Minister Conor Lenihan welcomes achievements of Consortium on Gender Based Violence

The Minister of State for Irish Aid, Conor Lenihan TD, today welcomed the progress made by a consortium of Irish development and human rights agencies on the issue of Gender Based Violence. The Consortium met today to update its Special Advisor, Mary Robinson, on progress made over the last year”.

“Irish Aid is committed to keeping the issue of Gender Based Violence to the forefront of our work and the broader development agenda” said Minister Lenihan.

“In addition to providing global leadership on this issue, Mary Robinson has contributed significantly to the work and success of the Consortium in her role as Special Advisor.”

Worldwide, according to UNFPA, as many as one in three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in some other way while one in four women has been abused during pregnancy. 

Over the last year the Consortium has made significant progress in developing institutional awareness and capacities for responding to Gender Based Violence. The Consortium has grown and taken on new members including the Defence Forces.

Note to Editors:

Gender based violence is a term used to describe some of the most worrying and critical infringements of human rights. The term refers to violence targeting women or men, girls or boys on the basis of their gender. It is prolific and widespread and present in developed and under-developed countries, in peace time and during conflict.

Irish Aid supports a range of activities in response to Gender Based Violence, including, funding for the Consortium, research into the issue and the provision of protection and care services for people affected.

The recent White Paper on Irish Aid commits the Government to “continue to advocate internationally for greater attention and resources to be devoted to the prevention of gender based violence'.

ENDS +++
27 November 2006
Press Office