UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Thursday called on UN members to offer more protections for women who are victims of violence and other crimes.

'Whether it is domestic violence, sex trafficking, so-called 'honour' crimes or female genital cutting, violence against women and girls continues to be a horrific and all-too common crime,' Ban said.

In too many regions of the world, women still live in fear, he said in calling for stronger laws to protect women and efforts to inform men about ending domestic violence.

The UN has held a series of events on women's issues in recent weeks in conjunction with World Women's Day Monday.