Scott Ludlam (WA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and on behalf of Senators O’Brien, Parry, Fielding and Xenophon, move:

That the Senate—

(a)

notes that:

(i)

Wednesday, 25 November is the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women which is symbolised by the wearing of a white ribbon,

(ii)

White Ribbon Day marks the start of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, a global event calling on action to end violence against women,

(iii)

one in three Australian women will experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetimes,

(iv)

gender-based violence costs the Australian economy more than $15.1 billion each year which includes costs in terms of health, work absenteeism, police and court costs, and

(v)

the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD), of which the Australian Parliamentary Group on Population and Development is a member, has established the AFPPD Standing Committee of Male Parliamentarians on Prevention of Violence against Women and Girls on 7 September 2009 which is a significant step in bringing together male parliamentarians from across Asia as role models and outspoken activists for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls; and

(b)

calls on all men to actively participate in White Ribbon Day by ‘swearing to end violence against women, to never commit violence against women, to never excuse violence against women, and to never to remain silent about violence against women’.

Question agreed to.