29/02/2012 President
Strasbourg, 29.02.2012 – “We must redouble our efforts as parliamentarians and lawmakers to promote the empowerment and emancipation of rural women,” said PACE President Jean-Claude Mignon today at a meeting held in New York by the Inter-Parliamentary Union and UN Women on the occasion of the 56th Session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women.
“Rural women face multiple and serious forms of discrimination, as well as violations of their rights, and are particularly vulnerable to domestic violence. Moreover, in rural areas affected by widespread unemployment and poverty, they are the main victims of trafficking in human beings, involving sexual exploitation and forced labour,” he added.
“We must not let this situation get any worse, and I urge member states which have not yet done so to sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and the Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence, which was opened for signature on 11 May 2011.”
Mr Mignon also referred to the report by Carmen Quintanilla Barba (Spain, EPP/CD) on “Rural women in Europe”, which led to the adoption of a resolution in 2011.