First mission to Croatia by the UN Special Rapporteur on violence against women

GENEVA (5 November 2012) – United Nations Special Rapporteur Rashida Manjoo will visit Croatia from 7 to 16 November 2012 to gain first-hand information on the phenomenon of violence against women.

“I will look at violence against women broadly, studying the main manifestations, causes and consequences of violence against women in the family, in the community, and violence that is perpetrated or condoned by the State,” said Ms. Manjoo, the first independent expert charged by the UN Human Rights Council to monitor violence against women, its causes and consequences, to visit the country.

“During my ten-day mission, I will meet with national stakeholders involved in fighting all aspects related to violence against women, with a view to assessing the phenomenon in the country,” Ms. Manjoo said. “I will also visit shelters, psychiatric institutions and a women’s prison, and meet with individual victims of gender-based violence.”

Launching her mission to Croatia, the Special Rapporteur reiterated that violence against women is the most pervasive human rights violation in the world, and it strongly hinders women’s full enjoyment of all their fundamental rights and freedoms.

The human rights expert’s visit will take her to the capital, Zagreb, where she will meet with Government authorities, and to the Zadar and Vukovar regions. In addition, she will meet with representatives of the UN agencies present in the country, and Croatia’s civil society.

The Special Rapporteur will hold a press conference on the initial findings of her visit at UNDP Croatia, Radnicka cesta 41, Zagreb, on Friday 16 November at 10:00 AM.

Based on the information obtained during the mission, Ms. Manjoo will present a report with her final findings and recommendations to a forthcoming session of the Human Rights Council.

ENDS

Ms. Rashida Manjoo (South Africa) was appointed Special Rapporteur on Violence against women, its causes and consequences in June 2009 by the UN Human Rights Council. As Special Rapporteur, she is independent from any government or organization and serves in her individual capacity. Ms. Manjoo also holds a part-time position as a Professor in the Department of Public Law of the University of Cape Town. Learn more, visit: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/women/rapporteur/index.htm

UN Human Rights Country Page –Croatia: http://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/enacaregion/pages/hrindex.aspx

For press inquiries please contact:
In Zagreb: Ida Mahečić Bajović, UNDP Croatia (+385 1 23 61 625 / ida.mahecic@undp.org) or Thierry del Prado (+41 79 444 4917 / +385 91 2964 704 tdelprado@ohchr.org) In Geneva: Gabriela Guzman (+41 22 917 9412 / gguzman@ohchr.org) or write to vaw@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

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