The UN resolution 67/168 on’Extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions’ was adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 2012.
It highlights the UN member states’ obligation “to investigate promptly and thoroughly all killings, including those targeted at specific groups of persons, such as racially motivated violence leading to the death of the victim, killings of persons belonging to national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities or because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, killings of persons affected by terrorism or hostage-taking or living under foreign occupation, killings of refugees, internally displaced persons, migrants, street children or members of indigenous communities, killings of persons for reasons related to their activities as human rights defenders, lawyers, journalists or demonstrators, killings committed in the name of passion or in the name of honour, and all killings committed for discriminatory reasons on any basis, to bring those responsible to justice before a competent, independent and impartial judiciary at the national or, where appropriate, international level and to ensure that such killings, including those committed by security forces, police and law enforcement agents, paramilitary groups or private forces, are neither condoned nor sanctioned by State officials or personnel”.
The UN Resolution 66/140 on ‘The girl child’ was adopted on 19 December 2011.
It calls for gender-sensitive education curricula and labour market opportunities for young women, while also tackling health care including sexual and reproductive health and rights and the elimination of discrimination against girls and young women. UN member states are also urged to enforce legislation protecting girls and young women from violence and exploitation.
The UN Resolution 67/142 on ‘Preparations for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family’ was adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 2012.
It again stresses the importance to protect and support all families and “encourages Member States to continue their efforts to develop appropriate policies and programmes that address family poverty, social exclusion, work-family balance and intergenerational issues”.
The UN Resolution 67/146 on ‘Intensifying global efforts for the elimination of female genital mutilations’ was adopted by the General Assembly on 20 December 2012.
It calls for the international condemnation of harmful practices, especially FGM, and suggests comprehensive measures including the empowerment of women and girls, awareness-raising campaigns with adequate funding. All efforts should try to “engage community and religious leaders” amongst others.
The UN Resolution 66/126 on ‘Preparations for and observance of the twentieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family’ was adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2011.
It again stresses the importance to protect and support all families and calls amongst other measures for the implementation of gender-sensitive social protection policies.
The UN Resolution 65/187 on the ‘Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women’ was adopted by the General Assembly on 21 December 2010.
Reaffirming previous international agreements, it welcomes the efforts made by UN member states but simultaneously calls for an end to discriminatory legislation and practices. Data collection and awareness, financial support and the empowerment of women as well as the inclusion of men in campaigns on violence against women are suggested measures. Equal access to education and alleviating poverty especially of girls and women are also included.
The UN Resolution 62/140 on ‘The girl child’ was adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 2007.
It calls for comprehensive protection and support of the girls child covering issues such as sexual exploitation, human trafficking, equal access to education, violence against girls, poverty, health systems and HIV/AIDS vulnerability.
The UN Resolution 64/133 on the ‘Follow-up to the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family and beyond’ was adopted by the General Assembly on 18 December 2009.
Crucially, it “urges Member States to create a conducive environment to strengthen and support all families, recognizing that equality between women and men and respect for all the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all family members are essential to family well-being and to society at large, noting the importance of reconciliation of work and family life and recognizing the principle that both parents have common responsibilities for the upbringing and development of the child”.
The UN Resolution 61/143 on the ‘Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women’ was adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2006.
It “strongly condemns all acts of violence against women and girls, whether these acts are perpetrated by the State, by private persons or by non-State actors, calls for the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence in the family, within the general community and where perpetrated or condoned by the State, and stresses the need to treat all forms of violence against women and girls as a criminal offence, punishable by law”. Further suggested measures include the adequate funding of trainings and programmes that counteract violence against women, equal access to education, literacy programmes, and social services as well as special support of women and girls in armed conflicts and post-conflict situations.
The UN Resolution 56/128 on ‘Traditional or customary practices affecting the health of women and girls’ was adopted by the General Assembly on 19 December 2001.
It condones the work done by UN affiliated agencies to eliminate harmful practices specifically concerning girls and women. The GA speaks for “establishing or strengthening support services to respond to the needs of victims by, inter alia, developing comprehensive and accessible sexual and reproductive health services and by providing training to health-care providers at all levels on the harmful health consequences of such practices”.
“Through consultations with communities and religious and cultural groups and their leaders, alternatives to harmful traditional or customary practices” the UN member states are to counteract harmful practices.
