New York, USA: The 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW57) that took place at United Nations Headquarters in New York from 4 to 15 March 2013 has concluded its Member States to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls. The conference which was themed Elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls was conducted successfully with the commitment from all the member state to fight against the cause. The session was participated by representatives of Member States, UN entities, and ECOSOC-accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from all regions of the world attend the session.

The two weeks session talked about global engagement and mobilization, high-profile advocacy by civil society, and determined leadership by many Member States.

According to the press release of the UN Women , “The Violence against women is a universal problem that requires, and has now received, a universal response. Violence occurs in multiple forms in all countries and settings; it harms women and their families and communities, impedes development, and costs countries billions of dollars annually in healthcare costs and lost productivity. In 2003, when the Commission took up violence against women and human rights, Member States were unable to reach agreement. Thus an agreement was reached this year to end violence against women and girls. This agreement comes in unison with rising voices worldwide saying enough is enough.”

“The document adopted by the Commission condemns in the strongest terms the pervasive violence against women and girls, and calls for increased attention and accelerated action for prevention and response. UN Women welcomes the important focus on prevention, including through education and awareness-raising, and addressing gender inequalities in the political, economic and social spheres. The best way to end violence against women is to stop it from happening in the first place. The document highlights the importance of putting in place multi-sectoral services for survivors of violence, including for health, psychological support and counseling, social support in the short and long term. It draws attention to the need for services to protect the right to sexual and reproductive health. Punishment of perpetrators is also highlighted as a critical measure to end impunity, as is the need to improve the evidence base and availability of data to inform an effective response,” added the press release.