UNI Global Union: “Violence against women must stop”
Nyon, 01 March 2013 ─ UNI Global Union and the rest of the international labour movement are calling for zero tolerance on violence against women and girls both at home and in the workplace. UNI and the other global union organisations are taking their message to the 57th United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (UNCSW) in New York, March 4-15.
The joint Global Trade Union statement calls specifically for: “No compromise on women’s rights and zero tolerance for violence against women and girls”.
UNI World Women’s President, Denise McGuire says, “Violence against women is widespread in all societies, and affects all groups of women and girls. One out of every three girls born today will face some form of violence in her life time. This may occur in private and public places, and in physical as well as virtual online spaces. Violence against women and the threat of it clearly violates their basic human rights.”
UNI Global Union General Secretary Philip Jennings says, “Our call is simple: zero tolerance for violence against women and girls. There can be no compromise on women's rights. We must break the circle of violence against women, including in the workplace and ensure women can join a union without fear of intimidation. As individuals, unions, organisations and countries we must ensure that laws are in place to protect and respect women and that these laws are enforceable."
Note to Editors
Denise McGuire will join representatives from other international global union organizations - the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), Public Services International (PSI), and Education International (EI) at UNCSW57. The international labour movement will be there to voice the concerns of women and girls on a range of issues including decent work, public services, public education and women’s rights in a bid for gender equality around the world. Some 200 union volunteers will attend parallel events during UNCSW57 and speak up for women and girls around the world.
For more information:
Sadia Kaenzig, Sadia.Kaenzig@uniglobalunion.org, mob: +41 79 396 37 18
For more on UNI Breaking the circle of violence campaign: click here http://fr.breakingthecircle.org/
In the related file above, you will find a UNI infographic on violence against women and girls.