declining. Comparative data from the Justice Department's National Crime Victimization Survey reveals that the instance of rape has decreased eighty-five percent per capita since 1979. FBI data on crime indicates a similar trend. Judging the frequency and severity of rape by statistics is often considered inadequate if not misleading because rape continues to be one of the most underreported crimes. Although the survey conducted by the Justice Department is administered privately to thousands of U.S. homes and is aimed at gauging the depth and nature of crimes that go unreported, many who work with rape victims are not convinced. They maintain that rape is still chronically hidden by victims and its prevalence cannot be measured through traditional means. Those who are inclined to believe the numbers attribute the change to various factors; from nationwide crackdowns on crime that have removed likely perpetrators of rape from the streets to greater awareness in youth about the severity of rape and the importance of consent.

Compiled from: David A. Fahrenthold, "Statistics Show Drop in U.S. Rape Cases," Washington Post, www.washingtonpost.com, 19 June 2006.

Anti-trafficking advocates, in Nigeria, have criticized the new Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report from the U.S. State Department on the grounds that it does not discuss the role of the United States as a destination country for trafficked individuals. The State Department’s annual TIP report assesses countries that recorded more than one hundred cases of trafficking the previous year and rates both governmental and non-governmental efforts in eliminating the practice.

Nigeria is among 149 governments assessed in the report. While it is well established that Nigeria is a popular source county for trafficking, significant criticism has been expressed over the reports’ refusal to acknowledge the role the United States plays as a destination country in the trafficking process. Indeed, some estimates put the number of women annually trafficked into the United States at over 17,000. Organizations such as Africans in America Inc. (AIA) and Women's Consortium of Nigeria (WOCON) have led the charge in protesting the report’s omission. A failure to fully recognize the sources of supply and demand and to accurately track the flow of people, they contend, undermines the fight against trafficking.

Compiled from: News Bulletin, "US State Department Ignores Trafficking to the United States, say Nigerian Anti-trafficking Adovcates," AdvocacyNet, www.advocacynet.org, 20 June 2006.

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has organized a 3-day conference in Brussels focused on rape and sexual violence with delegates from 14 conflict-affected countries. It is the first conference of its kind to focus on this increasing problem. Although sexual violence during conflict is not a new issue, there is a growing amount of evidence that indicates that its prevalence is increasing. Delegates at the conference have heard first-hand testimony from women about their experience in conflict areas.

Rape as a weapon of war has been used in past conflicts, such as in Bosnia-Herzegovina where approximately 40,000 women were raped, but is also now reported in the Democratic Republic of Congo, East Timor, Haiti, and Sudan. A UN declaration and additional funding is what UNFPA is calling for to better address the issue not only during the conflict, but also in refugee camps and areas of post-conflict development.

Compiled from: "Rape in war 'a growing problem'," BBC News, 22 June 2006, www.bbc.co.uk, Accessed: 22 June 2006.

The Committee on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) released its concluding comments regarding the implementation of the Convention in  Turkmenistan.  CEDAW was pleased Turkmenistan is planning on ratifying the optional protocal for the Convention, among other things.  The Committee raised several concerns regarding sufficiency of information to make an accurate determination of the state's success at implementing the Convention.  CEDAW was concerned about the propensity for indirect discrimination against women, despite gender neutral equality laws.  The Committee was concerned about the continuing patriarchal attitudes, and the resulting lack of women involved in roles other than that of mother, wife and caregiver.  Additionally, CEDAW expressed concern that women were not using the legal remedies available to them as a result of the Convention.  Most significantly, CEDAW was concerned about the almost complete lack of legislation, protection measures and services with regard to violence against women, even in the area of domestic violence.  The Committee was also concerned about the lack of information and legislation to respond to both prostitution and trafficking in women.  In response to each of these concerns and more, CEDAW provides recommendations to the Turkmenistan government for continued improvement.

Compiled from: Concluding Consideration of Turkmenistan's Report, Women's Anti-Discrimination, Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, 723rd & 724th  meetings, (May 17, 2006). Concluding Comments of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women: Turkmenistan, 35th Session (May 15 - June 2, 2006).

In Davis v. Washington, the US Supreme Court interpreted the Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment and determined how it applied to victim statements in two domestic abuse cases.  The Confrontation Clause of the Sixth Amendment states: "In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right ... to be confronted with the witnesses against him."  In order to determine what the Confrontation Clause covers, the courts had to determine who qualifies as a witness.  In Davis, the court defined witness as one who bears testimony.  In Crawford v. Washington, testimony was defined as a statement made for the purpose of establishing some fact.  Thus testimonial statements qualify a person as a witness.  In Crawford, the Confrontation Clause bars “admission of testimonial statements of a witness who did not appear at trial unless he was unavailable to testify, and the defendant had a prior opportunity for cross-examination.”  (Crawford, pages 53-54)  Relying on this case, the Court in Davis ruled that only testimonial evidence made a person a witness within the meaning of the Sixth Amendment; therefore, only testimonial evidence was subject to the Confrontation Clause. 

Essentially, the Confrontation Clause requires a witness bear testimony at trial if they are available.  If they are unavailable, the defense must have been given a prior opportunity to cross-examine.  This is particularly important in the domestic abuse context, because victims are frequently hesitant to appear at trial.  First of all, victims of domestic abuse have a close relationship with their abuser and are sometimes reluctant to press charges when they are not in the heat of an abusive situation.  Furthermore, victims of domestic abuse are terrified of their abuser, giving rise to the battered women’s syndrome being increasingly recognized by courts.  Victims believe their abusers are invincible, so there is nothing more terrifying than facing their abuser face-to-face, even with the protections of a courtroom.  Statistics also prove that victims are in more danger when they bring charges against their accuser.  Experience has shown them that the government is not capable of protecting them from their abuser’s wrath.  As a result, many victims of domestic abuse will not testify against their abuser, which makes it very difficult to prove the abuse charges as there are often no other direct witnesses to the abuse.  See generally Brief of Amici Curiae.

In the two cases examined in Davis v. Washington (Davis and Hammon), the victims of the domestic abuse did not testify at trial, so the state admitted other statements by the victims as evidence.  The Davis Court held that when statements are made with the primary purpose of obtaining information to respond to an ongoing emergency the statement are not testimonial and are not subject to the Confrontation Clause.  On the other hand, statements made with the primary purpose of establishing events for a later criminal prosecution are testimonial and subject to the Confrontation Clause. 

In the Davis case, the state admitted the 911 call by the victim in which she identified the defendant as her assailant.  The Davis Court held the 911 call was non-testimonial and was thus not subject to the Confrontation Clause, because it was made during an ongoing emergency.  The Court differentiated between the beginning portion of the 911 call, during which the victim was still under attack by the abuser, and the later portion of the call after the abuser had fled the premises.  The court felt the beginning of the conversation, in which the victim identified her assailant, was for the primary purpose of responding to the current threat.  Though the Court was not asked to directly address the latter part of the 911 call, the Court did make note that after the abuser fled the premises and the threat averted, it is likely the interrogation shifted from non-testimonial to testimonial.  As a result, the beginning of the call was not subject to the Confrontation Clause and was therefore admissible.

In the Hammon case, the state admitted written statements the victim made to police when the police responded to a domestic disturbance call.  The Davis Court ruled in this instance that the statements were testimonial and were therefore subject to the Confrontation Clause.  The Court determined the statements in this situation were taken after the abusive situation had ended and under the protection of police.  Therefore, the primary purpose of the statements was not to respond to the situation, but to gather information for a potential criminal prosecution.  The Court did state, however, that this ruling did not bar the Indiana courts from determining that the defendant had forfeited the protection of the Confrontation Clause by wrongfully persuading the victim not to testify through threats and coercion.  Thus, courts have the opportunity to allow even testimonial evidence without requiring the protection of the Confrontation Clause if the state can prove the defendant prevented the victim from testifying at trial in some way.

The Supreme Court was careful to note that the Davis ruling does not establish specifically enumerated categories (911 calls or initial questions at the scene of a crime) regarding the Confrontation Clause, but rather the ruling establishes a standard with which courts may distinguish whether the Confrontation Clause is triggered.

Compiled from: Davis v. Washington, No. 05-5224 and No. 05-5705, 2006 WL 1667285 (S. Ct. June 19, 2006).

Crawford v. Washington, 541 U.S. 36, 124 S.Ct. 1354 (2004).

Brief of Amici Curiae of National Coalition to End Domestic Violence et. al., Davis v. Washington, 2006 WL 284229 (U.S. 2006) (Nos. 05- 5224 05-5705).

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

By Bermet Egemberdieva

At least 17 women have died in Kyrgyzstan in the past two years at the hands of physically abusive husbands. It is a sad reminder that many Kyrgyz women are unable to escape the horrors of domestic violence. Statistics from the country's crisis shelters -- where many of the most serious cases end up -- suggest that 80 to 90 percent of Kyrgyzstan's victims of domestic violence are women.

BISHKEK, June 20, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Ainura says she never imagined married life could become such a nightmare. Or that she would have to suffer through so much in two years of life together.

She was building a home and a future with a man whom she calls her husband, although she says her marriage was never officially registered. But he soon began to criticize and beat Ainura on a regular basis.

'In The Beginning...'

"In the beginning, it was all good -- until we got married," Ainura says. "Oftentimes, he was just jealous. It started after we got married, and got worse after I got pregnant. When he would leave for work, he started locking me inside our house. He broke our home telephone and, still, after coming back from work, he would start asking questions about visitors. I answered, 'Who could come when the door was locked?' He began to search for reasons to swear at me -- he even confessed that on the way home he would plan on what he could complain about. For example, if dinner wasn't ready or clothes not ironed or washed, and so on."

And that's when the beatings began, she says.

"He beat me badly, kicked [me] -- even when I had our son in my arms," she says. "Our son was very scared afterward, and even when my husband was talking loudly, [our son] would start crying hysterically."

To Ainura, it was clear that her husband was trying to turn her into his property, rather than his wife.

"I was just a slave to him," she says. "I cooked, cleaned, washed, [and] looked after our child. And when he came home, I begged him not to beat me."

The young couple lived together with her husband's relatives. To Ainura's surprise, they never intervened to stop a beating or to discourage her husband's cruel treatment.

"The last time, he beat me and kicked me in the kidneys -- it was very painful," Ainura says. "I cried and ran out of the room. As I was running out, I saw his brother and sister sitting and silently observing in the next room."

'A Part Of Our Tradition'

How is it that seemingly typical families can stand by in silence and watch a young woman being savagely beaten by her husband? Perhaps society considers such violence acceptable.

"Men have beaten their wives since the ancient times," a young man named Sabyr who live in Bishkek said. "These actions became a part of our culture and traditions."

Does Sabyr beat his own wife?

Victims of domestic violence in Kyrgyzstan (Sezim)"Yes, I do -- two or three times a month," he said. "I don't want to do it, but sometimes it just happens on its own. They talk too much, [or they] complain, and sometimes it has to be done -- just as a warning to them."

Another man, Samat, says he has never raised a hand against his wife. But he adds that he considers that an option.

"I think that couples need to understand each other," Samat said. "A husband and a wife -- both should be trying to create a peaceful atmosphere in their home. Beating is just too much. But there are times when women behave in a way that makes their husbands beat them. Those men's actions can be justified. But obviously men should try to explain everything through talking."

Another man, Askar, says he fears the effect that such violence can have on children.

"I am against domestic violence," Askar said. "If a wife and her husband fight at home, what kind of a child will grow up in such a family?"

'Who Will Take Care Of My Child?'

Ainura eventually decided she had had enough of her husband's abuse. After a brutal beating, she sought the help of a doctor and eventually left home. She says her maternal instincts prompted that difficult decision. Ainura felt that she needed to be healthy and strong for the sake of her 1-year-old son.

Wherever Ainura might end up, she thought, it would be better for herself and her baby.

"I thought: 'What is going to happen if he kills me one day? If I die, who will take care of my child?' And this feeling saved me," Ainura said. "I realized that my son needs me."

With no parents or other close relatives to turn to, Ainura focuses her attention and her energies on her child.

After leaving the home of her abusive husband and his compliant family, Ainura sought shelter at a crisis center in Bishkek. The Sezim crisis center is now their home, although it is difficult to say for how long. In addition to food and shelter, Ainura receives psychological counseling and legal advice.

In The Crisis Center

The shelter's director, Byubyusara Ryskulova, says the number of women turning to Sezim for help is increasing every year. The center recently sponsored a survey on domestic violence in which two out of three respondents claimed to have been the victims of domestic violence. Ryskulova places much of the blame on the way children in Kyrgyz society are raised.

Sezim crisis center director Byubyusara Ryskulova (RFE/RL)"From a very young age -- in kindergarten, in school, and then in university -- we have to teach everyone that all members of society are equal," Ryskulova said. "Everyone should know their rights and know how to defend them and not violate the rights of the others."

Counselors from the crisis center are trying to determine whether Ainura's husband can be taken to court for his abuse and forced to meet his obligations to his wife and child. The task is made more difficult by the fact that Ainura and her husband never officially registered their marriage.

But still, Ainura says she is happy to have escaped what she describes as a life of "slavery." She wants to find a job and be a good mother to her son.

And while she remains dependent on the shelter for the time being, Ainura talks about plans and hopes for her and her baby's future.

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org

Published at: Kyrgyzstan: Domestic Violence -- Tradition Or Crime?  Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, www.rferl.org, 20 June 2006.

Officials of the Liberal Party in Hungary have called for concerted action against endemic domestic violence in the country, a phenomenon that affects a significant number of women yet is often overlooked. They argue that Hungary, like many other countries in the region, is steeped in a patriarchal tradition that implicitly accepts domestic violence and relegates it to the private sphere. In addition, the existing legal framework for domestic violence is extremely limited. Notably, Hungarian law does not provide for the issuance of restraining orders, a critical tool for victims of domestic violence who seek legal remedy. And although basic criminal statutes exist to hold perpetrators of domestic violence accountable, police and other enforcement entities tend to view domestic violence as a household issue and to act accordingly.

Activists in Hungary also point to the low rate of female representation in political life and the challenges women face in earning top employment positions as indicative of the status of women in the country. Though traditional cultural attitudes and gender stereotypes are most often cited as responsible for the country’s seeming indifference towards these issues, others blame the communist legacy as well. Gender equality and the feminist movement of today are often conflated with the forced equality of the communist era and subsequently disregarded. 

Compiled from: Christine Rotter, "'Acceptance' of Domestic Violence Blocks Equality," The Budapest Sun Online, www.budapestsun.com, 15 June 2006.

During the 50^th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), Croatian Ambassador Mirjana Mladineo addressed the United Nations regarding the role of women’s rights in the future of the United Nations and Croatia. He stated his support for the increased attention to women’s rights by the CSW. Education, healthcare, and equal employment opportunities were mentioned as the three necessary prerequisites for women’s full participation in development.

The Croatian Government recently adopted an extensive set of laws addressing domestic violence and the protection of victims of domestic violence. It also has designated September 22 as National Day for the Suppression of Violence against Women.

Mladineo also spoke of the progress Croatian women have made within the government during the past 17 years. Approximately 30% of the Croatian Government is comprised of women. Between 1990 and 2006, the percentage of women representatives increased from 5% to approximately 21%.

The Croatian Government asserted it is continuing to promote the equality of women in many ways, including the pursuance of the full implementation of the CEDAW Convention and the Committee’s concluding comments for Croatia.

Compiled from: “Statement by Ambassador Mirjana Mladineo, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Croatia to the United Nations, to the 50th session of the Commission on the Status of Women” Permanent Mission of Croatia to the United Nations in New York, 1 March 2006, www.un.org, Accessed 20 June 2006.

Sexual violence in war has been receiving greater attention recently, and experts argue that statistics show the nature of war is changing which is causing it to create greater dangers for women and children. The paper gives concrete worldwide examples of the types of violence affecting women and children in war settings. These include 40,000 cases of reported war-related rape in Bosnia-Herzegovina by 1993 and the increased amount of prostitution and trafficking in the Balkans once the war ended.

The briefing paper addresses the history of violence against women in war-settings, including rape as a tool of war, prostitution, torture, sexual slavery, and trafficking. These atrocities take place in the location of the war, in flight to refugee camps, in refugee camps, and also in the surrounding areas after the war.

In addition, the paper also examines programs established to combat gender-based violence related to war; this includes a case study on Bosnia-Herzegovina. It finds that the violence must be addressed in four sectors in order to be effective: health, psychosocial, legal/justice, and security.

The paper concludes with a thorough assessment of current measures being taken by the international community to address war-related gender-based violence.

Compiled from: “Sexual Violence Against Women and Girls in War and Its Aftermath: Realities, Responses, and Required Resources” United Nations Population Fund, June 2006, www.unfpa.org, Accessed 20 June 2006.

Contributed by: Genoveva Tisheva- Managing Director of the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation

From 22nd to 26th May 2006 the Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation, together with The Advocates for Human Rights conducted a series of seminars in Sofia for representatives of judiciary and the police on the effective implementation of the Law on Protection Against Domestic Violence in Bulgaria. These seminars were the second phase of the trainings conducted at the end of November - beginning of December 2005 on the same topic funded by a grant from the Oak Foundation. The Bulgarian Gender Research Foundation and The Advocates for Human Rights have had a partnership in women’s rights protection and especially in the protection against domestic violence for more than ten years.

The training seminars were conducted as a joint project of the two partner organizations aiming at improving the capacity of Bulgarian institutions to implement the Law on Protection Against Domestic Violence in Bulgaria. About 200 professionals were trained at the two sessions and have received certificates for attendance. The events provoked great interest and were found to be a very successful experience sharing on both the Bulgarian and the American side. Participants had the opportunity to exchange experience in the field of domestic violence protection with prominent experts from Minnesota: Mrs. Loretta Frederick, Judge Mary Lou Klas, Sergeant Scott Jenkins from the Duluth Minnesota police department, and Mrs. Cheryl Thomas, Director of the Program for Women’s Rights of The Advocates for Human Rights.

The training seminars were possible thanks in part to the good contacts between the BGRF and Bulgarian police and Courts, as well as a result of the functioning of the network of representatives of various institutions and organizations in the country which have been built in the last six years – a network of social workers, lawyers, psychologists, police officers – all working in the field of domestic violence.

Among the main problems discussed during the training sessions were: strategies for rapid intervention and effective protection of the victims, as well as for prosecuting the perpetrators, strategies for full legal protection of the victims – both by penal and civil law procedure. The development of an interdisciplinary approach and the need of coordinated response of all institutions and organizations in the community against domestic violence was also a central problem subject to discussion.

The Czech Republic and other former Communist bloc countries are under scrutiny regarding allegations that Gypsy, or Roma women are being sterilized without their knowledge. The Czech ombudsman, Otakar Motejl, began investigating claims in 2004 that Roma women and girls were being unwittingly sterilized after several individuals contacted him. The issue has been revived by a recent court case in which a Roma woman sued the hospital that sterilized her. The court did not award her compensation, but it demanded that the clinic issue a formal apology.

Though sterilization of Roma women was practiced regularly under communism in order to contain large Gypsy families, doctors in the Czech Republic maintain that today the procedure is performed only when the woman’s health will be endangered by further childbirth and with her consent. However, many Roma women who have been sterilized claim that they gave written consent without knowledge of what they were signing and were not aware of what was happening to them until after the procedure. As a result of such stories, victims’ advocates claim that the practice is actually rooted in deep-seated European prejudice towards Roma people.

Ombudsman Motejl has indicated that the sterilization of Roma women is indeed often carried out under false pretenses if not entirely illegally and he has called on the Czech government to address the issue. He advocates for the codification of informed consent for sterilization in law and a time frame for women to make thoughtful decisions. Doctors, for their part, should be more forthcoming on the issue. He also recommended that the Health Ministry publish a clear description of sterilization and its effects.

Compiled from: Karel Janicek, "Gypsy Women Confront Czechs on Ugly Legacy," Seattle Post, www.seattlepi.nwsource.com, 17 June 2006.

Media Inquiries:
Vina Nadjibulla
Knowledge Management Specialist
UNIFEM Headquarters
+1 917-593-1406

United Nations, New York — United Nations organizations and civil society groups today announced a Joint Partnership to tackle sexual violence in conflict and crisis situations around the world. This Joint Partnership builds on existing initiatives and will address not only the threat that sexual violence poses to life and livelihood of survivors, but also the longer-term impact on community and national development.

Focusing on country-level efforts to combat sexual violence, the partnership will reach out to military and security communities to engage them, work to strengthen prevention through rule-of-law and access to justice, and expand services for survivors in the areas of health, psycho-social support and rebuilding dignity and livelihoods. The partnership will also develop a comprehensive evidence base for action through violence monitoring and tracking systems and dissemination of data analyses.

The need for stronger collaborative efforts to deal with gender-based violence is extremely urgent, UNIFEM Executive Director Noeleen Heyzer said, speaking at the launch of the partnership at the Swedish permanent mission in Geneva. Ceasefires are violated, and countries can slip back into violence — requiring constant monitoring. The massive and growing rates of sexual violence in conflict and crisis situations are a clear emergency, she said, and yet not enough is being done — to prevent violence, assist survivors, or even find out exactly how many women and children are affected.

The Joint Partnership will build on and strengthen existing collaboration within the United Nations on the issue, including guidelines developed by the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC), the primary mechanism for inter-agency coordination of humanitarian assistance, that brings UN and non-UN humanitarian partners together, as well as the lessons and experience derived from the UN Trust Fund to Eliminate Violence against Women, which UNIFEM manages. It will be the first initiative to combat gender-based violence that includes joint UN and civil society governing structures and resource mobilization processes. This is intended to significantly enhance and deepen partnerships, linkages and resources at local, national, regional and global levels to eliminate violence and provide much-needed assistance to those threatened by such violence.

Published in: "Launch of Joint UN-Civil Society Partnership Against Sexual Violence in Conflict and Crisis Settings," United Nations Development Fund for Women, http://www.unifem.org/news_events/story_detail.php?StoryID=473 (19 June 2006).

The Open Society Institute Network Women’s Program has released a report entitled "On the Road to the EU: Monitoring Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in South Eastern Europe." It addresses the situation of gender equality in Eastern European states preparing for EU accession, specifically Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia and Montenegro. The study monitored and analyzed current national legislation, institutions, and practices regarding gender equality in order to gauge how well the countries in question are complying with EU standards. In particular, the report focuses on the principle of equal pay for equal work, employment discrimination, protection of pregnant women and new mothers, and self-employed women.

Although progress has been made in recent years in South Eastern Europe to bring national policies on gender equality in line with EU standards, the report indicates that significant work remains. Notably, more than half the women in the region are unemployed. Women who do have jobs receive considerably less pay than their male counterparts. The absence of laws protecting pregnant women and new mothers is a further hindrance to gender equality in the workplace. The report provides specific recommendations for each country on how to enhance and modify their national policies on gender equality for better compliance with EU standards.

Compiled from: "On the Road to the EU: Monitoring Equal Opportunities for Women and Men in South Eastern Europe," Open Society Institute Network Women’s Program, 2006. (PDF, 89 pages).

Deutsche Gessellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), a German human rights group focused on sustainable development, has released a report entitled "Ending Violence Against Women and Girls - Protecting Human Rights."  (PDF, 68 pages).  The report argues that “violence against women and girls is one of the most direct expressions of the power imbalance between men and women.” (Cited from "Ending Violence Against Women and Girls - Protecting Human Rights", page 9).  GTZ identifies the scope of violence against women and girls from the regional to the international level and identifies the structural causes.  The report outlines the legal international and regional human rights frameworks in which gender violence is combated.  It addresses the costs of violence against women regarding human development and many of the Millennium Development Goals.  The GTZ report also identifies the importance of working with both sexes to address gender stereotypes and the relationship between the sexes, which is based on GTZ’s comprehensive practical experiences combating violence against women and girls.

For more information, please visit the GTZ webpage.

Compiled from: Ending Violence Against Women and Girls - Protecting Human Rights, Deutsche Gessellschaft fur Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), http://www2.gtz.de/dokumente/bib/05-1048.pdf (2005). (PDF, 68 pages). 

Published in: "Lawyers From 10 Countries Announce Concrete Roadmap For Increasing Justice For Victims Of Human Trafficking," Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women,  http://www.gaatw.net/ (9 June 2006).

The 2006 Amnesty International Report was recently published. The report documents human rights abuses in 150 countries around the world during the year 2005. In addition, it calls for action by governments and other groups in positions of power or influence. Achievements and actions of human rights activists around the world at all levels of activism are also highlighted in the report.

The report specifically address violence against women issues including: domestic violence, trafficking of women, forced sterilization of women, and the actions of women’s human rights organizations. The Report notes that:

In Albania, local NGOs worked together to create a draft law addressing legal protection for the victims of domestic violence. In Lithuania, the amount of female sex trafficking victims increased following the country’s entry into the European Union. In Slovakia, there is a court case pending in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg in which the three alleged victims of forced sterilization are plaintiffs.

Compiled from: “AI Report 2006,” Amnesty International, 23 May 2006; http://www.amnesty.org/, Accessed 19 June 2006.

A 2000 survey of the then-15 Member States of the European Union showed that bullying, harassment and intimidation were widespread in the region. In Germany, a 2002 study estimated that more than 800,000 workers were victims of mobbing, i.e a group of workers targeting an individual for psychological harassment. In Spain, an estimated 22 per cent of officials in public administration were victims of mobbing. In France, the number of acts of aggression against French transport workers, including taxicab drivers, rose from 3,051 in 2001 to 3,185 in 2002

In Japan, the number of cases brought before court counselors totaled 625,572 between April 2002 and March 2003. Of these, 5.1 per cent, or almost 32,000, were related to harassment and bullying, whereas, from April to September 2003 a 51,444 consultations requests, 9.6 per cent concerned bullying and harassment.
In developing countries, the most vulnerable workers include women, migrants and children, according to the report. In Malaysia, 11,851 rape and molestation cases at the workplace were reported between 1997 and May 2001. Widespread sexual harassment and abuse were major concerns in South Africa, Ukraine, Kuwait and Hong Kong, China, among others, the report said.

In South Africa, workers in the health care sector bear the brunt of workplace violence, according to the study. Over one 12-month period, a survey showed 9 per cent of those employed in the private health sector and up to 17 per cent of those in the public sector experienced physical violence.

On a more positive note, the study cited improvements in England, Wales and the United States. In England and Wales, the estimated 849,000 incidents of workplace violence in 2002-2003, including 431,000 physical assaults and 418,000 threats, represented a decline from 1.3 million such incidents cited in a previous survey. In the United States, where homicide is the third leading cause of death at work, the number of workplace murders has declined in recent years, with a similar trend for non-fatal assaults. The report says women represent approximately 61 per cent of all victimized workers because of their concentration in jobs considered high-risk for assault.

The cost of workplace violence, while high, is often difficult to calculate. Some countries, such as Australia, estimate costs to employers to be between 6 and 13 billion Australian dollars; in other areas such as the European Union, studies show a significant correlation between health-related absences and exposure to violence at work.

Looking forward

Growing awareness of the need to tackle workplace violence has spawned the development of new and effective prevention strategies. The study highlights a number of "best practice" examples from local and national governments, enterprises and trade unions from around the world that have successfully implemented "zero tolerance" polices and violence-prevention training programmes.

In fact, many countries have now explicitly recognized violence in their national occupational health and safety legislation. Argentina, Belgium, Canada, Finland, France, Poland and Sweden have recently adopted new legislation or amended existing laws and regulations to address violence at work.

The ILO has also adopted a number of fundamental Conventions on worker protection and dignity at work. In 2004, the ILO Code of Practice, Workplace violence in services sectors and measures to combat this phenomenon[2] was published to address the extent and severity of workplace violence in various service sector industries. In addition, the ILO, along with partners at the International Council of Nurses, World Health Organization and Public Services International, have developed framework guidelines to combat workplace violence in the health sector.

For more information, or to purchase a copy of these publications, please visit www.ilo.org/publ.

[1] Violence at work, Third edition, Duncan Chappell and Vittorio Di Martino, ISBN 978-92-2-117948-1, International Labour Office, Geneva, 2006.

[2] Workplace violence in services sectors and measures to combat this phenomenon, ISBN 92-2-115288-X, International Labour Office, Geneva, 2004.

Published in: Press Release, "New forms of violence at work on the rise worldwide, says the ILO," Department of Communication, International Labor Organization, www.ilo.org, 14 June 2006.

On 26 June 2006:

The Austrian Foundation for World Population and International Cooperation cordially invite you to the Gender Health from Violence to HIV:Women are Breaking the Silence at the Wiener Städtische Versicherung Schottenring 30, 1010 Wien

All over the world, women have led brave and inspiring campaigns against HIV and violence against women. They have achieved dramatic changes in laws, policies and practices.The Conference will bring together 4 leading, empowered women from the Philippines, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan/Austria, who are breaking barriers and gaining ground in the battle against these issues:

Justine RUKEBA MBABAZI, Rwanda.
"The issues I am dealing with are big - Justice and reconciliation. I feel I have to push until there is a legal framework to prevent it from happening again. I know I am the voice of a big congregation of women, not only in Rwanda.“
A survivor of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, Justine Mbabazi is one of the new female leaders in her homeland. Her achievements are many--a lawyer who drafted Rwanda's first legislation against gender-based violence, country director of the American Bar Association, and former executive director of a legal network that brought the rights of women to the forefront of national politics and played a critical role in the debate over a new constitution.

Karen F. VILLANUEVA, Philippines.
One of the youngest legislators in Asia. Karen is currently a City Councilor of Bais, Negros Oriental, Philippines. She has been a staunch advocate of women's rights and lead campaigner against VAW since her student days. She is actively involved in a new program in colloboration with Women without Borders called Men for Change—that seeks to combat domestic violence by involving men.

Dr. Maha AL MUNEEF, Saudi Arabia
An activist as well as a medical doctor. Coming from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where women's rights are still suppressed, she breaks the silence in her efforts against domestic violence, child abuse and HIV/AIDS. She is currently one of the few women pediatricians at the King Fahad National Guard Hospital in Riyadh.

Nasra HASSAN, Pakistan
Nasra Hassan has worked in Pakistani television and has written extensively on women's identities and is an acknowledged expert on female suicide bombers. Currently, she is with the UN and is the Director of United Nations Information Service and Spokesperson of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime in Vienna.

Spearheaded by the Austrian Foundation for World Population and International Cooperation in cooperation with the United Nations Fund for Population Activitiies (UNFPA) and Women Without Borders, the gathering provides an excellent venue for discussion, dialogue and debate among stakeholders on inter-linked gender, sexuality and rights concerns and in the process look to solutions that address the practical needs of both men and women to effectively address HIV/AIDS and VAW.

Opening: Honorable Maria Rauch-Kallat
The Austrian Minister for Health and Women.
Moderator: Dr. Edit Schlaffer

For Conference Registration and Information, please contact:
info@swi-austria.org, +43 1 585 76 99

Published in: "Gender Health from Violence to HIV: Women are Breaking the Silence," Women Without Borders, www.women-without-borders.org, 14 June 2006.

IHF Annual Report 2006: Trampling on Fundamental Rights in the Name of “National Security”

Vienna, Almaty, 12 June 2006 -- The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) today officially released the 520-page report Human Rights in the OSCE Region: Europe, Central Asia and North America, Report 2006 (Events of 2005). The report covers major human rights events in 39 countries in Europe, Central Asia and North America during 2005.

The IHF report addresses issues such as: What were the outcomes of the 2004-2005 “color revolutions” in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan from a human rights perspective and how did they affect developments in the former USSR? How effective an incentive has possible future EU membership been in bringing about genuine improvements in the Balkans and Turkey? What effects have anti-terrorism measures had on fundamental human rights in established democracies? The report focuses primarily on civil and political rights but also touches upon issue related to social, economic and cultural rights.

In the course of 2005, the human rights situation deteriorated in numerous former Soviet republics, especially in Central Asia. The 13 May massacre of hundreds of civilian demonstrators by police and security forces in Andijan, Uzbekistan, can be described as the worst human right event in the OSCE region. Authorities both in Uzbekistan and the neighboring states stepped up their efforts to ensure national security, which resulted in new violations of civil liberties. Political opponents, independent Muslims and human rights defenders were subject to increasing pressure and attacks, legal restrictions were imposed on civil society activities and measures were taken to limit religious freedom.

Turkmenistan remained a repressive and closed society ruled by president-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov who controlled all branches of public life and allowed no open political opposition.

The “color revolutions” brought about positive changes in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, but progress was limited by deep-rooted problems inherent in the legacy of the authoritarian past and slowly changing attitudes. Media freedom improved notably in Ukraine, but other reforms proceeded at a very modest pace and the inadequate funding of courts caused a dramatic crisis in the administration of justice. In Georgia, the central government held vast powers, without a functioning system of checks and balances and virtually no parliamentary opposition. The government’s methods to fight corruption raised rule of law concerns. The new president and government, who took office following the ousting of President Akaev in Kyrgyzstan, pledged to promote human rights and democracy, yet little had been done by the year’s end. Also, after a short period of relaxation in the media field, political pressure on the media increased again.

Belarus' poor human rights record deteriorated further in the course of 2005: it fell short with respect to democracy, the rule of law, and most basic human rights and freedoms. Many NGOs were brought to the brink of closure and the political opposition was prevented from engaging in real campaigning prior to the March 2006 presidential elections.

In the Russian Federation, the powers of the federal executive were further consolidated, the erosion of democratic checks and balances continued and official information policies grew increasingly restrictive. The so-called anti-terrorism operation in Chechnya went into its seventh year and increasingly spilled over to the neighboring republics, which resulted in a deteriorating security situation in the entire North Caucasus.

In its “war on terror,” the government of the United States continued to violate due process rights of terrorist suspects, authorized interrogation techniques widely considered to amount to torture, and held an unknown number of people at secret places of detention to which even the International Committee of the Red Cross was denied access. Prison conditions remained well below international standards and the death penalty continued to be practiced. Racial disparities were again brought to public consciousness, especially by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

Also in West European countries, the fight against terrorism remained a priority. A number of countries (e.g. Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Sweden) continued practices, or adopted new anti-terrorism measures, that had negative implications for the enjoyment of fundamental rights. Such measures included, among others, increasingly restrictive asylum and immigration policies, increased police and intelligence powers that gave rise to concerns about undue intrusion into private life, measures undermining the absolute ban on torture (e.g. returning individuals to or interrogating suspects in countries where torture was practiced), and arbitrary and discriminatory stop-and-searches. The wide attention given to the perceived threat of religious extremism in public debate, and the tendency to portray Islam as being incompatible with democracy and human rights, helped fuel intolerant attitudes toward Muslims.

In Turkey, national human rights NGOs reported that the situation worsened - despite some positive development e.g. in the field of freedom of expression. A main concern was impunity for human rights violations, including torture. For example, after years of proceedings, four police officers who tortured two young women in 1999 were acquitted due to lack of evidence acquitted because the women had objected to “virginity test” to obtain evidence on their rape claims. Yet, the women were convicted on the basis of confessions reportedly extracted under torture.

Moreover, the IHF report documents, among dozens of other issues, the following:

·         Croatia’s human rights situation deteriorated seriously in the course of 2005: the overall security situation was fragile, and harassment and violence against members of minorities (especially Serbs and Roma) increased, making 2005 the worst year since 1996 in this respect.

·         In Italy, Poland and many other countries, judicial proceedings were excessively long. In Italy, the average length of first instance criminal proceedings was almost three years, civil proceedings in labor disputes almost two years, while bankruptcy cases lasted the average of over nine years.

·         The status of civil rights and liberties in Romania improved somewhat after the December 2004 parliamentary elections, especially in the fields of freedom of expression and association. Of serious concern were extensive wiretapping and other intelligence activities by secret services outside adequate control.

·         In Serbia and Montenegro, the failure to apprehend indicted war criminals remained a main concern. The uncertainty surrounding the future status of Montenegro deteriorated the functioning of institutions at the state union level and slowed down reforms. The failure to apprehend indicted war criminals remained a main concern.

·         Authorities in Armenia violated the right to housing and property rights in the implementation of a new city plan for the center of Yerevan. Residents were forced to sell their apartments at a fraction of market prices, or were evicted to give way to luxurious building projects in which many high public officials were questionably involved.

·         In some rural areas of Kyrgyzstan, as few as 10% of children attended school, while others were needed as work force at home. The infant death rate was on a dramatic increase, reaching 25% in some regions. 

·         In Slovakia, government officials grossly misinterpreted a decision by UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) not to conduct an inquiry into forced or coercive sterilizations of Romani women in Slovakia. Among others, authorities wrongly claimed that the CEDAW had confirmed that coercive sterilizations never occurred in Slovakia.

·         While officials in Bosnia and Herzegovina stated that 50% of refugees and displaced persons had returned to their homes since the signing of the 1995 Dayton Peace Agreement, the local Helsinki Committee and other monitors indicated that only one third had returned to take up residence in their pre-war homes.

·         In Macedonia, the March and April local elections were characterized by irregularities and, for the first time in several years, the international community strongly criticized their conduct.

·         In Latvia - for the first time since its independence - serious charges of election fraud were made after the March municipal elections.

·         Classified information on failed Congolese asylum seekers that leaked from the Netherlands immigration service IND to Congolese authorities put at serious risk persons who were deported to Congo: official Congolese sources confirmed that returned asylum seekers risked assault, detention and fines.

·         In many countries in the region, overcrowding of prison and detention facilities was a serious problem. In Poland, the prison population has grown by 50% in the past five years, while the number of prison staff has increased by only 3%.

-------

An electronic version of the full report is available at the IHF website:
http://www.ihf-hr.org/documents/doc_summary.php?sec_id=3&d_id=4255

For more information, please contact:
Aaron Rhodes, Executive Director, 43-1-408 88 22 or +43-676-635 66 12 Henriette Schroeder, Press Officer, +43-1-408 88 22 41 or +43-676- 725 48 29

Published in: Press Release, "IHF Annual Report 2006: Trampling on Fundamental Rights in the Name of 'National Security,'" International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights, www.ihf-hr.org, 12 June 2006.

For immediate release

Date: 13 June 2006

'The Story Behind the Numbers: Women and Employment in Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Commonwealth of Independent States' is available on the UNIFEM website.

For more information, please contact the coordinator of the report, Asya Varbanova, asya.varbanova@unifem.org, tel: +421 2 59337 328

Published in: The Story Behind the Numbers: Women and Employment in Central and Eastern Europe and the Western Commonwealth of Independent States, www.unifem.org (accessed 14 June 2006).

Albania on June 12 signed a Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU, Reuters reported the same day. Albanian Prime Minister Sali Berisha and EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn signed the agreement at a ceremony during a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg. An SAA is a
crucial first step toward joining the union, but EU officials said Albania still faces a long and difficult path before membership. "This is the first stepping stone towards the European Union for Albania," Rehn said. "It will foster mutually beneficial economic and political relations between Albania and the EU. Nevertheless, Albania still faces difficult reform challenges," he said. "We now  look to Albania to show determination in fulfilling the commitments it has made," he added. Berisha called the agreement an "historical landmark towards fulfillment of Albanians' dream to return and reunite with their European family." BW

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org

Published in: "Albania Signs Pre-Membership Pact with EU," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, www.rferl.org, 13 June 2006.

A study released last year by the World Health Organization (WHO) entitled Multi-country Study on Women’s Health and Domestic Violence against Women caught the attention of congressional leaders in May. The study, which was based on 24,000 interviews with women from countries around the world, found that one-fifth to three-quarters of women have been inflicted with physical or sexual violence since age 15 by male partners.

The study placed particular emphasis on domestic abuse, or intimate partner violence. This particular type of abuse has far-reaching affects both physical and psychological on the victim, from HIV/AIDS to increased vulnerability. Research found that a woman’s partner presents her greatest risk of violence, and due to social norms that justify abuse, many women do not seek out the formal support they need.

A congressional briefing on the study was co-sponsored by Family Violence Prevention Fund, Global Health Council, and PATH. The organizations placed an emphasis on the need for an effort to combat domestic violence internationally. Members of Congress, such as Senator Joseph Biden (D-DE) stepped up to the task and voiced their support for addressing the problem.

At the briefing, participating Members of Congress were urged by the co-sponsors to support an international Violence Against Women Act (I-VAWA) which is due to be introduced next year. The law would commit the U.S. Government to working for the end of violence again women on an international level. The legislation focuses not only on women’s health but also economic conditions and social norms, and it involves men and religious leaders. Existing programs will be the foundation of the new legislation will incorporate additional components including increased access to education, insuring women’s access to reproductive health services, training judges and judicial officials, and improving women’s property rights.

Compiled from: "A Call To Action: New Legislation Will Address Findings From WHO Study," Family Violence Prevention Fund, 9 June 2006; http://endabuse.org/, Accessed 12 June 2006.

A recent study conducted by the University of Illinois at Chicago shows that drug use, whether it is willing or unwilling, increases a woman’s risk of sexual assault and that drugs are a common factor among many sexual assaults.

Research showed that of the 62% of sexual assaults reported in the study that involved drugs, 5% of the cases involved the “date-rape” drug, Rohypnol. 35% of the drug-involved sexual assaults in the study involved a victim who was impaired at the time of the assault. Additionally, of the 62% of cases that involved drugs, research showed that more of the cases than not resulted from the willing use of a drug by the victim.

The study was conducted of 144 subjects (sexual assault complainants), age 18 to 56, in four US states: Texas, California, Minnesota, and Washington State. Each of the subjects participated voluntarily in the study and answered a questionnaire regarding their alleged assault and the involvement of any drugs. Each of the subjects was tested for 45 drugs that either have been detected previously in sexual assault victims or that impair judgment. Four in five of the complainants reported knowing their assailant.

Authors of the study concluded that toxicological analysis is greatly needed in sexual assault cases, and in addition, nurses need to be trained in taking truthful drug histories from sexual assaults victims.

Compiled from: "New Study: Drug Use Affects Rates of Sexual Assault," Family Violence Prevention Fund, 9 June 2006; http://endabuse.org/, Accessed 12 June 2006.

Yakin Ertürk, the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on violence against women, its causes and consequences, will conduct a fact-finding mission to Sweden from 12 to 21 June 2006.

The Special Rapporteur has scheduled visits to Stockholm, Malmö and Luleå to gather first-hand information. A specific focus of the mission will be the occurrence of domestic violence, violence in minority communities and violence in the context of trafficking and prostitution. The Special Rapporteur will meet with representatives of the Government, non-governmental organizations, United Nations officials and victims and their relatives.

After the visit, Ms. Ertürk will present a report containing her findings and recommendations to the United Nations Human Rights Council.

Ms. Ertürk, Professor of Sociology at Middle East Technical University in Ankara, Turkey, was appointed Special Rapporteur in 2003.

Published in: Press release, "UN Rights Expert on Violence Against Women to Visit Sweden," Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, www.ohchr.org, 9 June 2006.

Compiled from: "Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000: Trafficking in Persons Report," U.S. State Department Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, 5 June 2006; www.state.gov/g/tip/rls/tiprpt/2006/, Accessed 8 June 2006.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 8, 2006

Detroit, MI – In an effort to inspire action, encourage meaningful dialogue, and increase public awareness about the unique challenges facing women and girls in a world with AIDS, the UNAIDS-led Global Coalition on Women and AIDS (GCWA) has announced the kickoff of its 2006 four-city Empower Women: Fight AIDS U.S. Tour. In Detroit, Houston, Minneapolis and Washington, DC members of the tour will engage leaders and advocates in the political, business, NGO, religious, academic and women’s communities to discuss how real progress can be made to prevent the spread of HIV among women and girls and to provide women and girls with essential treatment, care, and support services.

Today, more than 17 million women and girls are living with HIV, representing nearly 50% of those living with the disease worldwide -- and almost 60% of those with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. HIV infection rates among women and girls are on the rise in every region of the world. In the United States, AIDS is currently the leading cause of death for African-American women ages 25-34 and increasingly affecting Hispanic women. Women are uniquely vulnerable to contracting HIV due to a lack of power in preventing violence, accessing education, gaining economic self-sufficiency, and receiving information about HIV prevention and legal rights. Women and girls also face barriers to accessing treatment and bear a disproportionate burden of care for those living with and affected by HIV.

Launched in 2004 by UNAIDS in response to the growing feminization of AIDS, the Global Coalition on Women and AIDS (GCWA) is a broad-based alliance of community organizations, networks of women living with HIV, and United Nations agencies, supported by activists, political leaders, and celebrities, which develops, promotes, and supports real solutions for women and girls in the global fight against AIDS.

“Empowering women and girls is key to turning the tide of AIDS,” said Dr. Peter Piot, Executive Director of UNAIDS. “As we design and evaluate AIDS programs, we must always ask: does this work for women and girls? Unless the answer to that is yes, we cannot expect to succeed in the global response to AIDS.”

The 2006 Empower Women: Fight AIDS U.S. Tour will travel to Detroit (June 8-9), Houston (June 10-12), Minneapolis (June 13-14) and conclude in Washington, DC (June 15) to highlight the need for AIDS solutions that address the realities of women’s lives.

The tour is comprised of women leaders and advocates who span the globe and are at the forefront of AIDS efforts worldwide, including Kathleen Cravero, GCWA Leadership council chair and UNDP Assistant Administrator; Mary Fisher, Founder of the Mary Fisher CARE Fund and UNAIDS Special Representative; Idah Mukuka, Director of community outreach for the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia; Celina D’Costa, Advocacy Officer for HIV/AIDS Programs for Project Concern International in India; and Devorah Elizabeth Davis Zelaya, support worker for the Association of People Living with HIV in Honduras.

Each of the women has both a compelling personal story to share and works for women on the front lines of AIDS in their home communities and countries. The vast experiences and inspiring efforts of these women allows them to connect with the millions of women living with HIV worldwide, and with citizens from all walks of life. This will be the second year for the GCWA tour. Last year’s tour visited New York City, Nashville, Miami, Chicago, and Washington, DC.

The 2006 tour promotes progress by combining both local and national media outreach with local community forums and town hall meetings that encourage women to share their stories and join forces to develop and implement proven solutions that address the vulnerabilities that women everywhere face. “Unless we create a paradigm shift in our approach to combating global AIDS, women and girls will continue to bear the brunt of the epidemic. If we value women, if we want to stop AIDS, we have no choice,” said Kathleen Cravero, GCWA Leadership Council Chair. “Initiatives such as this tour allow us to place the issues that women face and the strategies that work front and center before those with the capacity to make a difference.”

The 2006 Tour is co-sponsored by the UNAIDS, the United Nations Foundation, World Vision, and the World YWCA. “The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS is making a significant contribution to the world: calling attention to the growing toll of AIDS on women and girls around the world,” said United Nations Foundation President Timothy E. Wirth. “Citizens and governments the world over have a responsibility to hear this message and respond to it by providing women with the services and rights they need. The United Nations Foundation is a proud sponsor of this tour, and the work of the courageous women sharing their experiences and ideas.”

“The religious community must help lead the global AIDS response, particularly given the impact of the epidemic on women and girls,” said Richard E. Stearns, President of World Vision. “We must advocate for the right theology in our churches and the right policies by our government, pray for people living with AIDS, the children they leave behind, and their caregivers, and volunteer our time and resources to organizations delivering essential services to people affected by AIDS.”

“It is time to recognize the fact that the number of women and girls living with AIDS is escalating. To stop this trend we have to empower the lives of women, eliminate violence against them, and give women equal access to prevention, treatment, and care,” said Peggy Sanchez Mills, CEO, YWCA USA.

A full list of public activities featuring the women of the tour can be found at http://womenandaids.unaids.org/tour or by calling Phyllis Cuttino (202) 777-3516. A small sample of events from each city is listed below:

• Detroit, MI: “Preventing HIV – A Girls Only HIV Awareness Event at Youthville”. Sponsored by the Detroit Youth Foundation with FM 98 WJLB On-Air Personalities Coco, Foolish & Mr. Chase. Collaborating Partners: The Horizons Project; YWCA of Detroit; Alternatives for Girls; AIDS & Adolescents Networking Committee; Henry Ford Health Systems; and Gospel Against AIDS. Date and Time: Thursday, June 8 from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. Location: Youthville, 7375 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI.

• Houston, TX: “What Works for Women and Girls in the Fight Against AIDS”: A Public Forum at the University of Houston moderated by Emmy Winning Journalist Linda Lorelle. Local Panelists include: Kathleen Foster, Casa de Esperanza; Janis Hutchinson, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Houston; Vera Johnson, Vice President of Client Services, AIDS Foundation Houston; and Dr. Mark Kline, Baylor College of Medicine. Date and Time: Sunday, June 11 from 3pm to 5pm. Location: Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture, 1st Floor Auditorium, University of Houston.

• Minneapolis, MN: Exploring the Link Between Violence and HIV in Women: A Community Discussion Sponsored by the Minnesota AIDS Project with co-sponsors MN Coalition of Battered Women; MN Coalition Against Sexual Assault; Rape and Sexual Abuse Center; University of Minnesota School of Public Health; Minnesota AIDS Project; and UNA-MN. Moderated by Diane Knust. Date and Time: Wednesday, June 14 from 11:30am to 1:30pm. Location: Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, 301 19th Avenue South.

Again, for more information on the tour, please contact Phyllis Cuttino (202) 777-3516 or visit http://womenandaids.unaids.org/tour.

The Global Coalition on Women and AIDS is a worldwide alliance of community organizations, networks of women with HIV and AIDS, governments and UN organizations. The Coalition works at global, regional and national levels to highlight the impact of AIDS on women and girls and mobilize actions to enable them to protect themselves from HIV and receive the care and support they need. The GCWA was launched by the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS).

UNAIDS, the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, brings together the efforts and resources of ten UN system organizations to the global AIDS response. Cosponsors include UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank. Based in Geneva, the UNAIDS secretariat works on the ground in more than 75 countries worldwide.

Created in 1998 with a gift from entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner, the United Nations Foundation enables other to support United Nations (UN) causes and activities. The UN Foundation is a public charity that builds and implements public-private partnerships in support of the UN’s efforts to address the most pressing humanitarian, socioeconomic, and environmental challenges facing the world today. The UN Foundation also broadens support for the UN and global cooperation through advocacy and public outreach.

World Vision is a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities worldwide reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. World Vision serves the world's poor regardless of a person's religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

Founded in 1858 and headquartered in Washington, DC, the YWCA USA is a women’s membership movement whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women. Strengthened by diversity, the YWCA draws together members who strive to create opportunities for women’s growth, leadership and power to attain a common vision: peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all people. Currently, the YWCA represents 2 million women, girls and their families in the United States, and 25 million women worldwide. The YWCA has nearly 300 associations throughout the United States. The World YWCA is at work in 100 other countries.

Published in: "Global Coalition on Women and AIDS Announces
2006 Empower Women: Fight AIDS U.S. Tour to Promote Solutions that Work for Women and Girls in the Fight Against AIDS," United Nations Foundation, www.unfoundation.org, 8 June 2006.

Equality Now, an organization committed to ending all forms of discrimination and violence against women, has released its 2005 Report. The report details the organization’s work over the last year, highlighting victories that have been won and calling attention to obstacles still pending for women around the world.

The report applauds the repeal of an Ethiopian law that absolved a man from criminal responsibility for abduction and rape, provided he married the woman or girl afterwards. Another victory was won in Kuwait in 2005 where women were finally granted the right to vote. In Africa, a new Protocol addressing women’s rights was added alongside the African Charter. The protocol assures the right to abortion for women who are victims of rape or incest, or whose health will be endangered by childbirth. It includes a legal prohibition to female genital mutilation as well as delineating economic and social welfare rights for African women. Seventeen countries had ratified this protocol by the end of 2005.

Support was also expressed for several international efforts initiated in 2005 with regard to women’s rights. Notable examples include the creation of the International Women’s Commission which is comprised of Israeli, Palestinian, and international women and aims to ensure women’s role in the Israel/Palestine peace process; the UK-launched international meeting on women’s role in the media; and the United Nation’s renewed commitment to addressing laws around the world which discriminate against women.

Despite such hard-won successes and promising new beginnings, an immense amount of work is ahead in the fight for gender equality. The report calls attention to the Hudood Ordinances in Pakistan which not only absolve male perpetrators in cases of rape but attempt to blame and punish the victim of the assault. The discriminatory culture from which these ordinances arise also provides justification for honor killings. In Mexico, only scant attention has been paid to the vast number of rapes, abductions, and killings of women in Ciudad Juárez. Equality Now calls on the Mexican government to actively investigate these crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice.

The report also focuses on sex trafficking and female genital mutilation as two issues of immense importance and advocates for the eradication of both. In regard to trafficking, the report notes that it is important to avoid drawing strict boundaries between women who are forced into sex work and women who “choose” it, pointing out that the poverty and lack of education that mark many women’s lives are coercive in themselves. Equality Now calls for all sex exploitation to be abolished.  The report also highlights Equality Now’s campaign to end female genital mutilation, a practice that causes extreme physical and psychological problems in women and young girls. The report advocates for the adoption of laws banning the practice in countries where it is still allowed, and calls on governments to be strict enforcers where laws already exist.

Compiled from: "Take a Stand, Make a Difference: Annual Report 2005," Equality Now, accessed 2 June 2006. (PDF, 32 pages).

On June 5, the U.S. State Department issued its annual report on global human trafficking. The report includes a section titled "Heroes Acting To End Modern-Day Slavery," and among the 10 heroes singled out for mention was Uzbek citizen Nodira Karimova. Karimova is the head of the Tashkent office of the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and founder of the NGO Istiqbolli Avlod.

In October 2004, Karimova spoke with Andrea Powell, director of the Washington-based NGO FAIR Fund. FAIR Fund is an international organization that supports and engages young women in civic activism to better their lives and communities. Through cross-cultural collaboration, education, funding, and training, FAIR Fund advocates the active and successful participation of young women and girls in the development of civil society.

Below, Kadirova discusses the desperate situation of girls in Uzbekistan, and why trafficking is such a big problem. (Interview used with permission from FAIR Fund.)

Nodira Karimova: Thousands of girls are being kidnapped from their homes and forced to work as sex slaves each year. Our campaign is opening a hotline, informing Uzbek girls and women of risk of accepting one of the 'dream' jobs offered to them in other countries. These people offering the jobs aren't their friends; they just want to use them for money. We want girls who are trying to come home to know we can help them. At our hotline center, a specially trained operator will give free and anonymous information on the telephone. In the last few months, we have received more that 1,000 calls, among which are calls from parents and relatives whose daughters or wives were kidnapped and forced to work as slaves. Most of these callers don't even know if their daughters, wives, girlfriends are alive or dead.

FAIR Fund: What inspired you in starting your organization?

Karimova: I have worked with a lot of different organizations dealing with women's issues. I was always worried about the fact that women in lower economic classes were ignored and did not know about the help they could be offered by these groups. The government and social services did not pay attention to poor women. But they are the ones that need the assistance the most. It was my observation that these women and girls don't ask for help because they have been taught there is no hope for their situation. They see so many hungry, poor people around them, and eventually they give up on a good future. It is my hope that my organization can really bring hope back to lives of these women and their children through real solutions.

FF: What personal and professional problems did you have while starting your organization?

Karimova: A lot of my family and professional friends did not understand why I wanted to start my own nonprofit organization. They were worried that I was trying to solve a problem [trafficking] that was never going to get any better. They thought it was impossible to help girls who 'don't want to help themselves.' But I talked to them and eventually they started to help me. My biggest supporters were actually my husband and my father. They told me to not be impatient, and to really trust my inner voice. This was very important for me because I was pretty impatient in the beginning. I wanted to save every girl possible, but first I had to build a structure to do that.

FF: Why do you think trafficking is such a big issue in your country?

Karimova: I think that for a long time Uzbek people and the government hid the problem. We are a secretive society that does not like to share their problems with the world. A good Uzbek woman had to be first a daughter, than a wife, and finally a good mother. The girls who went abroad were not considered to be good girls. People thought any girl who would do this are just doing it be a prostitute. They did not realize the true deception of the traffickers. Most of these girls need the money -- that is why they agree to go.

For a long time, no one here really sat back and wondered about how these girls get abroad. No one asked what the problems were that a girl was so desperate to agree to go with a stranger to a foreign country. People just kept closing their eyes, and every time they opened them, the problem was bigger. I decided that we needed a hotline for people to call and ask us questions. A lot of girls call us about their offers to work abroad. And a lot of families call us because they want to find their daughters. I think that any one can look at our country and see that we are at a crossroads. The economy, patriarchal views of the woman, corruption -- it all leads to a fertile ground for girls to be kidnapped into slavery.

FF: Do you think your government is dealing with the problem of trafficking in an adequate way?

Karimova: If we compare the trafficking situation from one year ago, to the present one than we can be sure the situation has improved a little. I think that the latest U.S. Department of State report, "Trafficking In Persons," released this summer has made an influence on my country's attitude to trafficking prevention and prosecution of offenders. Our country was classified as tier 3, which means we are one of the worst countries for trafficking. Before this report was released, our country didn't really tackle these issues seriously. But, now we are already busting trafficking rings that have been in existence for a long time. I really hope that our government will make relevant conclusions and direct all its efforts in preventing this human tragedy.

FF: What has been the response of the girls you speak to when you tell them about trafficking?

Karimova: When we held the seminars for schoolgirls in Tashkent, the girls were really skeptical in the beginning. They only knew very little about the problem, and they were certain that good girls would not be caught in that situation. We told them about the real picture. They learned about the ways that a girl can be tricked into thinking that the job is teaching languages, selling clothes, or translating. We also told them that really poor girls are often the most vulnerable because they are afraid of living on the streets.

After these talks, they started to understand why a girl would go abroad. This is very important because girls who go are often thought of as 'bad women' or 'sluts.' They were really shocked about the beatings, forced sex, and even deaths of the girls who are trafficked. They didn't know about any of this even thought the problem is very big in our country. The more that these girls know about the problem, the better they can handle dangerous situations or false job offers. These seminars can save their lives.

FF: What are your future goals for yourself and your organization?

Karimova: First of all we are going to expand the "Information Campaign For Antitrafficking" all over the country. For the past year we have gained a lot of partners and support from organizations like FAIR Fund. This shows that our work is being recognized, and that we are becoming stronger. The information campaign will include establishing more hotline call centers in our three branch offices in Termez, Jizzak, and Syrdarya and highlighting the trafficking issue through collaboration with the local press in these regions.

Copyright (c) 2006. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036. www.rferl.org

Published in: "Uzbekistan: Activist Describes Struggle Against Human Trafficking," Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, www.rferl.org, 7 June 2006.

YEREVAN, 8 June 2006 - The development of a new National Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings and the implementation of the 2004-2006 National Action Plan are the focus of a meeting that started today in Yerevan. The event is organized by the OSCE Office in Yerevan and the Armenian Inter-Agency Commission with support from the U.S. State Department.

Members of the Armenian Inter-Agency Commission on Anti-Trafficking Issues and representatives of key non-governmental organizations working with trafficking victims will participate in the meeting.

The roundtable is part of the Office's activities geared toward assisting the Armenian authorities in addressing the problem of human trafficking.

Hana Snajdrova from the Czech Interior Ministry and Liliana Sorrentino from the OSCE Anti-Trafficking Assistance Unit will present national strategies and plans of action of various OSCE participating States.

"A comprehensive national strategy is critical in achieving success in combating trafficking in humans in Armenia and elsewhere," said Ambassador Vladimir Pryakhin, Head of the OSCE Office in Yerevan.

He emphasized the significance of the OSCE Action Plan, which provides a comprehensive toolkit to combat trafficking through a multidimensional approach, covering protection of victims, prevention of trafficking and prosecution of those who facilitate or commit the crime. 

Published in: Press release, "OSCE Office in Yerevan Organizes Roundtable on Future of National Anti-trafficking Plan," OCSE, www.ocse.org, 8 June 2006.

On 25 May 2006, leaders gathered to discuss the UNIFEM 2005 Report entitled “Progress of the World’s Women: Women, Work and Poverty” in Azerbaijan. The conference was attended by government officials from Azerbaijan, representatives from various UN agencies, NGOs, leaders from women’s organizations, and others. The UNIFEM global report focuses on the role of working women, particularly in the informal economy, and stresses the need to develop employment opportunities for women. The conference discussed the implications of the report for the world, the CIS region, and specifically in Azerbaijan. National leaders discussed the vulnerability of women to conditions of poverty and the necessity of promoting economic stability and gender equality in Azerbaijan. The report’s findings were also discussed with regard to their impact on the Millennium Goals, eight global objectives developed by the UN that range from the eradication of extreme poverty to combating HIV/AIDS.

Compiled from: "Local Achievements and Global Challenges: UNIFEM Launches Global Report," United Nations Development Fund for Women, 25 May 2006; UN Millennium Development Goals, United Nations, www.un.org, Accessed 8 June 2006.

The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) and the European Women's Lobby (EWL) have prepared a handbook to address shortcomings of anti-trafficking programs through a focus on gender equality and demand.  Specifically, the handbook addresses: the links between prostitution and trafficking, the importance of programs or policies that are based on gender equality, the legal status of the sex industry, and the male demand for prostitution that promotes sex trafficking.  The handbook is intended as a resource for NGOs, governmental groups or other authorities committed to ending sex trafficking and curbing the growth of the sex industry.  The handbook is a compilation of ideas, research and arguments to aid organizations in the fight against trafficking in women and prostitution. 

Compiled from: "The Links Between Prostitution and Sex Trafficking: a Briefing Handbook", Monica O'Connor and Grainne Healy, Coalition Against Trafficking in Women and European Women's Lobby (2006).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
PR- 161-06
May 18, 2006

MAYOR BLOOMBERG LAUNCHES PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN TO CURB DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND JOINS V-DAY TO LAUNCH TWO-WEEK FESTIVAL UNTIL THE VIOLENCE STOPS: NYC
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today unveiled a public awareness campaign to encourage New Yorkers to seek assistance if they or someone they know is a victim of domestic violence and announced that New York City will host Until The Violence Stops: NYC, a two week festival of artistic performances and community events designed to bring the issue of violence against women and girls to the forefront.  Developed pro bono by McCann Erickson, the public awareness advertising campaign will be featured in subways, buses and telephone kiosks.  The nearly half a million dollar print advertising campaign is scheduled to run initially for three months citywide.  Until The Violence Stops: NYC will be presented by V-Day - a global grassroots movement founded by award-winning playwright Eve Ensler to end violence against women and girls.  Mayor Bloomberg was joined by City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, Deputy Mayor Carol Robles-Roman, Mayor's Office to Combat Domestic Violence  Commissioner Yolanda Jimenez, Commission on Women's Issues Chair Anne Sutherland Fuchs, McCann Erickson Senior Vice President Susan Irwin, Playwright and V-Day Founder Eve Ensler and Executive Director of the Commission on Women's Issues Elizabeth LoNigro. 

"Domestic violence is a crime that damages innocent lives in the place where they should be the safest - in their own homes," said Mayor Bloomberg.  "Eve Ensler's festival, Until the Violence Stops: NYC, takes the issue of violence against women out of the silence of the home and into the community, demanding all New Yorkers work to end violence against women.  Last year, domestic violence was responsible for nearly one out of every eight homicides in our City.  We must encourage everyone who is a victim or who knows a victim to make the call for help.  One call could mean the difference between life and death. "

On Monday, May 22nd as part of the V-Day Festival an outdoor messaging and advertising campaign will hit subways and buses in all five boroughs asking New Yorkers to 'Make NYC the safest place on earth for women and girls'.  The campaign will run through the end of June.  From June 12th until June 27th, the Until The Violence Stops: NYC Festival will feature performances starring Salma Hayek, Rosario Dawson, Kathy Bates and many others. 

"We owe it to those who came before us, and we owe it to the generations to come, to end violence against women and girls throughout New York City," said City Council Speaker Quinn.  "The education campaign we are unveiling today, in addition to the great work done by Eve Ensler and V-Day, is an important step in ending domestic violence. This effort promotes greater community awareness, gives a voice to victims of domestic violence and empowers us all to take action."

"Chances are the next victim could be someone you know.  One in four women will experience domestic violence at some time during their life," said Commissioner Jimenez.  "We all have an opportunity to prevent a tragedy by reaching out."

"Through V-Day, we have witnessed the power of art to transform and galvanize change," said V-Day founder Eve Ensler.  "V-Day was born in New York City and Until The Violence Stops: NYC takes our message directly to the people of New York.  Together, we will make New York City the safest possible place for women and girls."

"Domestic violence is a powerfully destructive force, robbing its victims of their well-being," said Commission on Women's Issues Chair Anne Sutherland Fuchs.  "I'm proud that our Commission stands today with a different force - one that combats domestic violence.  Through the efforts of the Mayor's Office and V-Day, we can help eliminate violence against women in New York City, and help victims take back their lives."

Although domestic violence affects both men and women, the vast majority of victims are women.  In the last four years, major domestic violence felony crimes have decreased by 21% and family related homicides have declined by 11%.  On average in New York City, police respond to 600 domestic violence related calls each day and the domestic violence hotline answers 400 calls each day.  However, of the 68 domestic violence related homicides last year, the majority of the victims had no known prior contact with police and no existing order of protection.  Victims and their friends and family often underestimate the level of risk in abusive relationships.  This public awareness campaign encourages all New Yorkers to take action against domestic violence.

Through innovative programs and improved coordination between service providers, New York City has worked to help victims and their children find the safety and support they need.  The following are examples of enhanced services that are now available: 

• The first one-stop service center, the Family Justice Center, opened in Brooklyn last year.  Since opening, over 3,100 victims and 650 children have received assistance at the Center.  Planning is underway to open Centers in the Bronx and Queens
• All City run hospitals offer on-site social and legal services
• The public housing application process has been streamlined
• The number of shelter beds has been increased
• All police precincts have instant access to language interpreters in over 150 languages

V-Day is a global movement to end violence against women and girls, including rape, incest, battery, female genital mutilation, and sex slavery.  Over 100 celebrated actors, writers and directors will come together for Until The Violence Stops: NYC, which will feature several star-studded marquee events with performances by celebrated actors, original works by noted authors and community events throughout the five boroughs. 

Kathy Bates, Jane Fonda, Salma Hayek, Kerry Washington, Rosario Dawson, Diane Lane, Suheir Hammad, Marcia Gay Harden, Sarah Jones, Brittany Murphy, Rosie O'Donnell, Phylicia Rashad, Isabella Rossellini, Marian Seldes, Gloria Steinem, Marlo Thomas, Idina Menzel are among performers who have committed to participating in the Festival.  Edward Albee, Tariq Ali, Maya Angelou, Edwidge Danticat, Anna Deavere Smith, Ariel Dorfman, Michael Eric Dyson, Dave Eggers, Nicholas Kristof, Azar Nafisi, Paula Vogel, Alice Walker, Nobel Prize-winner Jody Williams, Howard Zinn, and more are contributing original works written exclusively for the Festival. 

Start-up support for the Festival is being provided by the Rockefeller Foundation. Lead corporate support is being provided by Verizon.  Proceeds from the festival will benefit numerous groups, including the New York City Family Justice Center Initiative, a private public partnership. 

Published in: Mayor Bloomberg Launches Public Awareness Campaign to Curb Domestic Violence and Joins V-Day to Launch Two-Week Festival Until the Violence Stops: NYC, NYC.gov (accessed 06/05/06).

For more information, please visit: http://www.vday.org/utvssplash.html.

One in Three is a global awareness campaign that raises awareness about violence against women.  "According to a report written in 2003 by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), One in Three© women around the world will be raped, beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime, and countries are not doing enough to Stop the Violence."  The One in Three Campaign has developed One in Three dog tags as a new educational and promotional tool.  Wearing One in Three dog tags, like One in Three wristbands, raises awareness about violence against women and helps fund the One in Three Campaign. 

To purchase One in Three wristbands or dog tags, please visit: http://www.oneinthreewomen.com/ordering.htm. 

Compiled from:  http://www.oneinthreewomen.com/ (accessed 06/05/06)).

Further information about the Year can be found at: http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/equality2007/index_en.htm

Compiled from: "2007--European Year of Equal Opportunities for All," http://ec.europa.eu 2 June 2006.

This conference, which will hopefully be the first in a series of related events, is properly themed “The Effects of European Union Enlargement on the Socio-Economic Development of Women” and will explore the impact of EU enlargement on women – a topic that remains understudied. The main objective of this conference is to offer a platform for discussion and exchange of ideas among academicians, practitioners, governmental and non-governmental organizations. Turkey, a predominantly Muslim country, has recently taken historic steps towards EU full membership and the effects of this accession on her democratic consolidation and human rights laws have generated much interest. However, the serious issue of the effects of this membership on women and women's rights still remains to be explored. This conference, the first of its kind, will not be limited to Turkey, but will also cover the recent enlargement countries as well as the prospective applicants waiting to join.

Improving women's status in social, economic and political life and providing gender equality in the social security system are among the main objectives of the European Union. Compared to other countries, members of the European Union have taken serious steps on these issues. Equality between women and men in economic life has not yet been obtained, and participation of women in professional life is still lower than that of men even in the European Union. Not surprisingly, the average wages of women in European countries are lower than those of their male counterparts. Consequently, one of the main objectives of the Union is to provide gender equality with respect to wages and employment. Active participation of women in science, protection of women against violence and sexual harassment, expanding general and occupational education opportunities regarding women and increased participation of women in professional life are some of the policies that are used to close the gap between genders. Given the current conditions, this conference hopes to make a modest contribution to the advancement of women in an age of globalization, regionalization and economic and social development, with emphasis on the European Union.

All papers are required to be submitted in English. Turkish-English translation will be provided in plannery sessions and sessions focusing on Turkey. The proceedings of this conference is expected to be published in an edited book that will allow a wider audience to access this much-needed information in an area that lacks sufficient academic research.

We also hope that this conference will be the first step towards establishing a “Women's Studies Research Center for the Advancement of Women” within the framework of IEU. IEU aims to contribute to the advancement and development of women through academic research, dissemination and exchange. To further these goals, the Center plans to initiate an interdisciplinary international journal on women's studies.

Published in: http://dba.ieu.edu.tr/women/ (accessed 06/05/06).

For more information, please visit http://dba.ieu.edu.tr/women/.

On 31 May 2006, Prof. Yakin Ertürk, the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on violence against women, its causes and consequences, delivered the following press statement:

"Having taken note of the extensive media coverage of suicides of women in Batman, I conducted an official fact finding mission in Turkey from 22 to 31 May 2006.

Following consultations with national authorities and non-governmental organizations in Ankara, I have visited Batman, Sanliurfa and Van provinces, where I met with local authorities, civil society representatives and victims or families' of victims in order to understand the incidents of suicides of women.

I would like to thank the Government of Turkey, national and local authorities and civil society actors for their cooperation and support. At this point, I would like to share some preliminary observations.

The majority of women in the provinces visited live lives that are not their own but are instead determined by a patriarchal normative order that draws its strength from reference to tradition, culture and tribal affiliation and often articulates itself on the basis of distorted notions of honour. Diverse forms of violence are deliberately used against women who are seen to transgress this order. Suicides of women in the region occur within such a context.

There have been many misleading statements about suicides of women in Southeast Turkey and Batman specifically. I would like to note some basic facts. Between 2000 and 2005, there were 105 suicides in Batman: 61 victims were women, 44 were men. In 2006, there have been so far 7 suicides: 5 women and 2 men and 53 suicide attempts of which 36 are women and 17 men. Two significant facts emerge from these figures. Firstly, suicide rates in Batman (calculated per 100,000 individuals) are not particularly high compared with national rates for Turkey. It would therefore be wrong to stigmatize Batman as a "City of Suicide," as some have done.

Secondly, far more women than men commit suicide in Batman. This runs contrary to world-wide trends according to which more men than women commit suicide. Batman is not the only province in Turkey that shows this anomaly. According to 2003 figures of the State Institute of Statistics, other provinces in the region such as Van, Diyarbakir, Hakkari, Sirnak, and Siirt have more suicides of women than men. Similar patterns are also noted in several provinces outside the region.

During the course of my mission, I had the chance to personally meet with families of suicide victims as well as with women who survived a suicide attempt. I would like to express my gratitude to these families and women for having the courage and strength to talk to me about the very personal tragedies they had to live through. I also spoke with a number of social services officials and women's rights groups who had worked on individual cases. The causes of a suicide are hard to understand, not least because the victim cannot be asked about her motives. Typically, personal, family and societal factors interlink. I have found that the patriarchal order and the human rights violations that go along with it – for example, forced and early marriages, domestic violence, and denial of reproductive rights - are often key contributing factors to suicides of women and girls in Southeast and Eastern Turkey. Additional pressures result from the fact that women have to navigate between the multiple demands imposed by the traditional order and rapid socioeconomic change in the context of urbanization and internal migration as well as having to cope with poverty, displacement and the ambiguities created by the political tensions often experienced in the region. Reportedly, in some suicide cases, child sexual abuse in the family circle also appears to be a major factor. Therefore, there is an urgent need to overcome social taboos and openly discuss study and address this problem.

National and international media have speculated whether suicides of women and girls are in reality disguised honour killings or forced suicides. For many of the cases reported to me, these speculations probably do not hold true. I would like to note, however, that senior justice and law enforcement officials in provinces I have visited informed me about cases, in which there were reasonable grounds to believe that the suicide was instigated or that a so-called honour killing was disguised as a suicide or an accident. Some of these cases have been referred to the courts for prosecution. I call on the competent authorities to investigate cases of unnatural death of women and girls with particular diligence and institute prosecutions for instigation of suicide, where necessary.

Turkey is a party to all major international human rights instruments. Its domestic legislation provides for the equality and human rights of women and addresses violence against women. In practice, however, I have found that authorities too often lack the willingness to implement these laws and protect women from violence. Interlocutors in the region explained that politicians and administrators are often inclined to arrange themselves with local power structures and norms at the expense of women's rights. Female illiteracy rates that reach up to 50 percent in some parts of the region are a clear indication of this gross neglect. While noting the lack of an effective institutional protective framework, I would like to acknowledge the work of those courageous and enlightened individuals serving in the provinces who continue to protect women from grave violence, including murder, at great personal risk. In this regard, the 2004 judgment of the Sanliurfa Assize Court convicting 9 persons for organizing and carrying out a murder in the name of honour even before the adoption of the new Penal Code constitutes a commendable example.

I envisage presenting a comprehensive report containing my findings and recommendations to the United Nations Human Rights Council."

Published in: Press release, United Nations Expert on Violence Against Women Concludes Mission in Turkey, 31 May 2006.

NOTE: These reports do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations or its agencies.

© Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN)

Published in: IRINNews.org, UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 1 June 2006.

In March 2006, the United Nations officially announced the creation of the Human Rights Council, a subsidiary body to the General Assembly intended to replace the Commission on Human Rights. The Council will be based in Geneva and will meet at least three times a year, submitting an annual report to the General Assembly with an account of its progress and findings. The resolution establishing the Council states that its mandate is to promote and protect human rights worldwide. More specifically, it will monitor abuses, promote human rights education, and provide advisory services and capacity-building support. It will also make recommendations to the General Assembly for further development of international human rights law as the need arises.

Elections for the Council were held in early May to determine which countries would compose the forty-seven member Council for the next three years. The General Assembly voted on member states based on applications they submitted and in keeping with the geographic distribution requirements set forth in the Resolution. The results are as follows:

Representing Africa are Algeria, Cameroon, Djibouti, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia and Zambia.

Representing Latin America and the Caribbean are Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Ecuador Guatemala, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay.

Representing Asia are Bahrain, Bangladesh, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Jordan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.

Representing Eastern Europe are Azerbaijan, Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation and Ukraine.

Representing Western Europe and Other States are Canada, Finland, France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.  

Notably, the United States voted against the creation of the Human Rights Council and did not submit an application for membership, claiming that the Council did not go far enough in its reform of the UN human rights system. Nevertheless, the American ambassador has since expressed support for the work of the Council.

The Council is scheduled to hold its first meeting on 19 June 2006.

Compiled from: Resolution 60/251 adopted by the General Assembly on the Human Rights Council, 3 April 2006; "Membership of the Human Rights Coucil," UN Human Rights Council, 5 June 2006; "Questions and Answers on the Human Rights Council," UN News Center, 5 June 2006.

The latest issue of Forced Migration Review (FMR 25) includes a major feature on People trafficking: upholding rights and understanding vulnerabilities. The 72-page issue – produced in full colour for the first time – includes 22 articles on trafficking-related issues from a range of UN agencies, civil society and human rights organisations, government agencies, NGOs and researchers, plus 15 articles on other subjects including: return and reintegration in Sudan, ongoing conflict in Darfur, the Pinheiro Principles, the UN's ‘cluster’ approach, ‘environmental’ refugees, Sahrawis, HIV/AIDS, the female condom and local integration. 

FMR25 can be accessed free of charge, either as a single pdf (2.4mb) or by individual article. Hard copies of the English edition are now available - and will be followed by Arabic, French and Spanish editions.  If you would like to receive a hard copy for your organisation, or multiple copies for forthcoming conferences, please contact the Editors with details. We will need your full postal address and indication of how many copies and which language issue you require. (Please note that if you usually receive a hard copy of FMR, there is no need to send an additional request.)
 
The Editors would like to thank Bandana Pattanaik, coordinator of the Global Alliance Against Trafficking in Women (GAATW), for her invaluable assistance with the issue. The production and distribution costs of this issue have been supported by grants from Hivos (through GAATW International Secretariat), the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and the UN Inter-Agency Project on Human Trafficking in the Greater Mekong Sub-region (UNIAP). 

 Forced Migration Review 27  
Call for Papers

(Pristina, May 30, 2006) The criminal justice system continues to fail victims in Kosovo, despite almost seven years of international administration, Human Rights Watch said in a new report released today. Kosovo’s future status is currently the subject of intense negotiations mediated by the international community.

The 74-page report, “Not on the Agenda: The Continuing Failure to Address Accountability in Kosovo Post-March 2004,” focuses on the criminal justice response to the March 2004 violence in the province. At that time, widespread rioting across the province, involving more than 50,000 people, left hundreds of minorities injured and thousands displaced from their homes.  
 
“Right now, accountability for past crimes isn’t on the agenda for Kosovo,” said Holly Cartner, Europe and Central Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “But resolving Kosovo’s status without fixing the justice system will poison its future.”  
 
Progress on prosecutions related to the March riots has been limited, despite being given priority in the justice system. More than two years later, only 426 individuals have been charged in connection with the violence, mostly for minor offenses such as theft, with just over half resulting in final decisions.  
 
The criminal justice response to the March 2004 violence provides a useful yardstick by which to measure progress on accountability efforts in the province generally. After almost seven years of international administration, the authorities should have had sufficient time to address the shortcomings in the legal framework, the police, the prosecuting authorities and the courts. Moreover, in the wake of the March violence, there was an unequivocal commitment from the international community that those responsible would be brought to justice.  
 
Yet the report analyzes the failure to bring to justice many of those responsible for the violence. Key factors include:

• Inadequate preparation and training for the impact of major reforms to the criminal justice system introduced three weeks after the March riots. For example, the reforms gave prosecutors a central role in investigations, a shift in responsibility for which none of the players were adequately prepared.  
   
  
• The creation of a special, separate international police operation to investigate March cases, which was inadequate, de-linked from the mainstream investigation process and ultimately failed.  
   
  
• Ineffective policing, including lack of follow-up, poor coordination between international and national police, and inadequate collaboration with prosecutors.  
   
  
• Inadequate witness protection measures.  
   
  
• Inadequate oversight and prioritization of the criminal justice system by the United Nations administration in Kosovo.

“No one should pretend that building the rule of law in Kosovo is easy,” said Cartner. “But there are plenty of basic steps – like making sure that prosecutors are properly trained and institutions work together – that can make a big difference today.”  
 
The inadequate criminal justice response to violence in March 2004 symbolizes one of the greatest problems faced by Kosovo today: rampant impunity for crime, particularly where it has a political or ethnic dimension. The track record on investigating and prosecuting war crimes and inter-ethnic crimes prior to March 2004 is also extremely poor.  
 
The result is the continuation of a cycle of impunity and the reinforcement of the belief in all communities in Kosovo – majority and minority alike – that the criminal justice system is neither reliable nor in the service of the people. Minorities, particularly Kosovar Serbs, have less faith than ever that they can live safely in Kosovo.  
 
“Not on the Agenda” also highlights the absence of an effective outreach strategy to inform affected communities about the outcome of investigations and prosecutions arising from the March 2004 violence, and the lack of transparency in the system. This makes it difficult for people to obtain basic information about the outcome of criminal cases and for groups to monitor the system as a whole.  
 
The report calls on key actors in Kosovo, including the United Nations, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, the police and the provisional government in Kosovo, to take immediate steps to tackle the criminal justice system. These include: ensuring proper oversight of the courts; developing an action plan to establish a judicial police branch to work directly with investigative prosecutors; increasing collaboration between international and national police, prosecutors and judges; and establishing a more effective witness protection system.  
 
The report urges the six-nation Contact Group and the European Union to prioritize accountability in their policies toward Kosovo, including by ensuring that a functioning criminal justice system is accepted by all parties as integral to the successful resolution of Kosovo’s status, and providing the material support necessary to enable the creation of an effective system for witness relocation and protection.  

Published in: Press Release, Kosovo: Criminal Justice System Fails Victims, Human Rights Watch, 30 May 2006.

Kosovo: Criminal Justice System Fails Victims

Introduction

The Moldovan Draft Law on Prevention and Combating Domestic Violence (hereinafter the ‘Draft Law’) is an important step in Moldova’s effort to address domestic violence.  The Draft Law envisions increased protections and remedies for victims of domestic violence. However, the law could be improved to more clearly reflect the most important reasons for government intervention in domestic violence cases -- to ensure victims’ safety and abusers’ accountability for violent crimes.  General observations are provided below, followed by article-specific comments. 

The Draft Law should more clearly reflect the primary purpose of any government intervention in domestic violence cases – to ensure the safety of the victim and the accountability of the offender.  The Draft Law needs more specific directions to government agencies.  The Draft Law focuses heavily on perceived psychological aspects of domestic violence.  This is a problematic approach.  Psychological rehabilitation is rarely the most urgent need of a domestic violence victim.  Rather, laws should focus on ensuring victim safety and offender accountability for violent crimes.   Similarly, with regard to perpetrators of domestic violence, the focus of the law should be on holding him accountable for his crimes and changing his violent behavior. 

Chapter III is a critically important part of the Draft Law.  It should be expanded significantly to include detailed directives to law enforcement and the judiciary.  These directives should outline specific steps to be taken by law enforcement and the judiciary in issuing and enforcing measures to protect victims from violence.  The Draft Law should provide that courts are the only competent authority to issue protective measures.   The Draft Law should include specific language on how victims can apply for protective measures, where they can apply, the courts’ obligations to conduct a hearing on the application for protective measures, what specific protective measures the courts can impose and law enforcement’s duty to enforce protective measures.

The Draft Law should include explicit criminal sanctions for violation of protective measures issued by courts pursuant to Draft Law, Article 20.

The Advocates for Human Rights urges drafters of this law to work closely with individuals and groups who provide direct service to domestic violence victims.  These individuals and groups have the most accurate information about how government agencies can best promote victim safety and offender accountability through laws and their enforcement.

Chapter I

Article 1

The Draft Law’s objectives should focus on the protection of victims of domestic abuse and the accountability of the offenders, rather than the protection and consolidation of the family.  A focus on preserving the family may prioritize family unity over victim safety and minimizes offender accountability.  Article 1 should state that the object of the law is to provide a legal remedy for victims of domestic violence.

Article 2

Article 2 is too specific in its definition of domestic violence. Listing specific forms of violence may result in some form of abusive or violent behavior that is not on the list being excluded from sanctions.

Article 2 should state that violent acts result in “harm” not abuse. Under “Physical Abuse,” “choking” should be changed to “strangulation.”  The definition of “choking” is  difficulty in breathing due to an obstruction of the larynx or trachea, such as food.  The definition of “strangulation” is “to kill by squeezing the throat to cut off air or suffocate.”

Article 3

The provision “individuals united through marriage” is too narrow.  It should include unmarried partners who are living together, dating, or have a child in common. 

Article 5

The “basic principles of prevention and combating domestic violence” should include protecting the rights and safety of the victim.    

Article 6

“Unions not registered with the registry office” should be defined. 

Chapter II

Article 7

“Competent authorities for prevention and combating domestic violence” should include advocates or other non-profit service agencies that work directly with victims and can best represent their interests. 

Article 8

Art. 8(b) is an important provision in that it requires state authorities to collaborate with NGOs and others and to offer them the necessary support. 

Article 9

The language of Article 9 is vague.  The obligations and authority of the court should be outlined in specific detail in the Draft Law.

Article 10

Generally Article 10 envisions too much intervention by the state.  Article 10 (a) is vague and difficult to apply in its requirement that government authorities must identify people who are “pre-disposed to commit acts of domestic violence.”  This directive risks diverting needed government resources from the priority goal of holding violent offenders accountable and promoting victim safety. 

Article 10 also presents the risk that a domestic violence victim will be further victimized by the state by having her children taken away from her.  Art. 10(b) states that internal affairs authorities are to “…in the case of minors, report to competent authorities (Sections of social assistance and family protection, education divisions, health care divisions, etc.).”  This may unfairly penalize a victim of domestic violence and may also not be in the best interests of the child. 

Art. 10(e), which requires internal affairs authorities to visit families “whose members are registered in relation to domestic violence, and organize prophylactic measures to prevent repeated acts of violence”, is vague and fails to specify what prophylactic measures are envisioned.   

Art. 10(h), which refers to the victim and perpetrator as “conflicting parties”, assumes that both parties are equally at fault.  It also diminishes offender accountability for violent behavior. 

Article 10(j) refers to “psychological rehabilitation” of offenders.  Rather, treatment of offenders should focus on changing their attitudes and behavior. 

Art. 10(k) states that the authorities are to “isolate the victim from the aggressor.”  The article should clarify that it is violent offenders who must be removed from the home and ordered to stay away from the victim. 

Article 11

Art. 11(b) should ensure that victims are included in any decision to “place the victim in the Centre.”  Victims of violence are most often the best judges of the dangers presented to them by violent partners.  Therefore, it is not advisable to exclude them from decisions about separation from violent offenders.  Research shows that one of the most dangerous times for many women is when they separate from their abusers.  A 2003 study described by the Family Violence Prevention Fund, a non-profit agency in the United States, confirmed, “[s]eparating from an abusive partner after having lived with him, leaving the home she shares with an abusive partner or asking her abusive partner to leave the home they share were all factors that put a woman at ‘higher risk’ of becoming a victim of homicide.” 

Art. 11(c) envisions psychological and psycho-social counseling for victims of domestic violence.  While resources and services for victims are an important goal, drafters of the law should consider the possibility that this provision risks diverting needed government resources from the primary goal of victim safety and offender accountability to the misguided goal of `fixing the victim.’

Article 13

Art. 13(d) presents the risk that a victim of domestic violence will be further victimized by government officials who make decisions without the victim’s input or consent.

Article 15

Article 15 contains important provisions regarding resources and safety for victims of domestic violence.  However, the focus on “psycho-social rehabilitation centers” reflects an assumption that the victim needs to change her behavior in some way.  In fact, many victims of domestic violence do not need psychiatric counseling or rehabilitation services.  Rather, domestic violence victims need government agencies to focus resources on ensuring their safety through adequate provision of shelters and economic opportunities and ensuring offender accountability through adequate criminal laws and procedures. 

The length of time victims can stay in a safe house or shelter should not be limited to three months.

Art. 15(2) states that the government “shall determine the way of operation of these institutions.”  A more efficient and effective approach would be for the government to  provide funding to non-profit agencies that work with victims, best know victims’ needs and can most effectively represent their interests. 

Chapter III

Chapter III is the most important section of the Draft Law.  It envisions an immediate remedy for domestic violence victims through protective measures issues by a Court.  However, much more detail is needed to clarify the exact obligations and authority of law enforcement and the Courts.

Articles 16 and 17

By authorizing third parties to report and take action in cases of domestic violence, independent of victims’ wishes, Articles 16 and 17 may compromise domestic violence victims’ interests and safety.   Such provisions also risk abuse of the process by third parties whose motivations are not in the victim’s best interests or the best interests of her children.  A primary goal of government intervention in cases of domestic violence should be to respond to the needs of victims.  Thus, wherever possible, the adult victim’s wishes and needs should be paramount.  Women who are victims of violence are most often the best judges of the dangers presented to them by violent partners.  Therefore, it is not advisable to exclude them from the decision to apply for protection measures. 

Article 18

Article 18 should provide that claims should be submitted only to the Court.  Drafters of the law should also consider the role of the police and outline it specifically in this provision.

Article 19

Article 19 should include specific detailed procedures to be followed in cases of domestic violence where courts are authorized to order that protective measures be implemented.

Article 20

Article 20 should be expanded and enhanced as discussed above in the Introduction.  

The “temporary visiting scheme” envisioned in Art. 20(1)(b) for minors should not be allowed until the abuser has demonstrated a change in his behavior.  The safety of the victim and children is paramount.  A violent offender should be required to earn the right to “visit the minor.”  The devastating effects on children who witness domestic violence should be reflected in the Draft Law.

Art. 20(1)(c) should ban the perpetrator from appearing at the residence of the victim.

Only the court, upon application of the victim, should have the authority to revoke orders containing protective measures.

Article 21

There should be greater involvement of non-governmental organizations and advocates who have experience and expertise in domestic violence issues.  A better approach is for the state to provide funding to organizations that provide services or shelters to victims of domestic violence. 

Article 22

Article 22 should specifically state that violation of the protective measures issued by a court is a crime.  Sanctions and penalties for such violation should increase upon repeated violations of protective measures.  

  Moldova Draft Law on Prevention and Combating Domestic Violence  

The Shadow Report for Bosnia and Herzegovina on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) was presented to the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women at its 35^th session this month. The report is a follow-up to a 1999 study and is intended to update and expand those findings. The report addresses five areas of concern regarding the status of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina:

• The economic position of women;
• The position of women in political and public life;
• Issues of violence against women and specifically trafficking of women and girls;
• Discrimination against women with disabilities;
• Health and reproductive rights.

The report found that although Bosnia and Herzegovina has made considerable progress in formally addressing gender inequality, a gap exists between law and practice and discrimination is evident in every facet of life. The toll that war has taken on the country and its current transitional position have led to general instability and aggravated the ability of the government to address human rights abuses. The vulnerability of women has emerged as an issue of serious concern within this environment.

Economic speaking, inequality is rampant both materially and regarding access. Professional and business organizations are largely male-dominated, and even those sectors which employ women (such as health and education) do not often include them within the higher echelons of the organizations. In addition, men are predominantly the owners of private property, inhibiting income generation and entrepreneurial options for women. The lack of education afforded girls, who are often kept at home while their brothers attend school, decreases women’s chances of finding viable work and increases their economic dependence on men.  

In the political realm, the report found that the current political system does not engage meaningful female participation. This is manifested in the fact that women have limited access to decision-making processes and are grossly underrepresented in elected bodies and state institutions. As a result, the report notes that social power is unequally distributed, despite formal guarantees of equal access and participation.

Violence against women is another area of particular concern. Although a huge number of women in Bosnia and Herzegovina are victims of domestic abuse, ineffective court systems and unresponsive state institutions fail to provide battered women with the services they need. This is aggravated by underlying social mores that consider domestic violence a family matter and not a responsibility of the state or the legal system. Familial and economic pressures also conspire to discourage women from leaving abusive households. The report also identifies the trafficking of women and girls as a component of violence against women deserving special attention. It notes that economic hardship has caused many women to be lured into the trafficking business under the guise of employment opportunities. In addition, the presence of foreign troops since the war has created a new market for sexual exploitation and Bosnia and Herzegovina has emerged as a destination for traffickers from Eastern Europe.

Women with disabilities are largely ignored by society, subject to all the above hardships in addition to being isolated for most of their lives. Those that are unable to reproduce and take care of a household are often further marginalized by their society, which places utmost emphasis on the familial and domestic role of women. Although formal equality exists, discrimination is rampant.

In terms of health and reproductive rights, the report indicates that economic dependence makes it difficult for women to pay for health services. Social mores prevent easy access to contraceptives and men are usually the ones to determine if they will be used. Further, existing laws do not address the specific health needs and vulnerabilities of women like their susceptibility to sexually transmitted diseases and domestic violence.

The report ends with recommendations in these areas. Most notably, it suggests the development of gender-sensitive employment policies and training programs to help integrate women into the economy. It calls for laws that address the inadequate representation of women in political and public life. In regard to violence against women, the report calls on Bosnia and Herzegovina to provide protective measures legally and in the form of counseling and shelter services; it also encourages the implementation of preventative measures like educational programs to discourage violence and help change attitudes about the status of men and women. It also calls on Bosnia and Herzegovina to enact anti-trafficking laws and to tailor existing statutes so as to address the needs of disabled women and to better respond to women’s health needs.

Despite Bosnia and Herzegovina’s internationally recognized obligations and the existence of its own constitutional framework, much work is needed to fill the gap between law and reality and to uphold the country’s commitment to CEDAW.   

Compiled from: Shadow Report: On the Implementation of CEDAW and Women's Human Rights in Bosnia and Herzegovina, January 2004.

The Human Rights Information and Documentation Center (HRIDC) is a human rights organization that monitors human rights abuses in Georgia and provides assistance to those whose rights have been violated. Its May newsletter has been published and includes an update of the human rights situation in Georgia and the organization’s work. The archive of past issues of HRIDC’s newsletter may be accessed at: http://www.humanrights.ge/eng/bulletin.shtml

Compiled from: Human Rights in Georgia, Newsletter #6, HRIDC, May 2006 (PDF, 22 pages).

A new U.S. study indicates that using a computer-based screening program in emergency departments may encourage victims of domestic abuse to speak with nurses or doctors, something they are often hesitant to do. The computer program poses questions about various health risks, including several targeting domestic abuse. A positive response to any of those questions flags the woman’s chart and prompts a health practitioner to question her and look for signs of abuse.

Conducted by the University of Chicago, the study used 800 women and discovered that women who completed the computer screening were more likely to talk to a doctor or nurse about domestic abuse as well as to disclose their own personal experiences and to accept help than the women who were not screened. These results indicate that the use of this kind of computer program may aid health practitioners in identifying and helping women who suffer from domestic abuse.

Compiled from: Computer System Could Alert Doctors to Domestic Abuse, Robert Preidt, ScoutNews, 25 May 2006. 

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Regional Office for Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) organized a meeting this past April to assess the situation of gender equality in the new member states of the European Union (EU), calling attention to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and other international legal obligations. They issued a statement of their findings and made recommendations to improve the situation of gender equality in new member states and in the EU in general.

The statement notes that the accession processes for new member states promote gender equality awareness, but that inactivity and even backlash has occurred in some national policies in regard to gender issues since accession. In particular, mechanisms intended to address gender equality are suffering from inadequate staffing, insufficient resources, and unclear goals. More targeted policies and resource reallocation are needed to strengthen the states’ ability to combat gender inequality. The important work of civil society organizations must be supported as well.

The statement also identifies shortcomings within the EU legal system in regard to gender equality. For example, EU legislation tends to address gender issues within the framework of equality in the labor market, an approach that marginalizes other areas of concern. Moreover, the statement notes that gender equality terminology and policies are getting lost within general anti-discrimination legislation, weakening the objectives of gender equality. Policies must be targeted and specifically beneficial to women. Concern was also expressed over the lack of legal basis for tackling multi-faceted discrimination. Lack of a definition for this type of discrimination as well as inconsistencies between gender legislation and that regarding other forms of discrimination means there is no legal basis to address discrimination against women from disadvantaged groups on several grounds. This type of legislation should be developed within the EU.

Compiled from: UNIFEM CEE Statement on Gender Equality in the EU, 31 May 2006.

The New York Assembly has passed a bill that would reform the current system of rape prosecution in the state. New York currently has a five-year statute of limitations for rape prosecution, one of the shortest in the country. According to this 40-year old statute, prosecutors must drop a rape case if they cannot indict the perpetrator within five years of the crime. The proposed law would eliminate the five-year time frame for prosecution so that rape cases could be tried at any time following the crime.

A push to eliminate statutory limits for rape has been taking place throughout the United States, propelled in large part by the introduction and efficacy of DNA evidence in rape cases. In cases where the rapist is a stranger to the victim, DNA evidence is often obtained and then matched to the rape years later because the perpetrator becomes involved in another criminal investigation. Due to New York’s five-year statute of limitations, many such cases have been unable to be prosecuted  leading to criticism of the the statute has been as outdated. Several states have already extended the prosecutorial limitations in rape cases where DNA evidence can be used and others have abolished them entirely.

A similar bill was passed in the New York Senate in February of this year, although the bills differ as to whether the limitations should remain in place for civil cases. The Senate bill calls for the statute’s repeal only in criminal cases whereas the Assembly bill eliminates the time frame that dictates when victims may sue their assailants for damages as well. 

Compiled from: Elizabeth Dwoskin,  "New York's Rape Statute Challenged as 'Archaic,'" Women's eNews, 19 May 2006.

In 2001, the General Assembly adopted a resolution (PDF, 2 pages) designating June 20 as World Refugee Day.  In honor of World Refugee Day on June 20, several countries will host special events including: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Slovakia, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Ukraine and others. For more information on specific events in each of these countries and more, visit the Events Page of the World Refugee Day site.

The UK published a report to receive feedback on a proposal for a UK Action Plan to combat human trafficking.  The report identifies three major areas in which the UK must focus its efforts: (1) prevention, (2) investigation, prosecution and law enforcement and (3) providing protection and assistance to victims.  Each area includes a summary of UK efforts in each specific area in the past, a plan for that area in the future, as well as questions for consultation.

Within prevention, the UK plans to focus on research, prevention of trafficking at the source and demand reduction.  The government proposes: comprehensive research of all issues of human trafficking beyond the sexual exploitation of women; expanding prevention efforts to include efforts in countries of origin as well as protecting the borders of the UK; and addressing conditions within the UK that create demand for trafficking victims.  The investigation, prosecution and law enforcement area will address the response to human trafficking.  This aspect of the action plan will focus on investigating and prosecuting organized crime groups and educating police officers about trafficking.  Protection and assistance to victims focuses on identifying victims at the earliest stage and facilitating their reintegration into their home countries.  The proposed action plan will address protection of victims, short-term and long-term support and support for victims when cooperating with prosecutions of traffickers.   

Compiled from: "Tackling Human Trafficking - Consultation on Proposals for a UK Action Plan", Home Office and Scottish Executive (5 Jan. 2006).  (PDF 30 pages).

The United Nations Women’s Development Fund (UNIFEM) will be holding a seminar on 12 June 2006 entitled “Violence Against Women: From Critical Concerns to Collective Action.” The seminar will share the current report of the UN Secretary General on violence against women and discuss its various causes and manifestations. The roots of such violence in cultural and religious practices as well as the social, economic, and political structures which give rise to its manifestations will be considered.    

Speakers include Indira Patel OBE from the UK branch of UNIFEM, Jacqueline Hunt from Equality Now UK, and others. The Seminar will be held 12 June 2006 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Houses of Parliament, Committee Room 10, London, SW1.

For registration, contact: secretary@unifemuk.org

Compiled from: "Violence Against Women," UNIFEM UK, 30 May 2006.

SKOPJE, 25 May 2006 - The second phase of an OSCE-sponsored project to promote gender equality at the local level began today in Skopje.

"Increasing women's participation in decision-making processes at the local level is a cornerstone in any harmonically functioning community," said Ambassador Natalya Drozd, Deputy Head of the OSCE Spillover Monitor Mission to Skopje.

"We are pleased to see that a strong partnership focusing on this issue begins to develop between the central and local government level and civil society," she said. "These activities are fully consistent with the OSCE's Gender Action Plan." 

The project forms part of a multi-phase initiative of the non-governmental organizations network, Union of Women's Organizations, and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy. The initiative supports the implementation of the National Action Plan for Gender Equality, adopted in 1999.

At the launch of the second project phase, the members of ten existing local Gender Equality Commissions (GEC) and the mayors of the local communities will explain the benefits of the initiative and share best practices with the members of five newly-created GECs.

The project is funded by the OSCE Mission and the United States Government.

Contact:

Sally Broughton
Head of Media Development/Mission Spokesperson
11 Oktomvri str. 25, QBE Building
MK-1000 Skopje
The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia
Tel: +389 2 323 4619
+389 70 254 038 (mobile)
Fax: +389 2 323 42 34
sarah.broughton@osce.org

Published in: OSCE-sponsored Gender Equality Project Enters Second Phase http://www.osce.org/item/19239.html

The International Center La Strada Moldova published a second issue of “La Strada Express,” which is dedicated to the identification of trafficked persons.  The issue was published in response to several difficulties in identifying trafficked persons: a lack of conceptualized objectives aimed at identifying trafficked persons and those responsible, a lack of specific indicators to identify trafficked persons, and a lack of recommendations for NGOs and countries of origin.  The issue identifies direct and indirect indicators as the two global groups into which indicators of trafficked persons fit.  To view the issue written in Moldolvan, visit http://www.lastrada.md/.

Compiled from: Letter regarding La Strada Express, International Center La Strada Moldova.

The UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women will embark on a fact-finding mission regarding a recent spike in the suicide rate of women in Turkey.  Some suspect the high suicide rates are linked to tougher laws against honor killings.  Women are forced to kill themselves for bringing disgrace on their family, as opposed to male relatives killing them to restore the family honor.  Recent reforms have made the penalties for honor killings more severe, so families are choosing to force the woman to commit suicide instead.  The Turkish government and women’s groups are working to raise awareness about the issue and reverse the culturally ingrained mentality that compels killing in order to restore family honor.

Compiled from: "UN probes Turkey 'forced suicide'", BBC News (24 May 2006).  

TASHKENT, 30 May (IRIN) - An appeals court in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, on Tuesday upheld an eight-year sentence against prominent rights activist Mutabar Tojiboyeva, who was detained following the unrest in the eastern city of Andijan just over a year ago.

"Appeal court judges reaffirmed Mutabar Tojiboyeva's guilt and upheld an earlier sentence despite the fact that even prosecutors themselves had asked for a softer sentence," her defence lawyer, who declined to be named, told IRIN outside the court.

Tojiboyeva, head of the Ardent Hearts group in the eastern city of Fergana, was found guilty of 13 charges, including threatening public order, fraud, theft, blackmailing local businessmen and tax avoidance.  She was sentenced to eight years in prison on 7 March.

Her trial, held under heavy security, was slammed by human rights groups, including Human Rights Watch (HRW), which described her conviction as part of "a pattern of persecution against independent voices and critics within civil society since the Andijan massacre".

Up to 1,000 civilians were gunned down by Uzbek security forces in Andijan following a demonstration on 13 May 2005, according to human rights groups. Tashkent puts the death toll at just 187 and has staunchly refused an independent enquiry into the killings.

"The ferocity of this pattern is unprecedented, even when judged  against Uzbekistan's 14-year history of repression since independence from the Soviet Union," HRW said in a statement.

Tuesday's appeal court decision was in some ways unexpected, given recent leniency towards two top opposition figures: one saw his sentence reduced by a quarter and another freed on bail earlier in May.

Tojibayeva is one of dozens of rights defenders and independent journalists who have been jailed or have fled the country following a government crackdown on dissent after the Andijan bloodshed.

Tojiboyeva was arrested on 7 October, the day before she was to leave for an international rights conference in the Irish capital Dublin.

Prosecutors said the activist had received more than US $5,000 from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and $200 from the French embassy which "was used to breach public order and for slander and fraud".

MM/SC/JL

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations.]

Published in: "Rights Activist Faces 8-year Sentence After Appeal Fails," Integrated Region Information Network (30 May 2006).

The European Roma Rights Centre and the Romani CRISS have submitted a Shadow Report to CEDAW for Romania.  The Report highlights the double discrimination against Roma women based on their ethnicity and gender.  Romani CRISS and ERRC highlight several areas in which this is apparent: employment and labor, participation in political and public life, health and violence. 

The lower employment status of Roma women compared to Roma men and majority women is attributed to low levels of education, lack of or poor professional training and discrimination by employers.  The Shadow Report also analyzed the legal framework in which women’s rights are being addressed.  Though the position of women in Romania has been improved through both anti-discrimination and equal opportunities legislation, there are still many important gaps that must be filled.  Additionally, Roma women are being excluded from the public healthcare system on the basis of ethnicity and inequitable geographic distribution of health care providers. 

The Report also notes several cases in which Romani women have fallen victim to violence that illustrate a broader pattern of systemic human rights violations directed at Roma women.  These cases involve women who are victims of violence and/or cruel, degrading or other forms of demeaning treatment against women based on systemic and ethnic discrimination. Several cases involve abuse in an official capacity by hospital employees and police officers.  Others involve mob violence motivated by extreme anti-Roma sentimate.  Several charges were dropped after threats to the complainants  All of the incidences went unremedied by the Romanian government. 

The Report provides several recommendations centered on integrating Romani women’s issues into the national agenda, considering discrimination based both on ethnicity and gender in the areas of health, participation in political and public life, labor and employment and violence.

The concerns listed in the report are echoed in an alternative report by the Women’s Association of Romania (AFR).  This alternative report also finds double discrimination of Roma women and the inadequacy of the public agencies created to address discrimination issues in Romania.  The alternative report also raised additional concerns regarding trafficking of women, concerns about disabled and mentally ill women, and lack of awareness about the new legislation on children’s rights.  This report also provides several recommendations to the CEDAW Committee and an analysis of the government’s report to CEDAW.  AFR also raises concerns about the difficulties in getting the Romanian government to follow the CEDAW recommendations.

Compiled from: "Shadow Report," ERRC and Romani CRISS, United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women the 35th Session, (15 May to 2 Jun., 2006).

"Shadow Report/Alternative Report to the Romanian Government Report," Women's Association of Romania, United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women the 35th Session (May 2006).