Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, highlighted the discussions on the post-2015 development agenda and the upcoming session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 57) as opportunities to address sexual harassment and violence and increase safety in public spaces.
Bachelet was addressing a Special Session for Executive Board members on Building Safe Cities for Women and Girls.
24 January 2013: Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, highlighted the discussions on the post-2015 development agenda and the upcoming session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 57) as opportunities to address sexual harassment and violence and increase safety in public spaces. Bachelet was addressing a Special Session for Executive Board members on Building Safe Cities for Women and Girls, in New York, US, on 24 January 2013.
In her comments, Bachelet: called for ending violence against women, and protection for women and girls to live free from discrimination and violence; said violence against women and girls “remains under-recognized and under-resourced;” and said progress on democracy, gender equality, justice and sustainable development could not be achieved while women and girls still faced fear of violence.
Noting occurrences everyday around the world, from New Delhi, India to Steubenville, Ohio, Bachelet said violence denies women and girls their rights as equal participants in every aspect of life.
Bachelet highlighted the “Safe Cities Free of Violence Against Women and Girls,” a joint initiative between the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) and UN Women, as well as their partnership with the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) on the “Safe and Sustainable Cities” programme. [Statement of Michelle Bachelet] [Webpage for CSW 57] [Safe Cities Factsheet] [Safe and Sustainable Cities Factsheet]