A/HRC/20/16
United Nations
General Assembly
Distr.: General
23 May 2012
Original: English
Human Rights Council
Twentieth session
Agenda item 3
Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil,
political, economic, social and cultural rights,
including the right to development
Report of the Special Rapporteur on violence
against women, its causes and consequences,
Rashida Manjoo
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Summary
This thematic report addresses the topic of gender-related killings of women.
Rather than a new form of violence, gender-related killings are the extreme
manifestation of existing forms of violence against women. Such killings are not isolated
incidents that arise suddenly and unexpectedly, but represent the ultimate act of violence
which is experienced in a continuum of violence. Women subjected to continuous
violence and living under conditions of gender-based discrimination and threat are
always on ―death row, always in fear of execution‖.
Globally, the prevalence of different manifestations of gender-related killings is
reaching alarming proportions. Culturally and socially embedded, these manifestations
continue to be accepted, tolerated or justified—with impunity as the norm. States‘
responsibility to act with due diligence in the promotion and protection of women‘s
rights is largely lacking as regards the killing of women.
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GE.12-13600
The footnotes are reproduced as received, in the language of submission only.
Late submission.