Embassy of the Republic of Chile in Vienna and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
In collaboration with the International Center for Promotion of Enterprises
ROUND TABLE
HUMAN RIGHTS AND ELIMINATION AND PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN – EFFORTS BY INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY
Ljubljana, 20 May 2013
CONCEPT NOTE
The Embassy of Chile in Vienna and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia will organize a round table on human rights and gender-based violence. The event will focus on the international aspect of the issue of gender-based violence and will take place on 20 May 2013 at the International Center for Promotion of Enterprises. Chile and Slovenia may be two countries from two very different geographical regions, but at the same time two countries that share similar views both on gender equality and empowerment of women and on many other human rights issues. The event is aimed at contributing to the promotion of these common ideas and at taking them beyond the regular cooperation within international fora such as the United Nations.
Both Chile and Slovenia are members of the Human Security Network, a cross-regional group of UN member states which regards women’s full enjoyment of all human rights as one of its core objectives.
Introduction and objectives
Violence against women is present and persists in every country in the world irrespective of factors such as age, class or economic background. Gender-based violence is a form of discrimination that seriously violates and impairs the enjoyment by women and girls of all human rights and fundamental freedoms. It is a major impediment to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of women. Such violence harms women and girls, their families and communities, incurs significant economic costs and restricts and undermines economic growth and development. In fragile, conflict and post-conflict situations, gender-based violence presents a challenge to peace, security and stability of a country or region. The root causes of violence against women and girls lie in the historically unequal power relations between men and women and in pervasive discrimination against women in both public and private spheres. Violence against women takes different forms and manifestations, occurring in different contexts, settings, circumstances and relationships. Women and girls who face multiple forms of discrimination are exposed to increased risk of violence. HIV/Aids, disability, poverty and migration are also risk factors and consequences of gender-based violence.
Such practice persists, despite global and regional treaties (such as the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, Inter-American Convention on the prevention, punishment and eradication of violence against women and the Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence), declarations and resolutions establishing standards and norms to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women and girls as well as different follow-up mechanisms at the national, regional and international levels. A global culture of discrimination against women and girls allows such violence to persist with impunity based on claims of politics, religion or culture. It is the responsibility of the international community to hold States accountable for changing attitudes and prejudices that perpetuate impunity and fulfil their due diligence.
The practice of violence against women and girls is the most pervasive form of violence that occurs daily in both urban and rural settings, in private and public spheres. Sadly, women and girls in different parts of the world are killed because of their gender and fall victim to sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict and post-conflict situations. The prevalence of both forms of gender-based violence is reaching alarming proportions. Gender-related killings are the extreme manifestation of existing forms of violence against women. Culturally and socially embedded, these manifestations continue to be accepted, tolerated or justified—with impunity as the norm. Recent initiatives have recognised particular vulnerability of women and girls to sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict and post-conflict situations, highlighting the importance of special protection from such violence.
Violence against women is high on the international agenda, especially this year with the International Women's Day and the 57th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women focusing on the elimination and prevention of violence against women. The international community has made considerable progress in creating a global framework for preventing and eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls. An important signal of the inadmissibility of violence against women and girls has been provided with the adoption of the agreed conclusions at the 57th Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in March this year.
This event will provide an opportunity to review global developments and persistent challenges in addressing violence against women and girls as well as to present national experiences, initiatives and strategies in combating different forms of violence against women and girls. The event will also facilitate an exchange of experience and lessons learned in the elimination and prevention of violence against women from two different regions of the world.
Format
Welcome by Mr Janez Podobnik, M.D., ICPE Acting Director General (tbc)
Opening remarks
- Dr Božo Cerar, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia
- H.E. Alfredo Labbé, Ambassador of Chile
Panellists:
- H.E. Alfredo Labbé, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile;
- Ms Teresita Alvarez, Embassy of the Republic of Chile to the Republic of Slovenia;
- Mr James Hilton, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
- Ms Violeta Neubauer, Vice-Chair of the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women;
- Ms Špela Veselič, Program Manager, Association SOS Help-line.
Moderator: Ambassador Jernej Videtič, Acting Head of Human Rights Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
Time and place
The round table will take place at the International Center for Promotion of Enterprises (Dunajska cesta 104, Ljubljana) on 20 May 2013 from 10.00 to 13.00. The round table will be followed by a reception hosted by the Ambassador of Chile.
Participants: The diplomatic corps in Slovenia, academics, relevant civil society organisations in Slovenia and representatives from relevant line ministries and media.
Draft Programme
9.30–10.00 Registration
10.00–10.20
Welcome by Mr Janez Podobnik, M.D., ICPE Acting Director General (tbc)
Opening remarks by
Dr Božo Cerar, State Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, and
H.E. Mr Alfredo Labbé, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile
10.20-11.30 Panel discussion
Panellists (presentation cca. 10 minutes each):
- H.E. Mr Alfredo Labbé, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile;
- Ms Violeta Neubauer, Vice-Chair of the UN Committee on Elimination of Discrimination Against Women;
- Ms Špela Veselič, Program Manager, Association SOS Help-line;
- Mr James Hilton, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland;
Moderator: Ambassador Jernej Videtič (Acting Head of Human Rights Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia)
11.30–12.30: Questions and answers (2 slots of 20 minutes for questions and 10 minutes for answers)
12.30–13.30: Reception hosted by H.E. Mr Alfredo A. Labbé, Ambassador of the Republic of Chile