Public Forum on Violence against Women

Amnesty International

Public Forum on Violence against Women

When: 6 December 2005 (6.30pm) Where: St Andrew's on the Terrace (30 the Terrace, WGTN) Speakers: -· Minister of Women's Affairs Lianne Dalziel, -· Women's Refuge Spokesperson Alana Bowman -· Amnesty International Executive Director Ced Simpson.

"Survey information on partner violence in New Zealand shows that more than one in four women (26 percent) had been abused or threatened with violence by a partner at some time in their adult life." The Social Report 2005 -

'Criminal Victimisation' "It is estimated that violence against women is as serious a cause of death and incapacity among women of reproductive age as cancer, and a greater cause of ill health as traffic accidents and malaria combined." UNIFEM - Facts and Figures on Violence against Women

The forum will address: -· violence against women in NZ -· NZ's role in protecting the human rights of women globally.

Schedule 6.30 - 6.40: Opening of the meeting and introduction of participants 6.40 - 6.50: Lianne Dalziel, Minister of Women's Affairs 6.50 - 7.00: Alana Bowman, Women's Refuge 7.00 - 7.10: Ced Simpson, Amnesty International 7.10 - 7.30: Questions and answers 7.30 - 8.00: Drinks

Background Information: Violence against women
- A world-wide problem

-· At least one out of every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Usually the abuser is a member of her own family or someone known to her.

-· Up to 70 % of female murder victims are killed by their male partners (World Health Organization) -· Domestic violence poses the single largest threat to all women in the USA - more than rape, muggings and car accidents put together (US Surgeon General warning)

-· Over 1000 women were the victims of "crimes of honour" in Pakistan in 1999 (Human Rights Commission)

-· Approximately 500,000 women were raped during the 1994 Rwanda genocide and over 50% of women experienced some form of sexual violence during the conflict in Sierra Leone in 1999.

-· Women killed by their husbands account for 50 % of all murders in Bangladesh.

-· 67 % of rural women and 56 % of urban women in Papua New Guinea have been victims of spousal abuse (Law Reform Commission)

-· About 120 million girls worldwide are genitally mutilated (UN Family Planning Association 1997) -· Women and children make up some 80 % of the world's millions of refugees and other displaced persons.

-· Domestic violence is the major cause of death and disability for women aged 16 to 44 in Europe and accounts for more death and ill-health than cancer or traffic accidents.

-· Over 60 million women are estimated to be "missing" from the world today as a result of sex-selective abortions and female infanticide. Such statistics represent the tip of the iceberg. Violence against women is generally under-reported because women are ashamed or fear disbelief, hostility or further violence. Violence against women can threaten or violate every fundamental right promised by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, including the rights to

-· life, liberty and security of person (article 3)

-· equality (article 1) -· recognition as a person before the law (article 6) -· not to be subjected to torture (article 5)
-· equal protection under the law (article 7)
-· be free from all forms of discrimination (article 2) -· a standard of living adequate for health and well-being (article 25)

ENDS

© Scoop Media