This Tuesday, November 24th, Norway's Minister of Justice, Knut Storberget, will join UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in launching a Network of Men Leaders to Combat Violence against Women.

The launch will take place at the UN headquarters in New York. Other members of the Network include former presidents and current prime ministers as well as Nobel laureates and renowned authors.
 
Since taking office four years ago, Justice Minister Knut Storberget has made combating violence against women a top priority for the Norwegian government. He has also been fronting the issue in Europe.

This summer he hosted a Council of Europe conference which saw justice ministers from across the continent discuss this very issue. Now, he is taking his cause to another international arena, the UN.
 
Around the world, one in three women is beaten, coerced into sex, or suffers some type of abuse in her lifetime. Mr. Storberget therefore believes it is imperative to 'break the silence' that surrounds all forms of violence against women.

Getting men to speak out forcefully is essential in getting around the shame that victims often feel and the social stigma that exists in most countries, the Norwegian Minister states.

(Press release)

Rolleiv Solholm

Written by Rolleiv Solholm