International violence agreement a milestone

Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elisabeth Broderick, said today that the Australian Human Rights Commission was extremely pleased that an historic agreement on preventing violence against women and girls was reached at the 57th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

“I applaud the Australian Government for working cooperatively with others to ensure there were Agreed Conclusions from this year’s Commission on the Status of Women and for ensuring the language relating to the important role played by National Human Rights Institutions was included in the final agreement,” said Commissioner Broderick.

Commissioner Broderick said, given that eliminating and preventing violence against women and girls should mean there is no excuse for it to take place under any circumstances, some very encouraging developments had emerged this year.

“The recognition that custom, tradition or religious consideration should play no part in denying women equal rights or justifying violence against them is a major step forward,” she said.

Commissioner Broderick was part of the Australian delegation at the Commission on the Status of Women, led by the Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins MP, and including the Global Ambassador for Women and Girls, Ms Penny Williams, officials from the Office for Women, as well as four women from a range of non-government organisations.

“Given the Commission’s ongoing efforts in working to eliminate and prevent violence against women in Australia, attendance at this international UN forum is vital for us to take our contribution to the world and to learn from the strategies being employed in other countries,” Commissioner Broderick said.

The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women is the world’s main policymaking body dedicated to gender equality and the advancement of women.

Each year, delegates representing UN Member States meet at the UN in New York to examine issues related to progressing gender equality and to formulate policies to promote gender equality and women’s empowerment worldwide.