United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime

Liaison and Partnership Office (LPO) in Brazil

Press Release

Practices of violence against women involving the couple and family relationships persist in the Southern Cone

18 July 2011- The five countries of the Southern Cone (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay) have advanced in the struggle for the elimination of gender-based violence, however, there is still much to do. Signatories of the main international documents protecting the rights of women, the five countries are increasingly recognizing that violence in family relationships increases the risk and exposure of women and girls to other forms of violence, including sexual exploitation, trafficking in women, sexual harassment and the feminization of AIDS, however, the practices of violence against women, especially those involving the couple and family relationships, persist in the region.

The analysis is one of the conclusions of the Regional Report on Responses to Violence against Women in the Southern Cone countries, to be presented on Tuesday, July 19 ^th, in Asuncion, Paraguay, during the International Seminar " Responses to Gender-Based Violence in the Southern Cone: Achievements, Challenges and Regional Experiences. "

Made by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for Brazil and the Southern Cone, with the support of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women (UN Women), the report presents a diagnostic on ways to care for women victims of gender violence in the Southern Cone. "The regional report shows, for example, that practices of violence against women in the Southern Cone are still protected by silence and discrimination, invisibility in national statistics, by the reluctance of institutions and professionals to recognize these practices of violence as violations of human rights. Often, the attacks related to gender violence exceed the limits of "home" only when they result in the deaths of women murdered by their partners / ex-partners motivated by self-defense 'of honor, '"said Nivio Nascimento, Coordinator of the Crime Prevention and Public Security Unit of the UNODC in Brazil and the Southern Cone.

Each year, millions of women are victims of aggression, torture, intimidation, humiliation and discrimination. The perpetrators are, more often, partners or relatives. And this reality is no different in the Southern Cone. Women need strong laws effectively and integrally implemented. Countries should invest in prevention and protection services to gender-based violence, "said Verônica do Anjos, coordinator for Confronting Violence against Women of UN WOMEN in Brazil and the Southern Cone.

In 2008, during the launch of the global campaign, SAY NO - UniTE TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, The United Nations General Secretary also expressed concern about the effectiveness of laws to eradicate gender violence. As part of this international campaign, there is the recognition of the importance of special laws and the recommendation that governments pass laws that meet international human rights agreements. It is also recommended that governments approve estimates of expenditure for the implementation of laws and develop systems for monitoring and evaluating the results.

In addition to presenting and discussing the report of the UNODC about the Responses to Violence against Women in the Southern Cone countries, the International Seminar " Responses to Gender-Based Violence in the Southern Cone: Achievements, Challenges and Regional Experiences" seeks to promote the exchange of experiences, to encourage cooperation and facilitate the creation of a network for exchange of good practices among people in the community, civil society and government institutions. Given the regional context, the interconnections between the dynamics of violence against women and human trafficking will also be addressed.

"This International Seminar is held in a special moment in Paraguay. The Women's Secretariat of Paraguay is taking action together with the institutions of the executive and other powers to address violence against women. We have our progress but there is still a long way to go, especially when it comes to the cultural change that we seek and that is needed to combat it. Actually, this space is already a good setting to share our experiences and combat this problem on a regional level, "explained the minister of the Women's Secretariat in Paraguay, Gloria Rubin.

Among the participants and panelists of the seminar are the representatives of government agencies of Gender and Public Safety of all Southern Cone countries, representatives of the UNODC and UN WOMEN and experts in gender issues and trafficking in persons in the region.

The seminar is an initiative of the UNODC with the support of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of Women, UN Women, and the Women's Secretariat of Paraguay.

Event: International Seminar: " Responses to Gender-Based Violence in the Southern Cone: Achievements, Challenges and Regional Experiences"

Date: July 19 ^th and 20 ^th, 2011

Time: 8h00

Place: Bicameral Room of the National Congress in Paraguay

14 de Mayo corner with Avenida República - Asunción.

More information:

Andrea Catta Preta:

Press Agent- UNODC

+ 595 985540160

+55 61 8118 0910

+55 61 3204 7206

andrea.cattapreta@unodc.org