Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
The Collective Voice of The Muslim World
Date: 25/11/2013
I am pleased to commemorate with the rest of international community the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This day is particularly significant as it provides the governments, international organizations and relevant civil society institutions to take stock of the progress made in efforts to eliminate violence against women and to decide on what is needed in moving forward to address this issue with greater commitment and determination. Women are integral part of our society and must be provided with all the opportunities to play their important role in securing peace, progress, socio-economic developments and full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms. It is most unfortunate that a great majority of the world’s women population face discrimination in society and unequal access to opportunities, and suffer from violence all over the world. To increase women’s contribution towards the advancement of human societies, we need to ensure that they are well protected from all forms of violence. Violence against women as a vulnerable segment of our society not only goes contrary to the basic human rights of women and their discrimination in society but also violates Islamic teachings and values that call for full respect of women and upholding all their human rights. The issue of violence against women is of particular concern to the Organization of Islamic Cooperation. The OIC will continue its efforts towards the advancement of women and their protection from all forms of violence in coordination with the Member States and other stakeholders in the international community. In this context, the OIC Plan of Action for Advancement of Women (OPAAW), OIC Ten Year Program of Action, and relevant decisions of OIC Summit and Ministerial Conferences have provided guidelines on the ways and means to address the challenges faced by women including elimination of all forms of violence against them. The newly established OIC Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission has also taken up the issue of violence against women with all seriousness and commitment and is working on ways towards its elimination in the OIC Member States. The challenge ahead of us remains enormous and daunting. We must work together to eradicate this phenomenon through all available means by raising global awareness of the iniquitous aspect of committing violence against women and to take a renewed pledge to ensure the implementation of relevant International laws and Conventions as well as national laws and legislations.
