A Life Free of Violence Is Our Right!
an article by Danielle Brauer

The United Nations Trust Fund to End Violence against Women marked its ten year anniversary on February 16, 2007. At the UN commemoration event several people spoke about the successes of the Trust Fund and the future of the Trust Fund, which was developed by the General Assembly. "The Trust Fund is the only multilateral grant-making mechanism that supports local, national and regional efforts to combat gender-based violence." The money from the Trust Fund, which is overseen by UNIFEM, supports local groups to bring about real change in people's lives.

Since the Trust Fund formed ten years ago it has "supported more than 200 initiatives in over 100 countries." Most grants were awarded to 20 countries who promised to ensure that they would use the money to end violence against women. The UNIFEM Executive Director Noeleen Heyzer noted, "The one thing we have learned is that no single intervention will end violence against women."

"There needs to be partnerships in place with all levels of civil society, and the international community." Heyzer went on to say, "violence against women must be seen for what it is, a violation of woman's human rights and totally unacceptable in all contexts and situations." To date: 89 countries now have laws to address violence against women. In the past ten years UNIFEM has made great strides with the help of the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, and to bring this issue to the table of the international community.

To learn more about this Trust Fund and to watch the full webcast of this commemoration event go to: their website

DISCUSSION

Question(s) related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence
Are governments making progress?

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VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, CHILDREN

Latest reader comment:

Comment received from John in July, 2002

For human development, women play an important role by transmitting their knowledge to their children, helping themselves, and building society. But economic hardship and brutality falls on women, children and the elderly first. He thinks that Human Development Investments are key to economic growth and the best way to achieve it is to lift people, women, and children out of poverty by giving them access to food, medicine, and education.

This report was posted on February 27, 2007. The moderator is CPNN Administrator.

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