A senior European Union official, on Thursday, called on the international community to work harder to counter violence against women worldwide.
The EU High Representative, Catherine Ashton, in a declaration made on behalf of the EU on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which falls on Thursday, said violence against women and girls was probably the most "widespread human rights violation of our time".
She noted that the violence claimed millions of victims each year and cuts across age, socio-economic, educational and geographic boundaries and affected all societies.
"Sexual violence and rape as a tool of war, brings about grave suffering and undermine peace-building as well as economic development,"
Ashton said.
She pointed out that the 10th anniversary of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 was an opportunity to strengthen the fight against sexual violence, to empower women to take action in securing peace and to bring perpetrators to justice, saying the EU was ready to lead by example.
Ashton stressed that violence against women was by no means a problem limited to conflicts.
"Eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls is a priority for the European Union. I urge all countries to step up their fight against impunity and to protect and reintegrate victims of violence."
Ashton said these included women and girls affected by harmful traditional practices such as female genital mutilation, female infanticide
and pre-natal sex selection, as well as victims of domestic violence, which was one of the most common and least visible forms of violence against women.
She pledged that the EU would support third world countries in their efforts.
Ashton said the establishment of a new UN entity, the "UN Women," dedicated to women's rights and gender equality, should help bolster the capacity of the international community to counter violence against women, adding that she was looking forward to a close collaboration with UN Women.