CEDAW/C/NZL/CO/7
not OK” campaign, aimed at decreasing rates of family violence. Despite these positive
developments, the Committee is concerned about the continued high and increasing levels
of violence against women and the low rates of reporting and conviction, particularly
relating to sexual violence. The Committee notes with concern insufficient statistical data
on violence against women, especially on violence against Māori women, migrant women
and women with disabilities.
24.
The Committee calls upon the State party:
(a)
To take the necessary measures to encourage the reporting of domestic
and sexual violence cases, including by ensuring that education professionals, healthcare providers and social workers are fully familiar with relevant legal provisions and
are sensitized to all forms of violence against women and are capable of complying
with their obligation to report cases;
(b)
To strengthen training for the police, public prosecutors, the judiciary
and other relevant government bodies on domestic and sexual violence;
(c)
To provide adequate assistance and protection to women victims of
violence, including Māori and migrant women, by ensuring that they receive the
necessary legal and psychosocial services;
(d)
To improve the level of representation on the Task Force for Action on
Violence within Families and ensure appropriate resourcing with a view to enhancing
the perception of its status within the State party;
(e)
To ensure systematic collection and publication of data, disaggregated by
sex, ethnicity, type of violence, and by the relationship of the perpetrator to the
victim; to collect data on the number of women killed by partners or ex-partners; and
to monitor the effectiveness of legislation, policy and practice relating to all forms of
violence against women and girls.
Trafficking and exploitation of prostitution
25.
While the Committee appreciates the 2009 Plan of Action to Prevent People
Trafficking and improvements in the protection of sex workers since the Prostitution
Reform Act of 2003, the Committee regrets the absence of comprehensive information and
data on trafficking in women and girls. The Committee notes that there have been no
prosecutions or convictions for trafficking in women and girls and is concerned that this
may be linked to insufficient knowledge and awareness of the threat of trafficking and
exploitation, particularly given reports on trafficking of migrant women and girls, including
“mail-order” and “Internet” brides.
26.
The Committee recommends that the State party:
(a)
Identify, prosecute and punish traffickers, and ensure protection of the
human rights of the trafficked women and girls;
(b)
Ensure that trafficked women and girls have adequate support so as to
be in a position to provide testimony against their traffickers;
(c)
Ensure systematic monitoring and periodic evaluation, including the
collection and analysis of data on trafficking and exploitation of women in
prostitution, and to include such data in its next periodic report;
(d)
Raise awareness of threats of trafficking and exploitation and make
efforts to proactively screen vulnerable populations, including migrant women and
girls, such as “mail-order” and “Internet” brides.
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