National Women’s Council supports the 16 days of action opposing violence against women

Published: Sunday, November 23, 2008

The National Women's Council of Ireland (NWCI) wishes to stand today in solidarity with Women's Aid here in Ireland and with women around the world at the beginning of the 16 Days of Action Campaign opposing Violence Against Women. The NWCI supports Women's Aid's 'Home Truths: Think Human Rights, Think Home' campaign, as part of the 16 Days of Action, which marks the 60th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) (December 10th 2008).

At the heart of human rights is the simple concept of human dignity. All forms of violence against women and girls must be addressed and understood as basic violations of human rights principles.
'Article 5 of the UDHR states that everyone has the right to live free from torture, cruel and inhuman or degrading treatment,' stated Joanna McMinn, Director, NWCI ' and yet today in Ireland, 213,000 women, or one in five, are victims of domestic violence'. 'Sadly, for them, home is not a place of safety and love, but a place of fear, violence, rape, abuse and terror' she continued.

'Women in Ireland continue to face discrimination, violence and injustice simply because of their gender. The 16 Days of Action Campaign highlights domestic violence as an abuse of basic human rights. The NWCI joins with others, at the start of the 16 Days Campaign to say: 'End the abuse of Women's Human Rights : End violence against Women' concluded Ms McMinn.