Overview

Violence against women persists in all regions of the world as a pervasive violation of human rights and a major impediment to achieving gender equality.  The United Nations General Assembly provides critical leadership in the global effort to combat such violence.  Its landmark Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (A/RES/48/104) constitutes the framework for analysis and action at the national and international levels. Forms and manifestations of violence against women, and action to prevent and address it, are identified in many other instruments and documents, including the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, and the outcome of the twenty-third special session of the General Assembly entitled: “Women 2000: gender equality, development and peace in the twenty-first century”, resolution 1325 (2000) of the Security Council on women, peace and security, and resolutions of the Commission on Human Rights

Download the Study of the Secretary-General: Ending violence against women - From words to action [ English | French | Spanish ] Expert Group Meeting on good practices in legislation on violence against women Vienna, Austria 26 to 28 May 2008 An inventory of United Nations system activities on violence against women Last updated: July 2007 Update: July 2007 to January 2008

The Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women monitors steps taken by States parties to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.  The Special Rapporteur on violence against women, including its causes and consequences significantly contributes to the common effort to address violence against women.  

The work of the United Nations to address all forms and manifestations of violence against women has gained new momentum with the launching, on 9 October 2006, of the Secretary-General’s in-depth study on all forms of violence against women and the adoption by the General Assembly, on 19 December 2006, of an action-oriented resolution on the “Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women”: A/RES/61/143 [ Arabic | Chinese | English | French | Russian | Spanish ] 

Information about the work of the General Assembly on violence against women

The Secretary-General’s in-depth study on all forms of violence against women

In December 2003, the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to prepare an in-depth study on all forms and manifestations of violence against women (A/RES/58/185).  The extensive preparatory process for the study involved Member States, entities of the United Nations system, non-governmental organizations, advocates, academics, experts and practitioners.  The momentum generated must now be carried forward so as to ensure that the recommendations made in the study are implemented.

More information on the study