United Nations, Sep 5 (Prensa Latina) The United Nations (UN) today condemned the death of Ugandan Olympic athlete Rebecca Cheptegei as a result of the extensive burns caused by an attack from her former boyfriend.

Cheptegei, 33, died four days after being doused in petrol and set on fire by her former partner last Sunday.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ spokesman, Stéphane Dujarric, described the incident as confirmation of a much larger and all too often ignored problem.

Every 11 minutes on average, a woman or girl is killed by an intimate partner or family members somewhere, the spokesman said, citing figures from UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.

“Gender-based violence is one of the most frequent human rights violations in the world and must be treated as such,” Dujarric further claimed.

The fact was also condemned by entities such as the United Nations Population Fund and the agency dedicated to gender equality, UN Women.

The agency’s spokesperson urged to close the gaps and guarantee security and justice for women.

“We live in a male-dominated culture that leaves women vulnerable by denying them equality, dignity and rights.

We all pay the price. Our societies are less peaceful, our economy is less prosperous and our world is less just,” she said in quoting Guterres.

The Olympic athlete died this morning in a Kenyan hospital where she was being treated after 80 percent of her body was burned.

Cheptegei competed in the women’s marathon at the Paris Olympics less than a month before the attack.

Her family as well as numerous sports figures and institutions are demanding justice for the runner.

Ied/abo/ro/ebr