MEDIA RELEASE
Released By:
Billson
Violence against women is an unacceptable outrage in any society and must not be tolerated, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Bruce Billson said today on the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
'Violence against women is one of the most widespread violations of human rights with one in three women subjected to some form of violence in their lifetime,' Mr Billson said.
'Acts of violence against women are serious in any country but the impact on women developing countries is often compounded by their lack of power and limited access to resources,' Mr Billson said.
'Today, I am pleased to launch the publication Australian aid: Eliminating violence against women, that highlights the work of Australia's aid program to eliminate violence against women.
'The Australian Government is committed to helping protect and empower women in developing countries and contributed more than $55 million in 2003-04 on programs that directly assisted women,' Mr Billson said.
'Australia has an integrated approach to help stop the trafficking of women by assisting countries enhance their legal systems to prosecute traffickers and support the reintegration of trafficked women into their communities,' Mr Billson said.
'The Australian Government, through its overseas aid agency AusAID, is also funding the activities of the Fiji Women's Crisis Centre, work with police in Papua New Guinea to develop an equal opportunity policy and HIV prevention and treatment programs in the Asia-Pacific region.
'Providing women with access to community decision-making participation, education,
health and reproductive services, helps remove inequalities and increases women's social and economic status.
'AusAID is also contributing more than $340,000 this year to the Vanuatu Women's Centre which trains prominent members of the community, including chiefs, elders and rural practice nurses, to raise awareness about violence against women,' Mr Billson said.
The publication, Australian aid: Eliminating violence against women is available off the home page of the AusAID website at www.ausaid.gov.au
Media inquiries:
Shane Fairlie (Mr Billson's office) 0408 680 442
AusAID Public Affairs 0417 680 590