E/2001/27 E/CN.6/2001/14 Report of the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women 7. At its 13th and 15th meetings (closed meetings), on 14 and 16 March, the Commission considered the report of the Working Group on Communications on the Status of Women (E/CN.6/2001/CRP.3). 8. At its 15th meeting, on 16 March, the Commission took note of the report of the Working Group, as revised, and agreed to include it in the report of the Commission. The report of the Working Group is as follows: “1. The Wo rking Group on Communications on the Status of Women was guided in its deliberations by the mandate given by the Economic and Social Council in its resolution 76 (V) of 5 August 1947, as amended by the Council in resolutions 304 I (XI) of 14 and 17 July 1950 and 1983/27 of 26 May 1983. “2. The Working Group considered the list of confidential communications (E/CN.6/2001/SW/COMM.LIST/35) and the list of non-confidential communications (E/CN.6/2001/CR.37) concerning the status of women. “3. The Working Group took note of the 14 confidential and 3 nonconfidential communications received directly by the Division for the Advancement of Women of the United Nations Secretariat and the 22 confidential communications received by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights of the United Nations Office at Geneva concerning the status of women. It also took note of the fact that no confidential communications had been received by other United Nations bodies or the specialized agencies. “4. The Wo rking Group expressed its deep concern about the continuing grave violations of women’s human rights, including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, and the persistent and pervasive discrimination against women. It also expressed grave concern at the continuing violence against women and girls and their exclusion from full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. “5. The Working Group was particularly concerned at discrimination against women in employment and in the enjoyment of the right to health, including reproductive rights. It was also concerned at dowry-related crimes which led to violations of women’s rights, including violence and death. “6. The Working Group was concerned by the systematic use of physical and sexual violence against women, including rape as a weapon of armed conflict, as well as other crimes against women such as torture, beatings, custodial killings, abduction, arbitrary arrests and harassment by military, paramilitary or police forces or other governmental authorities. “7. The Working Group was concerned by the persistent targeting of civilians, and the fact that internally displaced persons, in particular women and girls, were subject to torture, floggings, rape, confiscation of property, harassment and forcible evictions in conflict situations. The Working Group was also concerned about the failure of authorities to take appropriate action in cases of violations of women’s human rights, including sexual abuse. 54