We see it in all countries: UN on 'heartbreaking' rape case of eight-month-old in Delhi

Sexual assaults on an infant in India and on a seven-year-old girl in Pakistan are "heartbreaking" but the "scourge" of violence against girls affects all countries, Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said recently.

Asked by a reporter, who referred to the two recent cases in India and Pakistan and asked what advice the UN would give the two countries to stop the violence, he said the UN and its agencies were working with governments to get the message across to communities against the attacks on girls and women.

"First these two cases that you are referring to are heart breaking," Dujarric said on Thursday.

But he added, "What is clear is that no country on this planet is immune from the scourge of violence against women, violence against girls. We see it in all countries, North, South, East and West."

WHAT HAPPENED IN DELHI

An eight-month-old girl was raped in New Delhi recently, allegedly by her 28-year-old cousin, who is now under arrest.

The accused raped the infant after taking her out on pretext of playing with her- when her parents had left her in care of their relatives.

The 28-year-old has been charged under the POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences).

SEVEN-YEAR-OLD RAPED, KILLED IN PAKISTAN

Last month, a seven-year-old girl's body was found in a garbage dumpster in Pakistan's Kasur district near Lahore, four days after she was reported missing.

'UN IS TRYING TO FACE THE ISSUE'

About the UN actions to fight violence against girls and women, Dujarric said, "Through various programmes, through UN Women, through UNFPA (UN Fund for Population activities), UNICEF and others, UN is working with national governments to try to get messages through to communities to respecting girls, to respecting women."

"It is about equal rights, access to health, access to education (for women and girls). It is about empowerment of women," he added.

"Through a number of development programmes the UN is trying to face the issue."

With inputs from IANS