GENEVA: The UN rights chief has decried mounting threats to women’s rights worldwide, highlighting rampant femicide and horrific abuse exposed in cases like that of US sex offender Jefferey Epstein.

Addressing the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, Volker Turk slammed “social systems that silence women and girls” and allow powerful men to abuse them with impunity.

“Violence against women, including femicide, is a global emergency,” the High Commissioner for Human Rights told the UN’s top rights body.

He highlighted the extreme situation in Afghanistan, warning that the “system of segregation imposed on women is reminiscent of apartheid, based on gender rather than race”.

He also pointed to two cases that have recently caused shock waves around the world: those of convicted Epstein and of French rape survivor Gisele Pelicot.

Both cases “show the extent of the exploitation and abuse of women and girls”, Turk said, asking: “does anyone think there are not many more men like Dominique Pelicot or Jeffrey Epstein?”

Epstein associated with the world’s rich, famous and powerful despite his conviction in 2008 to procuring a child for prostitution.

He died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while facing trial on sex trafficking charges. His death was ruled a suicide.

Gisele Pelicot gave the public insight into her shocking case when she waived her right to anonymity during the 2024 trial in France of her ex-husband Dominique and dozens of strangers who he brought in to rape her while she was unconscious.

“Such horrific abuse is enabled by social systems that silence women and girls, and insulate powerful men from accountability,” Turk charged.

“States must investigate all alleged crimes, protect survivors, and ensure justice without fear or favour,” he insisted.­

Published in Dawn, February 28th, 2026