Today as Chair of the Australian Muslim Women’s Centre for Human Rights, I participated in a consultation roundtable focusing on the experiences of culturally and linguistically diverse communities, with UN Special Rapporteur on Violence against women, its causes and consequences, Dr Dubravka Simonovic.
The UN Special Rapporteur is in Australia from 13-25 February 2017 to work closely with governments, treaty bodies, and NGOs in developing strategies to eliminate violence against women in all its forms.
During her visit the Special Rapporteur will study:
the different manifestations of violence against women
the incorporation of the international and regional legal framework on violence against women
state responses and measures to address violence against women (constitutional, legislative, and institutional framework, as well as inter-sectorial responses to violence against women)
implications of discrimination against women and discriminatory gender stereotypes on violence against women
gaps and challenges in fulfilling the State’s obligations to eliminate violence against women (prevention, protection, prosecution), and
good practices aimed at promoting gender equality and eliminating violence against women, including data collection initiatives to prevent femicide and all forms of gender based violence.
Throughout her visit, Dr Dubravka Simonovic will particularly focus on women who encounter multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination, including indigenous women, women with disabilities, migrant and refugee women, women from LBTI communities, and women from remote or rural communities.
This was an opportunity for AMWCHR to table it’s findings over the past 12-18 months which support family violence as a significant issue, compounded by cultural violence, fear, language barriers, institutional racism and visa insecurity.
Over 20 attendees representing 17 organisations made submissions in a jam packed hour session.
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