UNITED NATIONS — Violence against women takes many forms: sexual assault, child marriage, incest, wife beating, prostitution, female genital mutilation, dowry-related violence, trafficking, sexual violence during wars, femicide, sexual harassment, 'honour' killings, forced sterilization, date rape, pornography and bride kidnapping. Violence against women may also take many forms of psychological abuse, intimidation and harassment.
All are unacceptable violations of human rights. Together they form a huge obstacle to gender equality and genuine human progress.
Each year, for 16 days, bookended by the International Day to End Violence Against Women (25 November) and Human Rights Day (1 December), groups from around the world join together to speak out against gender violence. Because all too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned.
This year's theme is one of empowerment: "Commit. Act. Demand. We CAN End Violence Against Women." It reflects the fact that gender violence is increasingly being recognized as a stain on humanity and something that must and can be dealt with.
Sixteen Ways UNFPA Works to End Gender Violence
1. Uniting against the problem
Through the Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund, works with a host of United Nations agencies and offices to galvanize action across the United Nations system to prevent and punish violence against women. See also the statement of the Executive Director of UNFPA.
2. Generating empowering conversations about the issue
UNFPA provides a social media space where people can bring their experiences, research and insights to the question, “How can we overcome this pervasive violation of human rights?”
3. Documenting successful approaches
Gender-based violence is a deeply rooted problem that demands strategic, comprehensive and culturally sensitive approaches. In ten countries, UNFPA has applied such approaches and documented the experiences for development practitioners as well as other interested parties. See the multi-media exhibit. See also these new case studies.
4. Presenting positive images of men as role models
Any successful effort to end violence against women must involve the men who commit or tacitly condone it. A new photo exhibit commissioned by UNFPA shows men as positive role models at home, in the community and in the workplace.
5. Using the power of popular culture to prevent couple violence
The Chilean band Kudai, hugely popular with Latin American youth, has teamed upwith UNFPA to spread the message that hurting your partner is decidedly not cool.
6. Calling attention to sexual violence as an instrument of war
Congo/Women, an international photography exhibition and educational campaign, compels viewers to acknowledge and respond to the suffering endured by women and girls in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and to recognize the human faces behind it. See also this documentary.
7. Partnering with men to end violence against women
A new publication features five case studies from Eastern Europe and Central Asia of programming that has been successful in changing men’s attitudes. A global forumin Rio de Janeiro sought to redefine ideas of masculinity that permit gender violence, and the city’s programming is experimenting with therapeutic approaches. See also this round-up of ongoing activities to partner with men in the Asia and Pacific region.
8. Speaking out against female genital mutilation/cutting
Over 100 million women have been subjected to female genital mutilation/cutting, a practice that still puts up to 3 million additional girls at risk each year. UNFPA, in partnership with UNICEF, has launched a US$44 million programme to end this harmful traditional practice within a generation. Read about UNFPA's holistic approach to the issue.
9. Addressing the needs of women in refugee camps
Refugee camps are intended to be safe havens — but displaced women often face many forms of gender-based violence. UNFPA is part of an interagency team that sends gender advisers to humanitarian settings to ensure that women’s needs are being addressed. The Fund has also partnered on an interagency field manual that includes guidelines for addressing sexual and gender-based violence in refugee camps.
10. Highlighting the injustice of child marriage and too-early pregnancy
Child marriage is a health issue as well as a human rights violation. Because it takes place almost exclusively within the context of poverty and gender inequality, it also has social, cultural and economic dimensions, including high rates of maternal mortality and injury. See the award-winning video about child marriage in Ethiopia and read about the consequences of adolescent pregnancy.
11. Partnering with others to end sexual violence against girls
UNFPA has partnered with many organizations through the Clinton Global Initiative to take a new approach in addressing the rights violations and health impacts of sexual violence against girls. According to the World Health Organization, in 2002 approximately 150 million girls experienced some form of sexual violence.
12. Working with religious leaders to end tolerance for gender-based violence
UNFPA values the influence of religious leaders in preventing violence within families and reducing maternal mortality. The Fund works hard to build bridgesbetween faith-based practitioners and development practitioners.
13. Publicizing the issue of acid burning and other unusual forms of gender violence
Every day, women are subjected to violence in many forms, such as acid attacks. Last year, the Fund publicized five stories that the global media might have ignored, under-played or simply been unaware of. Read the news release and related features from the Russian Federation and Tajikistan.
14. Offering alternatives to 'survival sex'
In the capital of Haiti, which is plagued by political and social unrest, 11- and 12-year-old girls trade sexual favours for spending money. A drop-in centre offers them other options. Read the feature story.
15. Calling attention to a new form of slavery
UNFPA works closely with governments to address the ever-widening threat posed by human trafficking and supports women and girls in their recovery and return home.
16. Assisting survivors of domestic violence
Most violence against women occurs in the home. But women often stay with abusive partners because they have no other place to go. UNFPA-supported shelters offer an alternative.
