UNITED NATIONS: Sex assaults on an infant in India and on a girl inPakistan are “heartbreaking” but the “scourge” of violence against girlsaffects all countries, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UNSecretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Thursday.
Asked by a reporter, who referred to the two recent cases in India andPakistan and asked what advice the UN would give the two countries to stopthe violence, he said the UN and its agencies were working with governmentsto get the message across to communities against the attacks on girls andwomen.
“First these two cases that you are referring to are heartbreaking,”Dujarric said.
But he added: “What is clear is that no country on this planet is immunefrom the scourge of violence against women, violence against girls. We seeit in all countries, North, South, East and West.”
An eight-month-old infant girl was raped in New Delhi on Sunday and a28-year-old cousin has been arrested and charged in the assault.
Last month, a seven-year-old girl was raped and murdered in Kasur.
Both incidents have caused outrage in their respective countries and callsfor action to protect children and women.
About the UN actions to fight violence against girls and women, Dujarricsaid: “Through various programmes, through UN Women, through UNFPA (UN Fundfor Population Activities), UNICEF and others, UN is working with nationalgovernments to try to get messages through to communities to respectinggirls, to respecting women.”
“It is about equal rights, access to health, access to education (for womenand girls). It is about empowerment of women,” he added.
“Through a number of development programmes the UN is trying to face theissue.”