Guterres makes a global appeal to protect women from violence

New York-SANA

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres made a global appeal to protect women and girls at a time of increased domestic and family violence during the quarantine period caused by the spread of the Coronavirus.

Guterres said in a statement and a video clip in English with his words being translated into French, Arabic, Spanish, Chinese and Russian languages: "Violence is not confined to the battlefields. Unfortunately for many women and girls, the most dangerous place where the threat of violence looms is the place where it is supposed to be an oasis of safety for them." .. It is the house. ”

He added: "I am making a new appeal today for peace in homes all over the world ... because over the past weeks and with increasing economic and social pressures and growing fears we have witnessed a horrific global surge in domestic violence."

Guterres urged all governments to make preventing violence against women a key part of their national plans to tackle the Corona virus, calling on judicial systems to continue to prosecute the aggressors.

The United Nations said that at this stage it is not able to determine the number of women or girls who are subjected to domestic violence in the world as a result of domestic quarantine, but indicated that one in three women experience violence during her lifetime.

The United Nations also considered that violence against women may take a more complex turn by being exposed to the emerging Corona virus, which is used as a threat to expel women from their homes without having anywhere else to go, as well as the authorities' preoccupation and changing their priorities.