UN Authority Figures

U.N. Commission on the Status of Women Vice-President: Belarus

Numerous women detained in the December 19, 2010 protests reported that they were threatened with rape while in custody. Source: US State Department's Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2010, Belarus

Mission of the Commission on the Status of Women: "The Commission on the Status of Women...is a functional commission of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), dedicated exclusively to gender equality and advancement of women. It is the principal global policy-making body. Every year, representatives of Member States gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York to evaluate progress on gender equality, identify challenges, set global standards and formulate concrete policies to promote gender equality and advancement of women worldwide." (Commission on the Status of Women web-site, "Overview")

Term of office: 2012-2013 (elected March 14, 2011)

Belarus's Record on Women's rights:
"Rape was a problem. However, most women did not report it due to shame or fear that police would blame the victim... Domestic violence, including spousal abuse against women, was a significant problem. A 2006 Amnesty International report concluded that measures taken by authorities to protect women against domestic violence were insufficient. The criminal code does not contain a separate article dealing with domestic violence. According to a study released by BSU's Center for Sociological and Political Research on March 2, four out of five women between ages 18 and 60 claimed that they were subjected to psychological violence in their families... Sexual harassment reportedly was widespread, but no specific laws, other than those against physical assault, address the problem." (US State Department's Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2010, Belarus)