Latin America, Caribbean most 'violent region' in world for women

A report launched at the regional parliament (Parlatino) with over 120 legislators by the UN Development Programme (UNDP)-UN Women revealed that Latin America and the Caribbean were the most violent regions in the world for women.

"In Latin America and the Caribbean, the number of countries with national women protection policies has risen from 24 in 2013 (74 per cent) to 31 in 2016 (94 per cent), yet, the region is still the most violent in the world for women (WHO 2013), starting scenario of a new UN Development Programme (UNDP)-UN Women report launched today at the regional parliament (Parlatino) with over 120 legislators," a press release by the UNDP stated.

The rate of sexual violence against women outside of relationships is the highest in the world in these regions, while the second-highest for those who are or were a couple, the report stated.

The report added that even though the region has shown great progress in the "normative frameworks" that recognise violence against women as a social phenomenon, sustainable development and the protection of human rights, the problem still persists, with "high rates of violence against women remaining a dire challenge."

"The number of female homicides (femicides/feminicides) is on the rise, with two in every five resulting from domestic violence. Moreover, about 30 per cent of women have been victims of violence by their partner and 10.7 per cent have suffered sexual violence not related to an intimate partner, according to World Health Organisation figures," stated the report.

The UN report also noted that 24 of the 33 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have laws against domestic violence, but only nine of them have passed legislation that tackles a range of forms of other violence against women in public or private.

The report further calls for generating social pacts among governments, the private sector and civil society to engage all relevant factors.

The report is launched as part of the "Unite to end violence against women" campaign, which brings together several United Nations agencies.

-ANI