Violence against women in Iraq continues unpunished- UN

BAGHDAD / IraqiNews.com: The representative of the UN secretary general for Iraq, Staffan de Mistura, on Wednesday said that violence against women continues unabated in some parts of Iraq, according to a UN Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) statement. “The top United Nations official in Iraq has called for the urgent establishment of a national legal framework guaranteeing the protection of women, warning that continued gender violence threatens to undermine the country’s families and society,” read the statement that was published on the official web site of the world organization. In a message issued to mark the International Day on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, de Mistura described the situation of women in some parts of Iraq country as “very unsatisfactory.” “Women and girls are paying a disproportionate price for violence. Some are suffering widowhood, targeted violence, discrimination and repression, lack of access to education and health care and increased violence at home,” the statement quoted de Mistura as saying. “He added that he hoped the occasion would serve to draw an agenda of concrete measures and further a common awareness regarding the advancement of protection of women’s rights in all areas of Iraqi society,” it added. SS (S)/SR 1