A/HRC/11/6 page 4 Introduction 1. In my capacity as Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences, I hereby submit my third report to the Human Rights Council pursuant to Human Rights Council decision 1/102 and resolution 7/24. In Chapter I, I summarize my activities in 2008 and until 31 March 2009; and in Chapter II, I discuss the political economy of women’s human rights. 2. I draw the attention of the Council to the addenda to the present report. Addendum 1 contains summaries of alleged human rights violations related to violence against women, its causes and consequences, which were brought to the attention of Governments concerned, and Government responses. Addendum 2 is a report on my mission to Tajikistan; Addendum 3, on my mission to Saudi Arabia, and Addendum 4, on that to the Republic of Moldova; Addendum 5 contains a review of the last 15 years of the mandate of the Special Rapporteur on violence against women; and Addendum 6, contains the research on the political economy of women’s rights, which provides a basis for the present report.1 ACTIVITIES A. Fact-finding missions 3. In 2008, I visited Saudi Arabia (4-13 February), Tajikistan (15-23 May), and the Republic of Moldova (4-11 July) at the invitation of the Governments concerned. From 31 October to 1 November 2008, together with the European Parliament Rapporteur on Women’s Rights in Turkey, I undertook a two-day visit to Turkey at the invitation of the Government in order to assess the provision of shelters for women victims of violence, including those trafficked. Although there have been significant efforts in recent years to respond more effectively to violence against women in Turkey, the number of safe houses remain insufficient. Furthermore, there are discrepancies in the conceptual approach to shelters and the standard of services provided as well as in monitoring. 4. An invitation and dates for a mission were also set with the Government of Kyrgyzstan, which I unfortunately had to postpone, but which I hope can be rescheduled. I have also made requests to the Governments of Jordan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan to visit those countries. B. General Assembly 5. On 24 October 2008, I addressed the Third Committee of the General Assembly. I informed the Assembly of the findings contained in my 2007 mission reports and my preliminary observations from the country visits carried out in 2008. I also drew attention to my annual report which addressed the importance of indicators on violence against women and State 1 I would like to thank Professor Jacqui True, at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, for her research on the political economy of women’s rights, as contained in Addendum 6.