Rashida Manjoo: "Gender violence should be declared a pandemic," MAP OF SHAME 
Rashida Manjoo The South African lawyer is the UN Rapporteur on violence against women, for six years should monitor the struggle against this evil governments, wearing three countries per year and giving their recommendations to reduce violence and impunity. During his visit to Madrid on the occasion of the inaugural lecture of the conference "Latin America against femicide: The end of impunity ', Manjoo says there is no country in the world can claim to have eradicated the violence.
Three out of four murders in Latin America go unpunished Whose fault is it?
If you wonder who is ultimately responsible for the response is the state. So is lack of political will? Prosecution fails "? Is it a lack of resources to conduct fair investigations and prosecutions? I would think that there is no malice, no government has an interest in the persistence of such high levels of crime and impunity.
What can third countries such as Spain to help reduce the high impunity in Latin America?
I think you can help governments and society. Not only with money but also technical support to implement laws that are effective. They may, for example to help the victims, give advice and creating protection areas to allow witnesses, for example, help resolve these cases. Many of these women have no right to initiate legal proceedings and that encourages impunity.
72 women were murdered in Spain last year. And more than 100,000 women have sought protection. I know that you have come to analyze the English case, but what is your opinion.
I'm not here rapporteur mission, I come to consider the English case. But I say that domestic violence is a global problem, not something that happens only in poor countries or rich, not a topic that affects white people or black. And not a single country the world can claim to have succeeded in eradicating violence against women. Neither uno.Todos have that challenge ahead.
What lesson has taken a year and a half has been traveling the world to monitor violence against women?
That the most widespread form of violence against women is domestic violence, the daily struggle of women in the home. And not a single country that is fighting this scourge successfully. Furthermore, violence perpetrated not always the couple, there are other family members among the perpetrators. No talk of hierarchies within domestic violence, but rather to understand it is a larger problem than is sometimes thought.
Some say that ending domestic violence is more difficult to fight a disease called 'rare' Do you think the same?
We have not declared an international pandemic in relation to domestic violence, unlike what happened with Influenza A (smiles) ...
Should we? Would it be useful to declare the epidemic of male violence?
I think we have not given equal attention to domestic violence than others, such as terrorism, but if you look at the statistics we are much more serious. Should we declare a global pandemic of violence against women? Like other if consiguiéramos and to be given priority. But if it takes is to perpetuate the image of women and girls as victims, then no. Because it is a matter of feel sorry ... a question to address this as a broad social problem which is the main violation of human rights in the world.
What is now world's worst place to be born a woman? Any
birth place is bad for women. Every girl is born they are born, you will have difficulties. Whether your country allows sex-selective abortion and die even before birth ... or because it is a country that although achieving a good education and then work in face to face with the 'glass ceiling' preventing its professional projection. Everywhere bout being a woman. Is a global problem.
Why, I was going to ask where in the world where more women are supported? Nor
here could make a comparison. It would be like comparing apples to carrots. Different contexts, different countries and all have their specificities.
Do you think there will come a day when I can yell Mission accomplished?
will be the day that this position-that of Rapporteur on violence against women, UN disappears because we have reached a point where there is no impunity and those who do the paying.
Do countries examines you ignore their advice?
Governments listen to my reports. Also ask them to invite me because I can not go on a mission to a country if its government does not want. In these 18 months I have been in office no country has said no to my visit, although there has been silence from some countries, but I hope that those countries that have not yet ruled one day accept my visit.
Which country you want to visit before the end of his term?
I asked to visit Italy and I'm on a mission to the country in May. My mission is to investigate, especially violence experienced by immigrant and refugee women. What would
the message that the UN Rapporteur would a woman who is abused?
seek help. That will boost your voice. I do not say where to get help, but to talk about it. It is the first step.
A. Larrañeta. 20 Minutos.es. February 15, 2011.
