UN-Habitat and UNIFEM Join Efforts to Make Cities Free from Violence against Women and Girls
3 Jun 2009
The Executive Director of UN-HABITAT, Mrs. Anna Tibaijuka, and the Executive Director of UNIFEM, Mrs. Ines Alberdi, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding to join efforts to make cities and towns free from violence against women and girls.
UN-HABITAT is joining UNIFEM’s new flagship initiative the "Global Programme on Safe Cities Free of Violence against Women and Girls” as a lead global partner, building on an ongoing UNIFEM-UN-HABITAT collaboration in
In many cities around the world, women and girls still have a lot to worry about when it comes to their personal safety. On average, violence makes up at least 25 to 30 percent of urban crime, and women, especially in developing countries, are twice as likely to be victims of violent aggression (including domestic violence) as men.
Whether on city streets, public transportation or in their own neighborhoods, women and girls are subjected to various types of violence and abuse — from sexual harassment, both physical and verbal, to sexual assault and rape. Such daily occurrences limit the rights and freedoms of women as equal citizens to enjoy their neighbourhoods and cities, and to exercise their rights to mobility, education, work, recreation, collective organization and participation in political life. Despite affecting countless millions of women, with often disruptive and devastating consequences, this phenomenon has long been tolerated as a regular facet of city life. Whereas gender-based violence in the private domain is now widely recognized as a human rights violation, violence against women in public spaces remains a largely neglected issue, with few laws or policies in place to address it
Source:UNIFEM
