Debra Joseph (PhD.)M Assistant Programme Director Planet, Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI)
As can be seen in the photo, the SIGBI team at CSW69 advocated for several topics discussed at the event. This blog focuses on the card that declares ‘Stop Gender Based Violence’ .
Violence against women – particularly intimate partner violence and sexual violence – is a major public health problem and a violation of women’s human rights.
Estimates published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicate that globally about 1 in 3 (30 per cent) of women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. In 2023, around 51,100 women and girls were killed by intimate partners or family members, averaging 140 deaths per day.
Some of the Sessions at CSW69 highlighted several topics on the issue:
Embracing the Personal Journeys of Gender Baseed Violence (GBV) Survivors
The event provided a platform for survivors to share their stories, aiming to empower others and drive cultural change. Resources like “The Lighthouse,” a guide for victims of domestic violence, were also highlighted.
GBV Survivors Leading the Way to Change
This event marked the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration, emphasising the critical role of survivor voices in combating GBV. Discussions centered on reaffirming global commitments, championing survivor-led initiatives, and advocating for survivor-centered policies.
Ending Gender-Based Violence: Community-Led Projects
The session highlighted community-led programs that empower women and girls, emphasising the transformative power of education in preventing and responding to GBV.
Gender-Based Violence in Women’s Sport
Addressed violence against women and girls in sports, featuring keynote addresses and a panel discussion with professional athlete Ms. Racheal Kundananji.
These sessions underscored the ongoing global commitment to addressing domestic and gender-based violence, highlighting the importance of survivor leadership, community engagement, and targeted interventions across various sectors.
Prevention Pathways
In 2019, WHO and UN Women with endorsement from twelve other UN and bilateral agencies published ‘RESPECT women’ – a framework for preventing violence against women aimed at policy makers.
Each letter of ‘RESPECT’ stands for one of seven strategies:
- Relationship skills strengthening
- Empowerment of women
- Services ensured
- Poverty reduced
- Enabling environments (schools, workplaces, public spaces) created
- Child and adolescent abuse prevented
- Transformed attitudes, beliefs and norms.
‘RESPECT’ also highlights that successful interventions are those that prioritise safety of women; whose core elements involve challenging unequal gender power relationships; that are participatory; address multiple risk factors through combined programming and that start early in the life course.
Soroptimists can play a crucial role in combating domestic violence through advocacy, direct support, and community initiatives. They can also utilise the ‘RESPECT Women’ framework in their projects.