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Nov

26

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women


I could, and I will, provide links and excerpts of what the day is about and why it exists (it was yesterday and is November 25 every year), but this story from the AP about how Taliban in Pakistan threw acid on school girls pretty much does the trick.

Men riding motorbikes squirted acid from water bottles onto three groups of students and teachers walking to school. Several girls suffered burned faces and were hospitalized. One teenager couldn’t open her eyes for days after the attack, which sparked condemnation around the world.

Afghanistan’s government called the attack “un-Islamic,” while the United Nations labeled it “a hideous crime.” First lady Laura Bush decried the attackers as cowardly.

Today, the government said that 10 alleged Taliban militants have been arrested in connection with the incident and that some have confessed for participating.

Why would anyone do this?

Islamic extremists have attacked many schools to discourage girls from getting an education. Raufi, the governor, said students at the Mirwais Mena girls school didn’t return to class for three days after the acid attack.

Girls were banned from schools under hardline Taliban rule, and women could leave their homes only if they were clad in a body-hiding burqa and accompanied by a male relative.

Of course, this still doesn’t really tell us why the Taliban – or anyone for that matter, should fear an educated female.  Because there is no reason to fear an educated female.

And yet, violence against women continues.  Which brings me to the links about the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The UNIFEM organization has made the following priority for this year through 2015:

Now, we must…get governments to implement the laws and policies already in place. Despite the fact that more governments than ever have passed such laws, there is still a wide implementation gap. To protect women from violence, and respond to the needs of survivors, we urge the adoption of accountability frameworks, with minimal standards of protection and response. These provide a checklist against which to assess the degree to which a country is upholding the human rights of women. Among the measures which should be in place are:

  • Prompt police response, health and legal services, free of charge, for poor women and girls;
  • Shelters and safe options for women surviving or fleeing life-threatening situations;
  • National hotlines available 24-hours a day to report abuse and seek protection;
  • Basic front-line services for emergency and immediate care for women and girls who have suffered abuse and rape; and
  • Accountable judiciary and national action plans to end discrimination and promote equality.

The Secretary-General’s system-wide UNiTE campaign offers a blueprint for implementation and combined action. Partnerships between the United Nations and governments, civil society, the private sector, men and youth, and the religious community show great promise. Between now and 2015 we must all work together to make implementation our top priority.

Our Bodies Our Blog has an excellent post in honor of this day. It offers multiple links to statistics that testify to the continued prevalence of violence against women in many settings.

The Say No to Violence initiative supports the multi-year UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign and “aims to demonstrate that there is a global movement of people who demand that ending violence against women be a top priority for governments everywhere.” Here are highlights from related events around the world this year.

UNIFEM today also announced that the UN Trust Fund in Support of Actions to Eliminate Violence Against Women (which UNIFEM manages), will award nearly $19 million in 2008 to 23 projects and initiatives in 29 countries that are addressing gender-based violence. Last year a total of $5 million was disbursed, so in that context $19 million is impressive, though the amount still falls far short of the demand.

“Overall, grants requests amounting to US$525 million were received this year for initiatives in developing countries, including in conflict-affected countries where widespread and systematic sexual violence has become a horrific tactic of warfare,” notes this UNIFEM release.

This compendium of facts and figures on violence against women paints a grim picture:

For women aged 15 to 44 years, violence is a major cause of death and disability [2]. In a 1994 study based on World Bank data about ten selected risk factors facing women in this age group, rape and domestic violence rated higher than cancer, motor vehicle accidents, war and malaria [3]. Moreover, several studies have revealed increasing links between violence against women and HIV/AIDS. Women who have experienced violence are at a higher risk of HIV infection: a survey among 1,366 South African women showed that women who were beaten by their partners were 48 percent more likely to be infected with HIV than those who were not [4].

They also offer links to other actions being taken to combat violence against women. One of my favorites is Take Back the Tech:

When it comes to violence against women and technology, it can be hard to identify and recognise when an act or speech constitutes “harm”.

Does inviting a group of people to respond to a particularly offensive and sexist post by one individual in a forum become harassment instead of action? Is the existence of links to pornographic sites on websites that are stumbled upon directly harmful and degrading to women? Is cybersex real or harmless fantasy? Should we regulate and censor what is said and created online to “protect vulnerable groups of people” like children?

Where do you draw the line? What have you experienced? How do you understand “harm” in online spaces? How is this violence? And when is it not?
Speak your mind, and tell your stories. Take Back The Tech & transform the buzz in the blogosphere!

Here’s a very thorough BBC article with links to other stories about violence against women globally.  The Feminist Law Professors blogged thoughts about the day and focuses on human trafficking:

Today thus seems like a particularly appropriate day to draw attention to weaknesses in, and under-utilization of, the T visa program.  This immigration category was created to provide protection for victims of human trafficking in the United States.

…

Ann Bartow has posted here about the problems with the current program and the need to amend and reauthorize the legislation to make the program more effective.  Earlier this year, Governor Doyle signed into law a bill creating new felony crimes in Wisconsin, for human trafficking and child trafficking.  Trafficked human beings, often women, are members of communities throughout the United States, including right here in Milwaukee.  We can and should do more to protect them.

And New Moon Girls also wrote about it and mentions how yesterday began the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence:

Today, girls, women, boys, and men around the world attend protests, write their lawmakers, and take part in other activism to fight for every girl’s and woman’s right to be safe from violence. November 25th also marks the beginning of the Family Violence Prevention Fund’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.  The Family Violence Prevention Fund is fighting to pass the International Violence Against Women Act, which would urge U.S. foreign policy to protect girls and women from violence worldwide.

You can read more about the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence here (there are some very cool resources there) and put a widget on your blog (I can’t get it to fit my sidebar) for the Say NO to Violence effort here.

And don’t forget: this issue isn’t relevant only for 24 hours on one day a year.  Especially for those who are the victims of the violence.

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By Jill Miller Zimon at 12:43 pm November 26th, 2008 in Gender, Law, Politics, Resources, Sexism, Social Issues, Tools, Women, Youth, activism, intolerance, leadership 

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