Media advisory: Social welfare professor can comment on UN gender violence report, gender equality efforts

LAWRENCE — Juliana Carlson, assistant professor of social welfare at the University of Kansas, is available to speak with media about the United Nations’ report that about 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced physical violence in their lifetimes.

The analysis, which Sec. Gen. Ban Ki Moon presented to the U.N. General Assembly on Monday, also states that 1 in 10 girls under the age of 18 has been forced to have sex against her will. Delegates from around the world have gathered in New York to discuss how governments have done since a landmark conference in Beijing 20 years ago in which world leaders vowed to ensure women’s equality as well as what needs to be done now.

Carlson, whose research has explored international organizational practices to engage men and boys in gender-based violence prevention, can speak about gender-based violence, violence against women, ways to engage men and boys to prevent violence and the U.N’s role in gender-based violence prevention.

“The key issue of the U.N.’s recent report is the lack of gender equality for women and girls. At the heart of the issue of gender equality is the global pandemic of gender-based violence, which includes many forms of violence against women and girls such as domestic violence, sexual violence, child marriage and human trafficking. There are many policies that must be addressed if governments are to increase gender equality and end gender-based violence,” Carlson said. “The U.N. and its offices, such as U.N. Women and the United Nations Population Fund, continue to be leaders in calling for gender equality and bringing gender-based violence to the forefront. However, the majority of individual governments lack a comprehensive plan to end violence against women. And at this point, only three countries identify engaging boys and men as part of prevention efforts as part of their comprehensive strategy.”

To schedule an interview, contact Mike Krings at 785-864-8860 or mkrings@ku.edu.