UN Division for the Advancement of Women

This publication surveys the prevalence of abuse suffered by widows, especially those in the developing world. In addition to examining region-specific difficulties facing widows, the author identifies two main areas of loss: social status and economic opportunities. Common factors inducing widowhood include higher mortality rates for men (often due to armed conflict), the tendency for younger women to marry older men, and the decreased likelihood of women remarrying after the death of her husband. Denial of inheritance rights and degrading burial

This handbook is intended to help States and stakeholders develop and enhance existing laws to protect women based on the results of an expert group meeting by the UN Division for the Advancement of Women. The handbook outlines the international and regional legal and policy frameworks which mandate States to enact and implement comprehensive and effective laws addressing violence against women. A model framework for legislation is offered, which includes recommendations on legislative content and examples of best practices.

This report summarizes the results of an expert group meeting on good practices in ending violence against women that took place in Vienna, Austria in May 2005. The report begins with a background on violence against women and a discussion on its definition. Using examples, the remainder of the report focuses on good and promising practices in law, provision of services and prevention. The report emphasizes that what are considered good practices are not necessarily universal and depend on the context of their implementation.

This report considers the failure of the international community to address the issue of war-time sexual violence during the early years of the UN. Developments are traced to the early 1990s when the international community finally recognized that human rights violations committed against women during armed conflict, including sexual violence, violate fundamental principles of international human rights and humanitarian law. In the second part of this issue, the manner in which sexual violence during armed conflict emerged as an item of serious concern within the UN is examined.