Partner News

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

Statement by UNDP Administrator Helen Clark

 Violence against women and girls appears all too often in headlines across the world. But along with the cases that make the news are many thousands of other incidents occurring every day, on every continent, and in every country. According to the World Health Organization, gender-based violence kills as many women between the ages of 15 and 44 as does cancer. Its toll on women's health surpasses that of traffic accidents and malaria combined.

On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we must reconfirm our commitment to eradicate all forms of violence against women and ensure justice and support for survivors. Violence against women is never acceptable. It is a violation of women’s human rights for which perpetrators must be held accountable.

Globally, the most common form of violence experienced by women is physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Some national violence studies show that up to 70 percent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime from an intimate partner. Victims of violence against women also include the more than 64 million girls worldwide who are child brides, as well as the estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women who have experienced female genital mutilation.

In addition to harming women, girls, and their families and communities, violence against women hampers countries’ efforts to reduce poverty. Gender-based violence incurs direct costs, such as those related to providing health care, judicial and social services for survivors, as well as costs related to the prosecution of perpetrators. Indirect costs include impacts on the productivity and earnings of survivors.

The United Nations Development Programme helps partner countries to develop legislative frameworks to tackle violence against women and improve women’s access to the justice system, including in crisis countries. In Sierra Leone, for example, we have supported Saturday courts to tackle the backlog in gender-based violence cases. Together with the Sierra Leone Police, we have helped train more than 250 police officers to investigate gender-based crime more effectively. 

Our work to eliminate violence against women is central to our commitment to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women, both of which are integral to sustainable development. Violence against women is a consequence of persistent inequalities between men and women. In addition to addressing it through legal frameworks, policies, and working with the judicial and security sectors, eliminating it requires changing those attitudes and social norms which do not value women’s rights and opportunities. It also requires ensuring women’s equal participation in decision-making at all levels, from the household to the corridors of government.

I invite you to join me and UNDP and stand up today, and every day, to build a world where women and girls can live free of violence and fulfill their potential as valued and equal members of society wherever they live.

After two days of rigorous and productive discussions during the Latin America and Caribbean Special Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, delegations from 21 countries unanimously reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the Platform for Action, and the goal to remove  barriers that prevent women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life.

The regional review was held in Santiago, Chile from November 18-19 hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and UN Women. The event was inaugurated by Chilean President and founding Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet. ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena, Minister Alejandrina German, Chair of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and Gülden Türköz-Cosslett, Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programmes at UN Women were in attendance.

During the Special Session, ministers and other high-level authorities of the national women’s machineries, as well as civil society representatives, recognized the achievements, progress made and remaining gaps in the past 20 years and emphasized that the human rights of women and girls are essential to eradicate poverty and attain higher standards of equality, peace and security.

The outcome Statement of the regional review makes specific reference to the need for adequate resources to develop and activate gender equality policies in the post-2015 development framework. Other points include a clear call for the establishment of a committee integrated by ECLAC, UN Women and governments from the region to work on the issue of gender-sensitive budgeting and financing.

Civil Society organizations are preparing a common position document, supported by UN Women, on the achievements and gaps in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action to be concluded ahead of the fifty-ninth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) in March.

Gülden Türköz-Cosslett of UN Women said she was confident that this meeting in the Chilean capital would enable the region to provide powerful messages and concrete recommendations at the 59th session of the CSW, mentioning high levels of femicide and impunity for perpetrators of violence against women as areas to address. Ending on a positive note, she said, “your views, your voices and your experiences are an invaluable contribution that must be clearly reflected in this review of the Beijing Platform for Action. As in previous years, we count on Latin America and the Caribbean's constructive leadership."

After two days of rigorous and productive discussions during the Latin America and Caribbean Special Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, delegations from 21 countries unanimously reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the Platform for Action, and the goal to remove  barriers that prevent women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life.

The regional review was held in Santiago, Chile from November 18-19 hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and UN Women. The event was inaugurated by Chilean President and founding Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet. ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena, Minister Alejandrina German, Chair of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and Gülden Türköz-Cosslett, Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programmes at UN Women were in attendance.

During the Special Session, ministers and other high-level authorities of the national women’s machineries, as well as civil society representatives, recognized the achievements, progress made and remaining gaps in the past 20 years and emphasized that the human rights of women and girls are essential to eradicate poverty and attain higher standards of equality, peace and security.

The outcome Statement of the regional review makes specific reference to the need for adequate resources to develop and activate gender equality policies in the post-2015 development framework. Other points include a clear call for the establishment of a committee integrated by ECLAC, UN Women and governments from the region to work on the issue of gender-sensitive budgeting and financing.

Civil Society organizations are preparing a common position document, supported by UN Women, on the achievements and gaps in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action to be concluded ahead of the fifty-ninth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) in March.

Gülden Türköz-Cosslett of UN Women said she was confident that this meeting in the Chilean capital would enable the region to provide powerful messages and concrete recommendations at the 59th session of the CSW, mentioning high levels of femicide and impunity for perpetrators of violence against women as areas to address. Ending on a positive note, she said, “your views, your voices and your experiences are an invaluable contribution that must be clearly reflected in this review of the Beijing Platform for Action. As in previous years, we count on Latin America and the Caribbean's constructive leadership."

After two days of rigorous and productive discussions during the Latin America and Caribbean Special Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, delegations from 21 countries unanimously reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the Platform for Action, and the goal to remove  barriers that prevent women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life.

The regional review was held in Santiago, Chile from November 18-19 hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and UN Women. The event was inaugurated by Chilean President and founding Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet. ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena, Minister Alejandrina German, Chair of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and Gülden Türköz-Cosslett, Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programmes at UN Women were in attendance.

During the Special Session, ministers and other high-level authorities of the national women’s machineries, as well as civil society representatives, recognized the achievements, progress made and remaining gaps in the past 20 years and emphasized that the human rights of women and girls are essential to eradicate poverty and attain higher standards of equality, peace and security.

The outcome Statement of the regional review makes specific reference to the need for adequate resources to develop and activate gender equality policies in the post-2015 development framework. Other points include a clear call for the establishment of a committee integrated by ECLAC, UN Women and governments from the region to work on the issue of gender-sensitive budgeting and financing.

Civil Society organizations are preparing a common position document, supported by UN Women, on the achievements and gaps in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action to be concluded ahead of the fifty-ninth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) in March.

Gülden Türköz-Cosslett of UN Women said she was confident that this meeting in the Chilean capital would enable the region to provide powerful messages and concrete recommendations at the 59th session of the CSW, mentioning high levels of femicide and impunity for perpetrators of violence against women as areas to address. Ending on a positive note, she said, “your views, your voices and your experiences are an invaluable contribution that must be clearly reflected in this review of the Beijing Platform for Action. As in previous years, we count on Latin America and the Caribbean's constructive leadership."

After two days of rigorous and productive discussions during the Latin America and Caribbean Special Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, delegations from 21 countries unanimously reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the Platform for Action, and the goal to remove  barriers that prevent women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life.

The regional review was held in Santiago, Chile from November 18-19 hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and UN Women. The event was inaugurated by Chilean President and founding Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet. ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena, Minister Alejandrina German, Chair of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and Gülden Türköz-Cosslett, Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programmes at UN Women were in attendance.

During the Special Session, ministers and other high-level authorities of the national women’s machineries, as well as civil society representatives, recognized the achievements, progress made and remaining gaps in the past 20 years and emphasized that the human rights of women and girls are essential to eradicate poverty and attain higher standards of equality, peace and security.

The outcome Statement of the regional review makes specific reference to the need for adequate resources to develop and activate gender equality policies in the post-2015 development framework. Other points include a clear call for the establishment of a committee integrated by ECLAC, UN Women and governments from the region to work on the issue of gender-sensitive budgeting and financing.

Civil Society organizations are preparing a common position document, supported by UN Women, on the achievements and gaps in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action to be concluded ahead of the fifty-ninth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) in March.

Gülden Türköz-Cosslett of UN Women said she was confident that this meeting in the Chilean capital would enable the region to provide powerful messages and concrete recommendations at the 59th session of the CSW, mentioning high levels of femicide and impunity for perpetrators of violence against women as areas to address. Ending on a positive note, she said, “your views, your voices and your experiences are an invaluable contribution that must be clearly reflected in this review of the Beijing Platform for Action. As in previous years, we count on Latin America and the Caribbean's constructive leadership."

After two days of rigorous and productive discussions during the Latin America and Caribbean Special Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, delegations from 21 countries unanimously reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the Platform for Action, and the goal to remove  barriers that prevent women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life.

The regional review was held in Santiago, Chile from November 18-19 hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and UN Women. The event was inaugurated by Chilean President and founding Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet. ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena, Minister Alejandrina German, Chair of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and Gülden Türköz-Cosslett, Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programmes at UN Women were in attendance.

During the Special Session, ministers and other high-level authorities of the national women’s machineries, as well as civil society representatives, recognized the achievements, progress made and remaining gaps in the past 20 years and emphasized that the human rights of women and girls are essential to eradicate poverty and attain higher standards of equality, peace and security.

The outcome Statement of the regional review makes specific reference to the need for adequate resources to develop and activate gender equality policies in the post-2015 development framework. Other points include a clear call for the establishment of a committee integrated by ECLAC, UN Women and governments from the region to work on the issue of gender-sensitive budgeting and financing.

Civil Society organizations are preparing a common position document, supported by UN Women, on the achievements and gaps in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action to be concluded ahead of the fifty-ninth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) in March.

Gülden Türköz-Cosslett of UN Women said she was confident that this meeting in the Chilean capital would enable the region to provide powerful messages and concrete recommendations at the 59th session of the CSW, mentioning high levels of femicide and impunity for perpetrators of violence against women as areas to address. Ending on a positive note, she said, “your views, your voices and your experiences are an invaluable contribution that must be clearly reflected in this review of the Beijing Platform for Action. As in previous years, we count on Latin America and the Caribbean's constructive leadership."

After two days of rigorous and productive discussions during the Latin America and Caribbean Special Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, delegations from 21 countries unanimously reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the Platform for Action, and the goal to remove  barriers that prevent women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life.

The regional review was held in Santiago, Chile from November 18-19 hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and UN Women. The event was inaugurated by Chilean President and founding Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet. ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena, Minister Alejandrina German, Chair of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and Gülden Türköz-Cosslett, Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programmes at UN Women were in attendance.

During the Special Session, ministers and other high-level authorities of the national women’s machineries, as well as civil society representatives, recognized the achievements, progress made and remaining gaps in the past 20 years and emphasized that the human rights of women and girls are essential to eradicate poverty and attain higher standards of equality, peace and security.

The outcome Statement of the regional review makes specific reference to the need for adequate resources to develop and activate gender equality policies in the post-2015 development framework. Other points include a clear call for the establishment of a committee integrated by ECLAC, UN Women and governments from the region to work on the issue of gender-sensitive budgeting and financing.

Civil Society organizations are preparing a common position document, supported by UN Women, on the achievements and gaps in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action to be concluded ahead of the fifty-ninth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) in March.

Gülden Türköz-Cosslett of UN Women said she was confident that this meeting in the Chilean capital would enable the region to provide powerful messages and concrete recommendations at the 59th session of the CSW, mentioning high levels of femicide and impunity for perpetrators of violence against women as areas to address. Ending on a positive note, she said, “your views, your voices and your experiences are an invaluable contribution that must be clearly reflected in this review of the Beijing Platform for Action. As in previous years, we count on Latin America and the Caribbean's constructive leadership."

After two days of rigorous and productive discussions during the Latin America and Caribbean Special Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, delegations from 21 countries unanimously reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the Platform for Action, and the goal to remove  barriers that prevent women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life.

The regional review was held in Santiago, Chile from November 18-19 hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and UN Women. The event was inaugurated by Chilean President and founding Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet. ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena, Minister Alejandrina German, Chair of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and Gülden Türköz-Cosslett, Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programmes at UN Women were in attendance.

During the Special Session, ministers and other high-level authorities of the national women’s machineries, as well as civil society representatives, recognized the achievements, progress made and remaining gaps in the past 20 years and emphasized that the human rights of women and girls are essential to eradicate poverty and attain higher standards of equality, peace and security.

The outcome Statement of the regional review makes specific reference to the need for adequate resources to develop and activate gender equality policies in the post-2015 development framework. Other points include a clear call for the establishment of a committee integrated by ECLAC, UN Women and governments from the region to work on the issue of gender-sensitive budgeting and financing.

Civil Society organizations are preparing a common position document, supported by UN Women, on the achievements and gaps in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action to be concluded ahead of the fifty-ninth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) in March.

Gülden Türköz-Cosslett of UN Women said she was confident that this meeting in the Chilean capital would enable the region to provide powerful messages and concrete recommendations at the 59th session of the CSW, mentioning high levels of femicide and impunity for perpetrators of violence against women as areas to address. Ending on a positive note, she said, “your views, your voices and your experiences are an invaluable contribution that must be clearly reflected in this review of the Beijing Platform for Action. As in previous years, we count on Latin America and the Caribbean's constructive leadership."

After two days of rigorous and productive discussions during the Latin America and Caribbean Special Session on the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, delegations from 21 countries unanimously reaffirmed the region’s commitment to the Platform for Action, and the goal to remove  barriers that prevent women's active participation in all spheres of public and private life.

The regional review was held in Santiago, Chile from November 18-19 hosted by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and UN Women. The event was inaugurated by Chilean President and founding Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet. ECLAC Executive Secretary Alicia Barcena, Minister Alejandrina German, Chair of the Regional Conference on Women in Latin America and the Caribbean and Gülden Türköz-Cosslett, Director of the Bureau for Policy and Programmes at UN Women were in attendance.

During the Special Session, ministers and other high-level authorities of the national women’s machineries, as well as civil society representatives, recognized the achievements, progress made and remaining gaps in the past 20 years and emphasized that the human rights of women and girls are essential to eradicate poverty and attain higher standards of equality, peace and security.

The outcome Statement of the regional review makes specific reference to the need for adequate resources to develop and activate gender equality policies in the post-2015 development framework. Other points include a clear call for the establishment of a committee integrated by ECLAC, UN Women and governments from the region to work on the issue of gender-sensitive budgeting and financing.

Civil Society organizations are preparing a common position document, supported by UN Women, on the achievements and gaps in the implementation of the Beijing Platform for Action to be concluded ahead of the fifty-ninth Commission on the Status of Women (CSW59) in March.

Gülden Türköz-Cosslett of UN Women said she was confident that this meeting in the Chilean capital would enable the region to provide powerful messages and concrete recommendations at the 59th session of the CSW, mentioning high levels of femicide and impunity for perpetrators of violence against women as areas to address. Ending on a positive note, she said, “your views, your voices and your experiences are an invaluable contribution that must be clearly reflected in this review of the Beijing Platform for Action. As in previous years, we count on Latin America and the Caribbean's constructive leadership."