The President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Mr. Pier Ferdinando Casini, has launched an appeal to all parliaments to step up parliamentary action to combat violence against women.

According to Mr. Casini, "acts of violence against women are among the most important obstacles to the advancement of women and are a fundamental violation of their basic human rights. Violence against women is a problem that affects society at large as it hinders human development and is an affront to democratic principles. Addressing and preventing violence against women is a priority for the IPU. We all have a part to play in this endeavour."

In its resolution on violence against women, adopted at its 114th Assembly in Nairobi, in May 2006, the IPU urged parliaments to enact and enforce legislation against the perpetrators of practices and acts of violence against women and children, including tough and clear measures to combat recidivism. Recognizing that violence against women feeds on gender inequality, the resolution requests parliaments to review legislation to detect practices and traditions that impede the attainment of equality between the sexes, in particular in education, health and access to property and land.

Changes in social and cultural attitudes to gender roles and the elimination of patterns of behaviour that engender violence should also be encouraged, as should cooperation with the media, stressed the world organization of parliaments. The IPU resolution also calls on parliament to establish parliamentary bodies to monitor national measures on violence against women and to vote necessary budgets to ensure efficient implementation of policies.

Last but not least, parliaments and governments are requested to make rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, enforced sterilization, or any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity crimes under their domestic legislation and to repress them as such. With reference to human trafficking, parliamentarians stress the need to build international and regional cooperation among the countries of origin, transit and destination, through instruments such as bilateral agreements and international treaties.

---

Established in 1889 and with its Headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, the IPU, the oldest multilateral political organisation, currently brings together 148 affiliated parliaments and seven regional assemblies as associate members. The world organisation of parliaments has an Office in New York, which acts as its Permanent Observer at the United Nations.
Other press releases	Version française de ce communiqué de presse	More information

---

Contact for additional information or interviews:

Mrs. Luisa Ballin, IPU Information Officer 5, ch. du Pommier, CH - 1218 Le Grand-Saconnex / Geneva Phone: +41 22 919 41 16 Fax: +41 22 919 41 60 E-mail: lb@mail.ipu.org or cbl@mail.ipu.org Mrs. Kareen Jabre, Programme Manager of the IPU Gender Partnership Programme Phone: +41 22 919 41 25 E-mail: kj@mail.ipu.org, jb@mail.ipu.org or zc@mail.ipu.org