A PARLIAMENTARY RESPONSE TO VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN Third Conference for Members of Parliamentary Committees on the Status of Women and other Committees Dealing with Gender Equality Geneva, 2-4 December 2008

	The conference took place from 2 to 4 December 2008 at the CICG (Geneva International Conference Centre) and focussed on parliaments' role in combating violence against women (VAW). Violence against women remains a major issue on the international human rights agenda. It is a universal problem, differing only in scope and nature from one country to another. It occurs in the broad context of gender-based discrimination with regards to unequal power relations in both public and private spheres. The three-day event provided an opportunity for members of parliament to take stock of the situation; examine the costs of VAW, from a human rights perspective but also from a social and economic one; discuss the various types of VAW and debate concrete parliamentary initiatives that can be taken to combat such violence. Specific attention was paid to legislative frameworks and effective enforcement. The conference resulted in the identification of concrete ways in which parliaments can respond effectively to violence against women.

SESSION DOCUMENTS
	Summary and recommendations [PDF]
	List of participants [PDF]
	Provisional Programme [PDF]
	Invitation [PDF]
	Information document [PDF]
RELATED SITES AND DOCUMENTS
	Second seminar for members of parliamentary committees dealing with the status of women and gender equality (Geneva, 6-8 December 2007)
	First seminar for members of parliamentary committees dealing with the status of women and gender equality (Geneva, 4-6 December 2006)
	Women in politics
	Women in National Parliaments
	Women in politics: Bibliographic database
	PARLINE: Bodies dealing with the status of women and gender equality
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