UN human rights chief Volker Turk condemns rising global violence against women, citing femicide, abuse cases, and systemic impunity for perpetrators.
GENEVA: UN human rights chief Volker Turk has declared violence against women a “global emergency”.
Addressing the Human Rights Council, he condemned mounting threats to women’s rights and systemic impunity for abusers.
Turk highlighted the extreme gender-based segregation in Afghanistan, warning it is “reminiscent of apartheid”.
He also cited the shocking cases of convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and French rape survivor Gisele Pelicot.
Both cases “show the extent of the exploitation and abuse of women and girls”, Turk stated.
He asked if anyone believed there were not many more men like Dominique Pelicot or Jeffrey Epstein.
“Such horrific abuse is enabled by social systems that silence women and girls, and insulate powerful men from accountability,” Turk charged.
He insisted states must investigate all alleged crimes and protect survivors.
Turk expressed deep concern over swelling attacks against publicly visible women, including online.
“Every woman politician I meet tells me they face constant misogyny and online hate,” he said.
He pointed out that in 2024 alone, around 50,000 women and girls worldwide were killed.
Most were killed by family members, he told the council.
