10 Years of combatting Femicide

SIDE-EVENT: TEN YEARS OF FEMICIDE CAMPAIGN AT UNODC

Tuesday, 17 May 2022, 13:10 – 14:-00

Organized by the International Association for the Advancement of Innovative Approaches to Global Challenges with the support of El Salvador, Mexico, Spain, and the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Soroptimist International, the UNODC Justice Section, and the Sigmund Freud Private University in Vienna

This event aimed to celebrate the achievements of   men and women who dedicated their working lives to combating femicide. It brought together diplomats, experts, and activists to debate the progress in this field and the ongoing challenges.

Ambassador Esther Monterrubio Villar of Spain moderated the event and emphasized how important it is to further coordinate efforts against femicide. Elisa Nieto Maestro, Special Adviser, from the Spanish Ministry of Equality, discussed the law against gender-based Violence adopted in 2004 in Spain, as well as the 2016 parliamentary-approved State Pact against Gender Based Violence. Dubravka Šimonović, Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls (2015–2021) debated the 2013 and 2015 General Assembly Resolutions against Gender-based Killing of Women and Girls and her 2015 initiative to establish Femicide Watch Observatories. Rashida Manjoo, former Special Rapporteur on violence against women (2009–2015) emphasized the timeliness of the topic and in particular commented on the efforts undertaken in this field by activists in Latin America and the UNODC. Claudia Baroni, representing the UNODC Justice Section provided an overview of the UNODC’s major achievements and developments in the field of gender-related killings of women and girls since the adoption of GA resolution 68/191 in 2013, and in particular the need for countries to strengthen their criminal justice capacities to prevent gender-based violence. Linda Witong, former Prosecutor and representative of  Soroptimists International discussed the different strategies serial killers use to prey on women and the forensic developments that allow the perpetrators   to be brought to justice. Rita Banerji, author, photographer, and gender activist referred to the increasing rate of femicide in India and the challenges that this poses. Claire Laurent  from CARE Austria underlined the significance of securing additional funds to push forward necessary reforms to combat femicide. She also highlighted the need to address the discriminatory social norms enabling femicide and improve institutional responsiveness in the fight against it.  Finally, the Chair of the Alliance NGOs for Crime Prevention, Anna Alvazzi del Frate argued that  to prevent Femicide the focus should be on prohibiting all forms of  gender-based violence. She also considered it relevant to draw Member States’ attention to  gender-based violence as a  form of torture.

Michael Platzer presented the tenth anniversary issue of Femicide and congratulated all those who had joined the campaign since 2012 but said there was much to be done, as femicides are still increasing.

PANELLISTS:
Moderator: Ambassador Esther Monterrubio Villar, Permanent Representative of Spain to the United Nations (Vienna)

·Elisa Nieto Maestro, Special Adviser of the Support Department in the Government Delegation against Gender Violence, Ministry of Equality, Spain

·Claudia Baroni, Drug Control and Crime Prevention Officer, Justice Section, Division for Operations, UNODC

·Linda Witong, Advocacy Consultant and Soroptimist International United Nations representative in Vienna

·Anna Alvazzi del Frate, Chair, Alliance NGOs for Crime Prevention

·Rashida Manjoo, Professor Emeritus, University of Cape Town, former Special Rapporteur on violence against women, 2009-2015, Audio Message

·Dubravka Šimonović, former Special Rapporteur on violence against women, 2015-2021

·Rita Banerji, author, photographer and gender activist, founder of the 50 Million Missing online campaign to raise awareness about female Femicide in India (recorded video message)

·Claire Laurent, Programme Officer, East Africa, CARE Austria