Tackling violence against women

The UAE Ambassador to the UN urges action to tackle violence against women.

ABU DHABI // The UAE Ambassador to the UN has said that the country takes a special interest in combating violence against women.
Obaid Salem Al Zaabi, the permanent representative to UN and other international organisations, made the statement in Geneva to the Human Rights Council, state news agency Wam reported.
"The UAE has taken measures in three levels," he said. "The first level is prevention of violence, through spreading awareness on family and marital relations, setting family guide sections at the courts nationwide, and holding workshops on violence against women with participation from women's societies and competent organisations.
"The second level is punitive, through setting up family prosecution sections and tightening punishments to deter cases of violence against women.
"The third level is protection, through establishment of public administration to take care of human rights, under the supervision of the Community Development Authority in Dubai, in order to provide psychological assistance and legal advice to victims of violence and abuse."
Mr Al Zaabi thanked Rashida Manjoo, special rapporteur on violence against women, for her report on the causes and consequences of violence against women over the last 20 years. He said the UAE endorsed all of the recommendations in the report.
"It is clear from the report that ... the findings of the UN remain insufficient to put an end to violence against women, despite the adoption of a set of international agreements and the establishment of a number of mechanisms, and the preparation of a series of reports over the issue," he said.
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