A/HRC/RES/23/25 Recognizing the important role of the United Nations system, in particular of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, in addressing discrimination and violence against women and girls at the global, regional and national levels and in assisting States, upon their request, in their efforts to eliminate and prevent all forms of violence against women and girls, 1. Strongly condemns all acts of violence against women and girls, whether these acts are perpetrated by the State, private persons or non-State actors, and calls for the elimination of all forms of gender-based violence in the family, within the general community and where perpetrated or condoned by the State, in accordance with the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women; 2. Expresses deep concern at rape and other forms of sexual violence in all their manifestations, which often target victims associated with communities, ethnic groups or other groups regarded as antagonistic to or insufficiently supportive of the group or entity whose forces commit the crime, and are frequently calculated to humiliate, dominate, instil fear in, disperse and/or forcibly relocate members of such groups, including, but not limited to, the victims and their families, and can be used as a form of ethnic cleansing; 3. Also expresses deep concern at the use of rape and other forms of sexual violence to intimidate, harass, deter and commit reprisals against women and girls, including women human rights defenders, in public spaces, and calls upon States to ensure that women and girls are enabled to participate as members of civil society without fear of reprisal, coercion, intimidation or attack; 4. Urges States to take meaningful steps to address the harmful attitudes, customs, practices, stereotypes and unequal power relations that underlie and perpetuate rape and other forms of sexual violence by, inter alia: (a) Publicly condemning, at the highest levels, rape and sexual violence against women and girls on any grounds, and providing visible and sustained leadership, by men and women alike, to support effective prevention; (b) Engaging all segments of society, including community and religious leaders, civil society organizations, the private sector and the media, in prevention efforts, such as awareness-raising and education campaigns targeting the general public to increase their understanding of the harmful effects of violence; (c) Engaging, educating, encouraging and supporting men and boys to take responsibility for their behaviour and to become active partners in the prevention and elimination of all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls, and to end the stigmatization of victims by encouraging a change in attitudes, norms and behaviour through the promotion of gender equality; (d) Measuring the effectiveness of policies and programmes to prevent sexual violence, including by carrying out regular evaluation and monitoring, and collecting and disseminating data disaggregated by sex, age, disability and other relevant factors; 5. Also urges States to increase measures to protect women and girls from all forms of violence, including sexual violence, by addressing their security and safety, including through, inter alia, awareness-raising, involvement of local communities, crime prevention laws, infrastructures, public transportation, sanitation facilities, street lighting and improved urban planning; 6. Stresses that women should be empowered to protect themselves against sexual violence and, in this regard, that women have the right to have control over and decide freely and responsibly on matters relating to their sexuality, including sexual and reproductive health, free of coercion, discrimination and violence; 3