Calling for action while marking 25 November the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

On 25 November 2016, Public Defender of Georgia Ucha Nanuashvili and UN Women Country Representative for Georgia Erika Kvapilova organized a joint press conference to mark 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The Public Defender called upon representatives of the executive and legislative branches of the Government to intensify their efforts towards the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls by speeding up the ratification process of the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence (also known as the Istanbul Convention). He further urged the Government and Parliament to introduce the definition of “femicide” – the gender-related killing of women – into the Georgian Criminal Legislation.

Mr. Nanuashvili reiterated and supported the recommendation of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, Ms. Dubravka Šimonović, urging UN Member States to focus on the prevention of gender-related killings of women by establishing a “Femicide Watch”. As part of this initiative, relevant data will be published on each 25 November – the International Day on the Elimination of Violence against Women. Such information would include the number of femicides per year, disaggregated by age and sex of the perpetrators; the relationship between the perpetrator and the victim or victims; and information concerning the prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators.

Ms. Kvapilova, in turn, emphasized the importance of raising awareness on violence against women and girls, supporting the call of the Public Defender towards the establishment of a “Femicide Watch” as an important mechanism for awareness-raising and prevention that will also allow for improved monitoring of the protection and prosecution measures in place.