A/RES/71/170 Intensification of efforts to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls: domestic violence and by men and boys, in the efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, and recognizing the importance of having open, inclusive and transparent engagement with them in the genderresponsive implementation of local, national, regional and international agendas, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Stressing the need to fully engage men and boys as agents and beneficiaries of change in the achievement of gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, as well as allies in the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, Recognizing the critical contribution of family members in combating violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, and that in preventing such violence the family can play an important role, 1. Calls upon all States to implement the commitment to eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, as set out in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; 11 2. Stresses that “violence against women” means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological or economic harm or suffering to women and girls, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life, including online, and notes the economic and social harm caused by such violence; 3. Recognizes that violence against women and girls is a form of discrimination that seriously inhibits their ability to enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms and is rooted in gender inequality, deeply embedded negative social norms and stereotypes, poverty, inequality in the economic, social and cultural spheres and unequal power relations between men and women; 4. Stresses that domestic violence can take many different forms, including physical, psychological and sexual violence, economic deprivation and isolation, and neglect, and occurs within the family or domestic unit and generally between current or former partners or individuals who are related through blood or intimacy; 5. Strongly condemns all forms of violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, while recognizing that it is an impediment to the achievement of gender equality and to the full realization of their human rights, and while expressing concern that domestic violence is the most prevalent and least visible form of violence against women and girls and that its consequences are long lasting and profound and affect many areas in the lives of victims; 6. Recognizes that violence against women and girls persists in every country in the world as a pervasive violation, abuse or impairment of human rights and is a major impediment to achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls, sustainable development, peace, security and the internationally agreed development goals, in particular the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; 7. Urges States to condemn violence against women and girls, including domestic violence, and reaffirms that they should not invoke any custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their obligations with respect to its elimination and should pursue, by all appropriate means and without delay, a policy of eliminating violence against women as set out in the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women; 7 6/12