1. The 2017 Seoul Debates to “share experiences in and knowledge on the eradication and prevention of gender-based violence” is under way in Seoul from April 20 till 21. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, together with the Ministry of Gender Equality and Family, and the Seoul Policy Centre of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), is hosting the event.

° The event has brought together some 100 people, including 30-odd government officials from Vietnam, Colombia, Senegal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Albania, Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Rwanda, Myanmar, Kazakhstan and Turkey, as well as experts from such international organizations as the UNDP, UNICEF, the UN Women and the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), and relevant members of civil society. The ROK delegation to the event is comprised of Minister of Gender Equality and Family Kang Eun-hee, Deputy Foreign Minister for Multilateral and Global Affairs Choi Jong-moon and Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Oh Young-ju.

2. The Seoul Debates is a biennial international conference hosted by the Foreign Ministry and the UNDP Seoul Policy Centre for the Republic of Korea to share with developing countries its experiences in development-related matters and to seek ways to work with those countries in the field. The forthcoming round will mark the third of its kind since it was first held in 2013.

※ The topics of the 2013 and 2015 Seoul Debates were “Challenges of the Middle Income Countries” and “Lessons learnt on Anti-Corruption from Korea and Around the World,” respectively.

3. The Debates will cover a variety of topics related to the eradication and prevention of gender-based violence, including violence, human trafficking crimes and domestic violence against children, youngsters and the challenged.

° At the event, the delegates from the government, civil society and the academic circle as well as the development experts from the Republic of Korea will inform the other participants of the country’s experiences in and institutions for tackling gender-based violence. Among them are the country’s legislation and policy efforts, the handling of relevant cases by the police and the judiciary, such systems as the “Sunflower Centers” in support of the work to protect the victims of sexual and domestic violence, and civic movements and other efforts to raise public awareness in order to prevent such violence. In addition, they will seek ways for policy coordination with the participating developing countries in that regard.

4. It is important in implementing the UN sustainable development goals adopted at the UN Sustainable Development Summit in September 2015 to eradicate and prevent gender-based violence and thereby achieve gender equality. In this light, the Debates is expected to contribute to efforts to raise awareness on the relationship between gender-based violence and sustainable development goals.


* unofficial translation