Sri Lanka claims to combat violence against women

Sri Lanka has told the UN Human Rights Council that it is taking concrete steps to combat violence against women, reports ColomboPage.

In a statement at a clustered interactive dialogue with he UN's Special Rapporteur on Violence against women, Sri Lanka's representative said:
"We believe that in national policy formulation to combat violence against women, it is necessary to focus on gender equality and the empowerment of women to enable them to fully enjoy their human rights and fundamental freedoms."
The statements comes in the same week as the global summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict, at which Sri Lanka was absent. Sri Lanka also refused to sign on to the “Declaration of Prevention of Sexual Violence in Conflict”.

A survey by the UNHRC has also found that 40% of women in the Northeast feel they are not safe in their homes, citing militarisation as a key reason.

See related links:

Sri Lanka and others 'need to explain their absence' from summit – UK Minister Hugo Swire (12 June 2014)

Fear of sexual violence amid militarisation of North-East – UN official (12 June 2014)

Sexual violence against Tamils ‘systematic’, ‘part of policy framework’ - Yasmin Sooka (10 June 2014)

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