Stop violence against women!

The UN Security Council has recently adopted Resolution 1820 on women, peace and security (June 19, 2008). Specifically concerned with violence against women, it states inter alia:

Reiterating deep concern that, despite its repeated condemnation of violence against women and children in situations of armed conflict, including sexual
violence in situations of armed conflict, and despite its calls addressed to all parties
to armed conflict for the cessation of such acts with immediate effect, such acts
continue to occur, and in some situations have become systematic and widespread,
reaching appalling levels of brutality,

Reaffirming the important role of women in the prevention and resolution of
conflicts and in peacebuilding, and stressing the importance of their equal
participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion
of peace and security, and the need to increase their role in decision-making with
regard to conflict prevention and resolution...

Thus, it is not disputed that women play an important role in securing peace in the world... So, the next step is to increase their input in the decision-making of the world affairs. Unfortunately, as the recent US political atmosphere has reaffirmed it, the world is still dominated by men... If the US, one of the most democratic countries in the world is still woefully lagging behind in this, what could be said about others?

Of course, even more urgent is to stop the violence against women worldwide!