FEMICIDE VOLUME V A GLOBAL ISSUE THAT DEMANDS ACTION ISBN:978-3-200-03012-1 Published by the Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) Vienna Liaison Office Email: [email protected] Web: www.acuns.org /www.acunsvienna.org © 2016 Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) Vienna Liaison Office Fifth Edition Copyright: All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may be freely used and copied for educational and other non-commercial purposes, provided that a such reproduction is accompanied by an acknowledgement of the authors of the articles. Compiled, edited and formatted: Claire Laurent, Saide Mobayed, Nicola Silbert, Alberta Sinani, Khushita Vasant Design: Bardh Sokoli Photo: Creative Commons CC0 This publication was made possible by the generous financial contribution of the Karen Burke Medical Research Foundation, the Karl Renner Institute and the Organization of the Families of Asia and the Pacific (OFAP). The Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) is a Non-Governmental Organization that stimulates, supports, and disseminates research on the United Nations, other International Organizations and issues of global governance. ACUNS also promotes dialogue, regional cooperation and cultural exchange between academics, practitioners, the civil society and students. The ACUNS Vienna Liaison Office has been active since 2009 and focuses primarily on issues related to human rights, equal opportunities for youth, death penalty, juvenile justice, femicide, and other issues of concern to the Vienna based UN agencies. The ACUNS-Vienna team would like to express its gratitude to all the sponsors of the Femicide resolution, but in particular to the Permanent Missions of Austria, Brazil, Croatia, Guatemala, Kenya, Mexico, Norway, Philippines, Slovakia, Thailand, Turkey and for the excellent collaboration with UNODC, UN Women, OHCHR, and the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, Mrs. Dubravka Šimonović. The materials in this publication are for general information purposes only, provided on an “as is” basis, without warranties of any kind, including fitness for any particular purpose. The ACUNS, specifically, does not make any warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the information in this publication. The views, findings, interpretations and conclusions expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position of the ACUNS Vienna Liaison Office. To the extent permitted by law, the ACUNS Vienna Liaison Office does not accept any liability for any loss, damage, liability or expense incurred or suffered, which may arise as a result of, or in connection with, the use of information contained in this publication. FEMICIDE A GLOBAL ISSUE THAT DEMANDS ACTION VOLUME V Foreword Violence against women is the most atrocious manifestation of the systematic and widespread discrimination and inequality that women and girls around the world continue to face. Women and their children continue to die as victims of gender related killing, often in cruel ways. The weaknesses of national prevention systems, lack of proper risk assessment and the scarcity or poor quality of data are major barriers in preventing gender-related killing of women and developing meaningful prevention strategies. These weaknesses result in misidentification, concealment and underreporting of gender-motivated killings thus perpetuating impunity for such killings. For that reason, I call all States to establish a ‘Femicide Watch’ and to publish on each 25 November – International Day on the Elimination of violence against Women – the number of femicides or gender related killing of women per year, disaggregated by age and sex of the perpetrators, as well as the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim or victims. Information concerning the prosecution and punishment of perpetrators should also be collected and published. Most importantly, each case of gender-related killing should be carefully analysed to identify any failure of protection in view of improving and developing further preventive measures. In the collection, analysis and publication of such data, States should co-operate with NGOs and independent human rights institutions working in this field, academia, victims’ representatives, as well as relevant international organizations and other stakeholders. Dr. Dubravka Šimonović, UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences. Preface Femicide, or the gender-related killing of women and girls, is without any doubt the worst manifestation of violence against women. The Academic Council on the United Nations System (ACUNS) Vienna Liaison Office has worked for the last five years to raise awareness about these heinous unprosecuted crimes, which for many years had been silently witnessed by UN Member States. In 2013, an initial breakthrough was made with the adoption of the first resolution on gender-related killings by the General Assembly, upon the recommendation of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice1. The second resolution followed in 2015, whereby the General Assembly remained alarmed by the high level of impunity and was concerned about the scourge of sexual violence in conflict situations, targeted mass kidnappings, rapes and killings2. This past year, ACUNS organized a high level ancillary meeting at the UN Crime Congress on the mass killing of women and girls, a symposium on the violence committed against women by extremist groups, a side event at the Commission on the desired criminal justice response to femicide, and a High Level Event in New York on what can actually be done to stop femicide. It is clear that a strong political will is needed to challenge engrained attitudes as well as a willingness to arrest and prosecute in order to end these gruesome crimes. This means that all UN Member States have to take an honest look at their national laws, policies and actual implementation. It means that all progressive forces - government authorities, criminal justice practitioners, civil society, United Nations organizations - have to collaborate to use what is already known and take action. Many strategies and best practices are out there already. ACUNS Vienna is compiling these ideas and recommendations for the fifth time. The aim of our publications is to serve as a platform and provide practical support to anybody who wishes to prevent, investigate, prosecute and punish gender-related killings of women and girls. In this volume, we are looking at the latest developments on violence against women in conflict and at terrorist groups targeting women and girls. The Security Council has held a landmark session on the implementation of its resolution on women, peace, and security while the General Assembly is grappling with the Secretary General’s proposal on how to deal with violent extremism. The most important documents are included in this publication. We hope that this book can be a useful resource to Member States, activists, academics and practitioners. We all know what is happening. We cannot deny it. So let us act now! Claire Laurent and Michael Platzer 1 UN General Assembly, 18 December 2013, A/RES/68/191: Taking action against gender-related killing of women and girls 2 UN General Assembly, 17 December 2005, A/RES/70/176: Taking action against gender-related killing of women and girls TABLE OF CONTENT Foreword Preface UN General Assembly, A/RES/70/176: Taking action against gender-related killing of women and girls...................................1 PART I: GENDER-RELATED KILLINGS COMMITTED IN CONFLICT................................................................................... 4 1.1. ACUNS High Level Meeting on Femicide...................................................................................................5 1.1.1. Statement by Dr. Dubravka Šimonović, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its causes and consequences.............................................................................................6 1.1.2. Statement by Ms. Valérie Lebaux, Chief, Justice Section, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC)................................................................................................................9 1.1.3. Statement by H.E Ambassador Koki Muli Grignon, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kenya to the United Nations in New York............................................................... 11 1.1.4. Statement by H.E. Ambassador Vladimir Drobnjak, Permanent Representative of Croatia to the United Nations in New York...................................................................................... 13 1.1.5. Statement by H.E. Ambassador Virachai Plasai, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations in New York.................................................................................... 14 1.1.6. Statement by H.E Ambassador Antonio de Aguiar Patriota, Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations in New York.................................................................................... 14 1.1.7. Statement by H.E. Ambassador Y. Halit Cevik , Permanent Representative of Turkey to the United Nations in New York...................................................................................................14 1.1.8. Executive Summary on the UN Security Council Session on Women, Peace and Security and ACUNS High Level Meeting on Femicide....................................................15