Asia-Pacific MPs taking action to end violence against women and girls .

October 24, 2014 Ending violence against women and girls through legislation, resourcing and policies that eliminate conditions making women and girls vulnerable to violence is the critical role of parliamentarians in championing women’s rights, health and development. “Violence against women and girls is complex and pervasive – human trafficking, child marriage and lack of policies that protect rights to reproductive health are some of the forms structural and cultural violence against women and girls takes,” said Hon. Dr Pen Pannha, Chair of the AFPPD Standing committee of Male Parliamentarians on Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls Recognising the critical role of parliamentarians in preventing violence against women and girls, AFPPD, the Australian Government’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) established the Standing Committee on the Status of Women and the Standing Committee of Male Parliamentarians on Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls (PVAWG) in 2009. “Violence against women and girls is not just a women’s issue,” said Hon. Dr Pen Pannha. “Male parliamentarians are in a unique position to advocate for and support women’s rights through policy-making.” Cambodia will host the third Regional Parliamentarians’ Meeting on Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls on October 24-25 and the Meeting of AFPPD Male Standing Committee on the Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls on October 26, 2014. The regional parliamentarians’ meeting is a joint effort of AFPPD, the Australian DFAT, and UNFPA with assistance from the Cambodian Association of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (CAPPD). The meeting aims to stimulate actions based on the process of evidence-based, mutual learning on the policy and advocacy issues of PVAWG among individual parliamentarians from different sub-regions; review outcomes of the action plans, examine the usefulness of the efforts, and plan future programmes and activities on PVAWG for the standing Committee of Male Parliamentarians on Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls; and increase actions taken by parliamentarians for prevention of violence against women and girls.