UN expert to assess violence against women

Chennai: The United Nations Special Rapporteur on violence against women Rashida Manjoo will visit Tamil Nadu and several other states to assess the overall situation of violence against women in the country.

The 10-day visit of Manjoo will start from April 22. The dates of her visit to Tamil Nadu is not known. Interestingly, the visit will be the first by an independent expert charged by the Human Rights Council to monitor violence against women, its causes and consequences worldwide, a United Nations release said.

Besides Tamil Nadu, the Special Rapporteur will meet government authorities and civil society in Delhi, Rajasthan and Gujarat among other regions during her ten-day visit.

The Special Rapporteur will discuss the initial findings of her visit at the UN Office building in New Delhi on May 1. Based on the information obtained during the visit, Manjoo will present a report with her final findings and recommendations to a forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council.