Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences

Consultations with civil society

Consultations with civil society have become an integral part of the work of the Special Rapporteur on Violence against Women, its causes and consequences. Some non Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have been facilitating consultations with the Special Rapporteur since the inception of the mandate in 1994.

Regional and national consultations provide important input into the work of the Special Rapporteur by highlighting regional and national specificities, and provide an opportunity for women’s groups from a specific region/country to inform the Special Rapporteur of the violations of women’s rights occurring in their region/country . In addition, some consultations have focused on discussions around the elected topic of the Special Rapporteur’s annual report to the UN Human Rights Council (and previously to the Commission on Human Rights). The 2008/2009 topic of the Special Rapporteur’s 2008/2009 report to the Human Rights Council will be on “The political economy of violence against women”.

Consultations with civil society also allow NGOs to become familiarized with opportunities the Special Rapporteur’s mandate offers in advancing their national and regional initiatives. The Special Rapporteur encourages NGOs to make use of such consultations and is grateful to those NGOs taking the lead in organizing them.

Recent consultations:

• Regional and National Consultations with NGOs from the Asia-Pacific region, in Ulanbatur, Mongolia (September 2006) – on the intersections between culture and violence against women ( http://www.apwld.org/pdf/NegotiatingCulture.pdf )
• Regional Consultation with European NGOs in London, United Kingdom (January 2007) – discussions focused on domestic violence and the situation of immigrant and refugee women
• Regional Consultation with women’s organizations from Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan in Tbilisi, Georgia (May 2007) – themes discussed were violence in times of armed conflict, domestic violence and trafficking
• Regional and National Consultations with NGOs from the Asia-Pacific region, in Manila, Philippines (September 2007) – on political economy, globalization and militarization ( Consultation’s report forthcoming)

Forthcoming consultations:

• Africa Regional Consultation, Nairobi, Kenya (2008 – time to be confirmed)
• Regional and National Consultations with NGOs from the Asia-Pacific region, New Delhi, India (October 2008)