MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
McMullan
Australia supports an end to violence against women and girls, in Australia, in our region and globally.
Today Australia's Parliamentary Secretary for International Development Assistance, Bob McMullan announced a further contribution of $1.25 million to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women in the developing world, at the Annual Ministerial Review for the United Nations Economic and Social Council in New York.
This builds on previous commitments of $1 million to the fund in 2008 and $1.1 million to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) Pacific Fund to End Violence Against Women, bringing Australia's combined support to $3.35 million.
'Violence against women is a global problem and must be addressed with global solutions.
'Violence against women limits women's social, economic and political participation. It also places a burden on health, policing and justice systems,' Mr McMullan said.
Australian funding supports efforts to end violence against women and girls in developing countries. Through working with our many partners we will help to prevent violence against women and will ensure that women who experience violence have access to support services and to justice.
Violence against women and the fear of violence are significant human rights violations.
'Australia is committed to promoting and protecting women's human rights and to realising gender equality, both domestically and internationally,' Mr McMullan said.
The UN Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women is managed by UNIFEM. Australia's partnership with UNIFEM helps achieve equality between men and women and reduce violence towards women in developing countries.