UN Human Rights Chief Declares Global Failure in Gender Equality Amid Continuing Violence Against Women

GENEVA — During the 56th session of the Human Rights Council on Friday, the UN human rights chief, Volker Turk, strongly criticized the global community for not fulfilling its commitment to gender equality, highlighting the continuous threat of economic and other forms of violence against women and girls.

According to Philippines News Agency, economic violence remains a pervasive issue that, along with physical, sexual, and psychological violence, affects one in three women worldwide at some point in their lives. He emphasized the critical nature of this issue by suggesting that if a similar proportion of men faced such challenges, it would likely prompt an international crisis response. “If one in three men globally were subject to such devastating and pervasive harm, we would be convening an emergency summit,” he stated in his opening speech.

Turk explained that economic violence can take various forms, including economic control, sabotage, and exploitation, often underpinned by outdated gender norms that see men as the primary financial decision-makers. This systemic issue contributes to significant disparities in economic participation and earnings between genders, with women earning 77 cents for every dollar earned by men. He also pointed out that legal barriers prevent 3.9 billion women from full economic participation and noted a global wealth gap where women collectively have USD 100 trillion less in wealth compared to men.

The human rights chief called for a comprehensive reform of discriminatory laws and practices to halt economic violence and promote economic equity actively. “To put a stop to economic violence and proactively ensure economic equity, we need a complete overhaul of discriminatory laws and practices,” Turk asserted. He further stressed the importance of implementing laws that support gender equality across all areas of life, including economic, public, and political spheres, and the necessity of policy measures to enforce these laws effectively.

Turk concluded by reiterating the unacceptable nature of violence against women and girls, describing it as “abhorrent and inexcusable,” and underscored the urgent need for global action to address these injustices.