International Women's Day

International Women’s Day is an important occasion to examine the various forms of discrimination and violence against women committed by the State, within the community or in the private sphere. Indeed, OMCT considers that celebrating International Women’s Day has a meaning only if this celebration contributes to the enjoyment of fundamental rights by women on an equal footing with men. This, in turn, implies that every State address the question of violence against women as a human rights violation and unconditionally reject any justification of such acts on the basis of morality, family values, honour, ideology or culture.

OMCT wishes to recall that, in its Resolution A/RES/61/143 of 30 January, 2007, the UN General Assembly invited the Human Rights Council to introduce in its programme of work for 2008 the follow-up of the In-Depth Study of the Secretary-General on ending violence against women. In this Study, the Secretary-General makes essential recommendations, among which the introduction of national laws addressing the various forms of violence against women, including domestic violence, marital rape and sexual harassment. Moreover, the implementation of laws must be associated with gender awareness training for law-enforcement and judicial officials through the preparation of tailored guidelines. Indeed, the entire criminal justice system should be reformed to incorporate gender-specific dimensions. The Secretary-General further emphasizes the importance of providing legal support for women victims, so that they, and the population at large, are aware of women’s legal rights, as well as services such as shelters, health facilities and hotlines.

OMCT also welcomes the Report by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, which will be presented on 11 March to the Human Rights Council. Dr. Yakin Ertürk’s study of indicators on violence against women and State response provides an innovative tool for ending violence against women in that it considers a wide spectrum of forms of violence and proposes indicators for measuring States’ implementation of their international obligations.

Furthermore, OMCT notes with satisfaction that the Special Rapporteur on torture has chosen to focus this year on the protection of women from torture, applying the notion of “powerlessness” - a crucial element for a full understanding of violence against women given the discriminatory context in which such acts occurs.

OMCT calls on States to apply the standards set by the above-mentioned UN bodies and mechanisms and to follow-up on their recommendations.

OMCT Violence against Women’s Programme: md@omct.org or ov@omct.org.

UN Doc. A/61/122/Add.1, July 6, 2006.
UN Doc. A/HRC/7/6, January 29, 2008.
UN Doc. A/HRC/7/3, January 15, 2008.