The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) issued a statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, saying it stood united with Libyan defenders of women’s rights in supporting the 16 days of activism for the elimination of violence against women and girls.
UNSMIL called on all Libyan authorities to foster an environment that respects and protects women and girls in Libya in line with their international obligations.
The Head of UNSMIL, Abdoulaye Bathily, said “As we embark on the United Nations Secretary General’s campaign to end violence against women by 2030, I call upon Libyan institutions and political actors to invest in preventing all forms of violence against women.”
The UN Secretary General, António Guterres, remarked that “we still live in a male-dominated culture that leaves women vulnerable by denying them equality in dignity and rights.”
UNSMIL encouraged all Libyan authorities to work toward an effective legal framework which would address violence against women and girls, both in the private and public sphere, so that they could engage in electoral processes as voters and candidates and be meaningfully represented in all levels of decision-making.
