of gender-based violence in the family, within the general community and where perpetrated or condoned by the
State, and emphasizes the duty of Governments to refrain from engaging in violence against women and to
exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence
against women and to take appropriate and effective action concerning acts of violence against women, whether
those acts are perpetrated by the State, by private persons or by armed groups or warring factions, and to provide
access to just and effective remedies and specialized, including medical, assistance to victims;
6.
Affirms, in this light, that violence against women constitutes a violation of the human rights
and fundamental freedoms of women and that violence against women impairs or nullifies their enjoyment of
those rights and freedoms;
7.
Strongly condemns physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family, which
encompasses, but is not limited to, battering, sexual abuse of women and girls in the household, dowry-related
violence, marital rape, female infanticide, female genital mutilation, crimes committed against women in the
name of honour, crimes committed in the name of passion, traditional practices harmful to women, incest, early
and forced marriages, non-spousal violence and violence related to commercial sexual exploitation as well as
economic exploitation;
8.
Stresses that all forms of violence against women occur within the context of de jure and de
facto discrimination against women and the lower status accorded to women in society and are exacerbated by
the obstacles women often face in seeking remedies from the State;
9.
Emphasizes that violence against women has an impact on their physical and mental health,
including their reproductive and sexual health and, in this regard, encourages States to ensure that women have
access to comprehensive and accessible health services and programmes and to health-care providers who are
knowledgeable and trained to meet the needs of patients who have been subjected to violence, in order to
minimize the adverse physical and psychological consequences of violence;
10.
Also emphasizes that violence against women and girls, including rape, female genital
mutilation, incest, early and forced marriage, violence related to commercial sexual exploitation, including
trafficking, as well as economic exploitation and other forms of sexual violence, can increase their vulnerability
to the human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) and aggravate the
conditions fostering the spread of HIV/AIDS;
11.
Reminds Governments that their obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All
Forms of Discrimination against Women must be implemented fully with regard to violence against women,
taking into account general recommendation 19 adopted by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination
against Women at its eleventh session, reaffirms the commitment to accelerate the achievement of universal
ratification of the Convention, and urges all States that have not yet ratified or acceded to the Convention to
consider, as a matter of priority, doing so;
12.
Urges States parties to consider signing and ratifying the Optional Protocol to the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women;
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