EHRN session at 57th Commission on the Status of Women

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EHRN session at 57th Commission on the Status of Women

19 February 2013

All forms and manifestations of violence against women require more attention. Some, however, have been especially neglected. This is particularly evident with women who use drugs and/or are engaged in sex work. Violence puts these women and girls at the higher risk of HIV and prevents them from accessing essential services. Women who use drugs and/or are engaged in sex work in Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA) fare worse than most. Violence affects them extensively throughout the region due to a combination of repressive drug laws, patriarchal societies, lack of access to adequate health care and insufficient legal, social, psychological and treatment support.

Violence against women who use drugs and/or are engaged in sex work is often state-inflicted through discriminatory policies and law enforcement practices leading to demonizing and dehumanizing women. Violence committed at the hands of law enforcement and health professionals, in the name of drug policies contributes to stigma and discrimination, instigates self-stigma reinforcing their inability to seek and obtain protection and health services.

EHRN in partnership with International Gender Policy Network and the support from Open Society Foundations is organizing a parallel event at the 57th Commission on the Status of Women. the key aim of the session is to inform the participants of the Commission on The Status of Women on the issues of violence against women who use drugs and/or are engaged in sex work as well as present recommendations and jointly discuss the efforts by NGOs, the UN Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights, other UN agencies and country missions on ways to eradicate violence against women who use drugs and/or are engaged in sex work.

The speakers include the representatives of civil society and the drug user community from Ukraine, Georgia as well as invited representatives of UN agencies, such as UNODC and Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. For more information, please contact Simona Merkinaite at simona@harm-reduction.org.

For further information on 57th Commssion on the Status of Women please click here

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