A/RES/67/144 Intensification of efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women implementation of the Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children, supplementing the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime, 23 as well as the full and effective implementation of the United Nations Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, 24 will contribute to the elimination of all forms of violence against women, Expressing its appreciation for the efforts and the high number of activities undertaken by States to eliminate all forms of violence against women that have resulted in the strengthening of legislation and the criminal justice system, such as adopting national action plans, strategies and national coordination mechanisms, implementing preventive and protective measures, including awareness-raising and capacity-building, providing support and services for women facing or subjected to violence and improving data collection and analysis, Emphasizing that States should continue to adopt legislation, in accordance with their international human rights obligations and commitments, which addresses the issue of violence against women in a comprehensive manner by not only criminalizing violence against women and girls and providing for punishment of the perpetrators, but also including protection and preventive measures, with provisions for adequate funding for their implementation, Recognizing that domestic violence remains widespread and affects women of all social strata across the world and the need to eliminate such violence, Recognizing also the important role of the family in combating violence against women and girls and the need to support its capacity to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, Recognizing further the important role of the community, in particular men and boys, as well as civil society, in particular women’s and youth organizations, in the efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls, Stresses that “violence against women” means any act of gender-based 1. violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life; Recognizes that gender-based violence is a form of discrimination that 2. seriously inhibits women’s ability to enjoy rights and freedoms on a basis of equality with men; Also recognizes that violence against women and girls persists in every 3. country in the world as a pervasive violation of the enjoyment of human rights and a major impediment to achieving gender equality, development, peace and the internationally agreed development goals, in particular the Millennium Development Goals; Welcomes the report of the Secretary-General on the intensification of 4. efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against women, 25 as well as the report of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences on violence against women with disabilities; 26 _______________ 23 United Nations, Treaty Series, vol. 2237, No. 39574. Resolution 64/293. 25 A/67/220. 26 See A/67/227. 24 4/11