Taking action against gender-related killing of women and girls A/RES/68/191 integrate specific mechanisms or policies to prevent, investigate and eradicate such deplorable forms of gender-based violence, Taking note with appreciation also of the various initiatives taken at the regional level to prevent and address violence against women, including, for example, the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women, the Protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation Convention on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Women and Children for Prostitution, the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Region, the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence and the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, Expressing its appreciation for the work undertaken by the United Nations system in preventing and responding to all forms of violence against women and girls, Viewing with appreciation the considerable input of many civil society organizations, as well as academia, in addressing the different forms of violence against women and girls, through research and direct action in their respective communities, Alarmed by the fact that violence against women and girls is among the least punished crimes in the world, Deeply concerned about the high level of impunity with regard to genderrelated killing of women and girls, and recognizing the key role of the criminal justice system in preventing and responding to gender-related killing of women and girls, including in ending impunity for such crimes, Reaffirming the commitment to working together to put an end to such crimes, in full compliance with international and national legal instruments, Urges Member States to exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate, 1. prosecute and punish acts of violence against women and girls, in accordance with national laws; Also urges Member States to consider undertaking institutional 2. initiatives, as appropriate, to improve the prevention of gender-related killing of women and girls and the provision of legal protection, including appropriate remedies, reparation and compensation, to the victims of such crimes, in accordance with applicable national and international law and taking into account, as appropriate, the Declaration of Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power; 11 Invites Member States to adopt a variety of measures, including 3. preventive measures and the enactment and implementation of legislation, that address gender-related killing of women and girls and to periodically review those measures with a view to improving them; Urges Member States, acting at all levels, to end impunity by ensuring 4. accountability and punishing perpetrators of those heinous crimes against women and girls; _______________ 11 Resolution 40/34, annex. 3/5