During 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, Soroptimist International joined thousands of organisations around the world in campaigning at local, national and international
levels to END violence against women and girls.
Each day from International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on 25 November to Human Rights Day on 10 December, SI helped to promote understanding of the many aspects of gender-violence, including domestic abuse, human trafficking, teen-dating violence, harmful cultural practices, such as FGM and the links between violence and HIV/AIDS. We also looked at solutions, sharing successful Soroptimist case studies from our Global Impact Report.
You can read many of the posts that appeared on Facebook and Twitter during the 16 Days below.
Day 16 – Human Rights Day – Women’s Rights are Human Rights – Tackling Violence in all its forms
“Domestic violence, FGM, honour killing, maternal health,
rape, harassment, girl child, malaria/TB/AIDS, pay equity, forced
marriage… We should not look as these issues in silos. Instead we should
look at them all as pieces of the larger problem which is violence
against women." Senator Mobina Jaffer at the SI Convention in 2011.
December 10 is a date with three-fold significance for Soroptimist
International: Human Rights Day, the end of 16 Days of Activism against
Gender Violence and the launch of the SI President’s Appeal. This is no
coincidence. In this week’s SoroptiVoice blog, SI Programme Director
Reilly Dempsey examines how tackling gender-violence, improving maternal
health and increasing access to solar technology are all part of the
same struggle towards human rights for all. Womens Rights are Human Rights: tackling violence in all its forms.
Day 15 (9 December) – Beyond 16 Days
The Official 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is nearly over…but the struggle to eliminate violence against women and girls is far from over. So what next?
Tell us about your plans and projects to educate, empower and enable opportunities in order to tackle VAWG via the comments below – let’s keep the momentum going!
And if you need information or inspiration, the "In Focus:
Gender-Violence" section of the SI Global Impact Report is a great place
to start: http://impact2013.soroptimistinternational.org/in-focus-violence-against-women-girls/
Day 14 (8 December) – Human Trafficking/Sex Trafficking
"I wish I knew it existed" a commonly heard phrase from survivors of
human trafficking, as discussed at this years Trust Women Conference.
Education and awareness are key to the prevention of trafficking.
Soroptimists in the UK continue to work to raise awareness via their
purple teardrop campaign – http://www.purpleteardrop.org.uk/
Sex trafficking in India exists at an
extremely worrying level. Award winning photojournalist Hazel Thompson
spent over ten years investigating Mumbai’s sex trade. She has recently
spent more than 6 months living in the Kamathipura district
documenting the shocking scenes of women and girls imprisoned in cages,
some even bar coded to show that they are property. We must take action against these incomprehensible crimes of gender
violence and the social issues that exist in even making them a
possibility. http://takenebook.com/
Day 13 (7 December) – Empowering and Enabling Opportunities for victims/survivors of violence
Empowering and enabling opportunities for
women affected by domestic violence is important to prevent re-occurence
and help them build a positive future. We look at two Soroptimist projects helping survivors access education and training.
SI Rio Negro (Brazil) provided housekeeping skills training through
their club project "New Times" (pictured), improving participants’
quality of life and supporting them towards gaining employment.
SI Fremantle (Australia) provided scholarships for two women who have
suffered in violent and abusive situations. Nicole, one of the
beneficiaries, is studying theology at university but she shares her
traumatic story of domestic violence, which led to the death of her
baby. Read more:
Day 12 (6 December) – Anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre in Canada – Femicide
The anniversary of the École Polytechnique massacre in Canada, and a
day to remember all those killed as a result of gender-based violence.
On December 6 1989, 25-year old gunman Marc Lépine separated the female
engineering students from the male students at École Polytechnique, and
opened fire on the female students, reportedly just after shouting
“You’re all a bunch of feminists. I hate feminists.” He killed 14 women
and shot 13 other people. http://blog.legalaid.on.ca/2013/12/05/december-6-national-day-of-remembrance-and-action-on-violence-against-women/
Femicide is the killing of women and girls because they are female. "Femicide is growing substantially all over the world and often remains
unpunished, which not only intensifies the subordination and
powerlessness of women and girls, but also
sends the negative message to society that male violence against
females may be both acceptable and inevitable", warned Soroptimist
International in an oral statement to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women in March 2013. Read more about CSW or watch the video.
Day 11 (5 December) – Access to Justice
Improving women’s access to criminal justice and enforcing better laws
are vital for combating violence against women and girls. The need for
urgent action couldn’t be clearer. More than 600 million women live in
countries where domestic violence is NOT even considered a CRIME (UNDP).
SI Silay, Philippines has developed gender
sensitivity training for police officers on domestic violence and other
forms of violence against women.This “Back to Basics” program has
received so much positive feedback that similar educational programs may
be conducted nationwide.
One participant commented: "We are
fortunate that a group such as the Soroptimists had taken the initiative
to retrain the Talisay Police Force… Domestic abuse is a concern that
is taken lightly by the police. After this, I hope that the police will
be more gender sensitive.”
Read more: http://impact2013.soroptimistinternational.org/back-to-basics-si-silay-philippines/
Day 10 (4 December) – Working together we CAN make a difference
Violence against women and girls can seem like
an overwhelming challenge. This crisis demands further and determined
efforts. It needs each one of us to respond. And every action counts,
say Soroptimist International Presidents Alice and Ann.
“Tackling an issue like violence against women is not just for
Governments…it is imperative that we raise awareness where we live,
where we go to school, where we shop, where we gather in community
centres and even with police authorities to influence and change
attitudes. Soroptimists globally say NO to violence within society.”
“Some of our projects may seem small and local, but collectively our
impact is huge as we work together, sharing our expertise globally,
learning from one another.”
Read more in Presidents Ann Garvie (2013-15) & Alice Wells’ (2011-13) introduction the Global Impact Report: http://impact2013.soroptimistinternational.org/about/from-international-presidents-ann-garvie-and-alice-wells/
Day 9 (3 December) – Culture and tradition are no excuse for violence against women and girls
Women’s rights are human rights –
they are not negotiable. There is no excuse for any form of gender
violence; it is a breach of women’s and girls’ human rights. Read about
examples where culture clashes with law in this SoroptiVoice blog from
February 2013.
At the 57th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women
in March this year, women’s
rights organisations including Soroptimist international were deeply
disturbed by a growing trend of arguments based on religion, culture and
tradition being used to justify violence against women and girls. In recognition of this trend, AWID (Association of Women in
Development) has produced a resource pack to support the work of rights
advocates confronting opposition to their efforts based on religion,
culture and tradition.
Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting is a
cultural ritual where a girl’s genitalia are cut in order to reduce
sexual desire. An estimated 100 to 140 million girls and women worldwide
have been subjected to FGM/C, which is prevalent in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
The practice can cause life-long physical and psychological harm. 20 of
the 28 practising countries in Africa have banned FGM but enforcement
is weak, with many seeing it as a cultural necessity or religious duty.
Soroptimist clubs across the SIGBI federation have been
campaigning to raise awareness of FGM/C, ensure that laws against it are
enforced and educate and empower communities to eradicate this harmful
cultural practice. Read more
Day 8 (2 December) – International Day for the Abolition of Slavery – Human Trafficking & Modern-Day Slavery
Today 21 million people are trapped in slavery all over the world (UN) –
more than half are women and girls. Human trafficking is one form of
modern day slavery that Soroptimists
worldwide are campaigning vigorously to combat. The best way to address
this horrific problem is by raising awareness and undertaking first line
prevention.
Research shows certain groups of women and girls
are more at risk of trafficking than others. SI Panevezys, Lithuania
targeted schools and women’s prisons to pass on information. Read more
on this Soroptimist Project of Excellence in our latest Global Impact
Report.
Picture: SI Targoviste (Romania) ran sessions in over 20 schools to raise awareness of human trafficking.
Day 7 (1 December) Activism against gender-violence and World AIDS Day.
Violence
directly and indirectly exposes women and girls to HIV infection. Recent
research showed that women experiencing intimate-partner violence face a
50% increased
risk of acquiring HIV. Violence and fear of violence makes it difficult
for women to negotiate safe sex in their relationships.
Rape
by an infected man directly exposes women to the HIV virus. In some
conflicts, such as Rwanda, women have been deliberately infected with
HIV through rape, as a tool of ethnic warfare. Of those raped in the
Rwandan genocide who survived, 7 in 10 are now living with HIV.
Practices such as FGM/C also contribute to HIV vulnerability among
women. Ending violence and educating/empowering women and girls are a
vital part of the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Day 6 (30 November) Supporting women’s refuges and shelters
Women’s refuges/shelters play a vital role in giving women and children
who have experienced abuse the safety and support they need to take
control over their lives and begin to heal and rebuild.
In 2012, Soroptimists carried
out 248 projects to support women’s shelters, with over 10,000 known
beneficiaries. SI Izmir (Turkey) support one local shelter, which
accommodates up to thirty women and a like number of children per month.
The club help in various ways, including professional advice, arranging
trips and outings and practical support for women moving out.
Day 5 (29 November) – Violence and teenagers
One in 10 high school students in the USA has been purposefully hit, slapped or physically hurt by a boyfriend or girlfriend.
In a SoroptiVoice blog post, Cheryl Fouts of
SI Northeast Suburban Franklin County (USA) looks at the issue of teen
dating violence and what Soroptimists are doing to tackle it.
Bullying is not new but the rise of the internet has seen the emergence
of a new problem, online harassment, more often called cyberbullying.
When bullying comes home via the internet it can leave victims feeling
helpless and overwhelmed.
SI San Fernando (Trinidad and Tobago) organised a one-day workshop for girls at two local schools to raise awareness
about cyberbullying, educate them as to how to protect themselves and
empower them to take the leadership to encourage others to protect
themselves.
The workshop was facilitated by a clinical
psychologist. She encouraged students to show zero tolerance towards
cyberbullying among their peers. The workshop was followed by student
assemblies where the topic was discussed and a “Stop CyberBullying”
campaign was launched with the distribution of wristbands to all
students.
Day 4 (28 November) – Raising awareness and educating the wider community
Raising awareness and educating the wider community about
violence against women and girls is vital if we’re to tackle the problem
effectively. Too often, violence and abuse is hidden, particularly where it
occurs within families or relationships, with victims suffering in silence.
On #Day4 of #16Days of activism, we’re focussing on
Soroptimist projects to promote understanding of VAWG, like this one in
Benin. In a major initiative to make a
new law on violence against women better known, 60 Soroptimists from the 6
clubs in Benin undertook a full day’s training on both the law and
communication strategies to better inform specialist groups and the general
population on its use. These Soroptimists then trained some 70 others in three
different localities, served as local interpreters, produced training guides
and distributed copies of the law.
Day 3 (27 November) – Involving Men and Boys in tackling Gender-Violence
It’s #Day3 of #16Days of activism against gender-violence
and today we’re focussing on the vital role of men and boys in eliminating
violence against women and girls. Changing attitudes, particularly among boys
and young men, is key.
Soroptimist International of Malaysia worked with male
celebrities as part of last year’s Walk the Talk campaign to help raise
awareness of VAWG and change attitudes. Pictured are TV star Ben Ibrahim and
members of the Kuala Lumpur Dragons basketball team helping to promote the
campaign.
This UN Women video summarises the findings of a
Multi-Country study of men and violence, which reveals
why some men use violence against women in Asia and the Pacific, and how we can
prevent it. http://youtu.be/FgVJtCDHKD8
Day 2 (26 November) – OrangeUrWorld!
@#UNSG and @SayNo_UNiTE in going orange for Int’l Day to End #ViolenceAgainstWomen! #orangeurworld #16Days
Sharing Soroptimist action for 25 November:
- SI Kodaikanal (India) surprised the local crowd at the local Sunday
market, performing six skits exploring violence against women and girls,
including domestic abuse, rape, feticide and dowry-related violence,
raising awareness and encouraging by-standers to explore issues… - Yoko Komori Olson, one of SI’s UN Reps in New York, at UN Women’s
"To End VAW=to Keep a Promise" event on Int’l Day to Eliminate Violence
Against Women, with event moderator Juju Cheng from ABC News and UN
Women Exec Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka.
Day 1: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (25 November)
It’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women!
Read about Soroptimist action to prevent gender-violence and support
survivors in our new Global Impact Report.
From educating police officers about domestic violence in the
Philippines and empowering girls to escape FGM/C in Kenya to enabling
opportunities for domestic abuse survivors in Australia and Brazil,
these projects show that we CAN make a difference!
http://impact2013.soroptimistinternational.org/in-focus-violence-against-women-girls/
In preparation (23 November)
1 in 3 women will experience violence in their lifetime…just
because they are female. But it doesn’t have to be that way! Monday 25
November is International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against
Women and the start of 16 days of activism against gender violence.
Watch and share this new film, launched alongside the SI Global Impact Report (www.soroptimistinternational.org/impact) to find out how educating, empowering and enabling opportunities can help eliminate gender-violence.
>http://youtu.be/hHJ8fR5QC1M
Comments are closed.