GENEVA, June 14 (KUNA) -- Islamic member states of the United Nations Council for Human Rights (UNHCR) rejected on Friday paragraphs violating the Islamic law in the council's resolution on the elimination of all forms of violence against women, noting that the member states must make sure that their laws and national policies are consistent with the rejected demands.
The rejections include the paragraph, which gives women "the right to control matters concerning their sexual lives as well as their reproductive health without coercion, discrimination or violence." They also rejected the paragraph that allows performing judicial proceedings in cases of rape within marriage, the abolition of provisions that require the matching of certificates and allow the rapist to escape prosecution by marrying him to his victim as well as subduing victims of sexual violence to prosecution for moral crimes or slander.
The Islamic countries also frowned on the paragraph that urges abortion in the context of the provision of health care services to rape victims, rape avoidance and other forms of violence against women and girls.
This resolution calls on the states to demonstrate their commitment to the prevention of sexual violence through the enhancement of women's human rights, protection, equal participation in communities to men, in addition to taking necessary action to make sure that women are active in decision-making, including matters of peace processes, transitional justice, democratic transition and constitutional reform.
It also urges the states to increase measures taken to protect women and girls from all violence forms, including sexual violence by addressing issues related to their safety and security through several means such as awareness, involvement of local communities, enacting laws to prevent crime, as well as the provision of infrastructure, public transportation and health facilities, street lighting and improvement of urban planning. (end) ta.ba KUNA 141639 Jun 13NNNN