protection to the victims, and that failure to do so violates and impairs or nullifies the
enjoyment of their human rights and fundamental freedoms;
5.
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 and girls in the name of honour, crimes
committed in the name of passion, traditional practices harmful to women and girls, incest,
early and forced marriages, non-spousal violence and violence related to commercial sexual
exploitation as well as economic exploitation;
6.
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;
7.
Emphasizes that violence against women and girls has an impact on their
physical and mental health, including their reproductive and sexual health, and, in this regard,
encourages States to ensure the availability to women and girls of comprehensive and
accessible health-care services and programmes and to health-care providers who are
knowledgeable and trained to recognize signs of violence against women and girls and to
meet the needs of patients who have been subjected to violence, in order to minimize the
adverse physical and psychological consequences of violence;
8.
Stresses that women should be empowered to protect themselves against
violence and, in this regard, stresses that women have the right to have control over and
decide freely and responsibly on matters related to their sexuality, including sexual and
reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence;
9.
Emphasizes that violence against women and girls, inter alia rape, including
marital rape, female genital mutilation, incest, early and forced marriage, violence related to
trafficking, violence related to commercial sexual exploitation and economic exploitation, as
well as other forms of sexual violence, increases their vulnerability to HIV/AIDS, that HIV
infection further increases women’s and girls’ vulnerability to violence, and that violence
against women and girls contributes to the conditions fostering the spread of HIV/AIDS;
10.
Urges Governments to strengthen initiatives that would increase the capacities
of women and adolescent girls to protect themselves from the risk of HIV infection,
principally through the provision of health care and health services, including for sexual and
reproductive health, and through prevention education and campaigns that promote gender
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