Wearing a white ribbon pin, a UNDP official on Wednesday made his personal commitment to eliminating violence against women at a campaign held in Beijing.  

"I would never commit, condone or remain silent about violence against women," claimed Macleod Nyrongo, senior deputy resident representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in China, at a media campaign for the elimination of violence against women held by All-China Women's Federation (ACWF).

The campaign marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Nov. 25 and International Human Rights Day on December 10.

The ACWF registered 36,600 complaints of domestic violence in 2002, nearly 40 percent more than in the previous year.

"Apart from the rise of violence cases, it also shows that women have better awareness of domestic violence than before and know how to seek help from concerned departments," said Fang Yuzhu with ACFW.

Domestic violence, most often against the female spouse, was usually considered a domestic affair in China and rarely reported to authorities.

But elimination of violence against women means elimination of all forms of sexual harassment, exploitation and trafficking in women, said Nyrongo.

"Violence against women also includes violation of their rights in social participation, employment and politics," said Feng Yuan, assistant chief editor of China Women's Newspaper, speaking on behalf of the media.

In 1993, women's rights issues were, for the first time, placed on the international agenda with the adoption of the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action at the UN World Conference on Human Rights.

"It is of great significance to hold this activity here today ten years after the Vienna Declaration," said Nyrongo.

At the conference, the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) granted six Chinese men medals for their outstanding contributions to the elimination of violence against women, among them a professor from China Women's College who set up China's first men's group last year to eliminate violence against women.

"I hope more men could put the white ribbon in their heart," said Nyrongo.

At the conference, the ACWF also reviewed a program on elimination of violence against women supported by the UNIFEM.

Launched in August 2001, the program aims to enhance local people's awareness of the issue and develop effective mechanisms to eliminate violence against women.

(Xinhua News Agency December 11, 2003)