6 March 2009 | 00:58 | Source: Beta
New York – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, in the eve of the International Women’s Day, called world leaders on responsibility for ending violence against women.
The UN have launched an information database for documenting violence against women and for monitoring the efforts worldwide for ending it. “No political leader or government can tolerate violence against women, in any form, in any context or in any circumstances by any political leader or by any government” said Ban.
“We must unite. The time for change is now. Only by standing together and speaking out can we make a difference”, stressed the UN Secretary-General.
In New York, Ban addressed a gathering of ministers from over 50 Ministers and more than thousand representatives of women’s groups attending the annual UN Commissions on the Status of Women from March 2 to 13.
The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, which the UN mark earlier, since March 8 is Sunday this year, is “Women and Men United to End Violence against Women and Girls”.
Ban revealed that around the world, one women in five has been a victim or rape or attempted rape, and that in some countries one woman in three had been beaten or subjected to some kind of violent act.
“This is alarming, this must stop”, the UN Secretary General said, adding that violence against women is an abomination and that he like to call it a crime against humanity.