DEVAW: Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, 1993

This Declaration was adopted by the General Assembly in 1993, in recognition that violence against women presents a major obstacle to the achievement of equality, development and peace, yet states have failed to adequately address it. Significantly, it adopts a very broad definition of violence against women that includes, in addition to state-sponsored violence, violence occurring in the private sphere of the family and in the general community. The Declaration covers physical, sexual and psychological forms of violence. It asks that states condemn and eliminate violence against women in all its forms, and urges them not to invoke any custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations. Its adoption marks a milestone for women because it recognizes the historically unequal power relationships between women and men, and affirms the importance of women's movements and non-governmental organizations in raising awareness and alleviating the problem of violence against women.