{"id":264631,"date":"2022-03-15T14:48:29","date_gmt":"2022-03-15T18:48:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/76\/?p=264631"},"modified":"2022-04-26T15:02:11","modified_gmt":"2022-04-26T19:02:11","slug":"president-of-general-assembly-draws-attention-to-ending-violence-against-women-in-politics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.un.org\/pga\/76\/2022\/03\/15\/president-of-general-assembly-draws-attention-to-ending-violence-against-women-in-politics\/","title":{"rendered":"President of General Assembly Draws Attention to Ending Violence against Women in Politics"},"content":{"rendered":"

PRESS RELEASE\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

New York, 15 March 2022<\/strong> \u2013 The President of the 76th<\/sup> session of the General Assembly, Abdulla Shahid<\/strong>, will today convene on the sidelines of the 66th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, an event to draw the highest-level of Member State attention to Violence Against Women in Politics (VAWP). The side event also aimed to provide the space for Ministers and experts to identify existing structural and normative barriers, as well as new opportunities to eliminate such violence to ensure women\u2019s full, equal, and meaningful participation in politics.<\/p>\n

The event will also include Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed<\/strong>; Sima Sami Bahous<\/strong>, Executive Director of UN Women; and Reem Alsalem<\/strong>, the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women. The event will be moderated by Ambassador Besiana Kadare<\/strong>, Permanent Representative of Albania to UNESCO<\/p>\n

Vice-Presidents and Ministers from at least 20 Member States are expected to actively participate in the discussion.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs a former Parliamentarian, and a lifelong politician, violence against women in politics is an issue near to my heart,\u201d President Abdulla Shahid said. \u201cIt is a moral and ethical failure on us as a society.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cNot only has the problem resulted in the ruthless and unfortunate demise of dedicated and passionate leaders, but it continues to undermine the rights of women to freely and equally participate in society,\u201c President Shahid added.<\/p>\n

Violence against women in politics is gender-based violence that manifests physically, psychologically and sexually, both in-person and online.<\/p>\n

The most visible targets of violence against women in politics are women Parliamentarians, as well as human rights defenders, electoral staff, and friends and families of women candidates and public servants.<\/p>\n

Such acts of violence against women in politics, constitute a violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the obligation to ensure that women can participate in political processes fully and freely, as enshrined in several international human rights laws, including the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).<\/p>\n

Women today occupy 26.1 percent of parliamentary seats globally, compared to 13.1 per cent in 2000, according to the Inter Parliamentary Union. The share of women parliamentary speakers has also increased from 8.3 percent in 2005 to 24.7 percent in 2021.<\/p>\n

However, as participation of women in politics has increased, so has the violence against them. This is due to more women speaking out about the scourge, as well as insufficient countermeasures to address violence.<\/p>\n

The event is being held on 15 March at 1:15PM ET in the Trusteeship Council.<\/p>\n

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For more information contact <\/em><\/p>\n