Soroptimist International President Ann Garvie has called for renewed action to tackle violence against women and the attitudes that underpin it, in the light of recent murders in USA, India and Pakistan. She urges Soroptimists to continue and develop their work to prevent and address violence in their own communities, while also adding their voice to SI’s lobbying and advocacy work.

President Ann highlights the work that SI is doing to keep pressure on decision-makers at global level, for example through the Beijing+20 reviews and the setting of the Post-2015 agenda, to get our message across loud and clear: that education, empowerment, and enabling opportunities are the most effective tools to end violence against women and break down the gender stereotypes that allow it to continue. Read her full message below.

President Ann’s Message

 

In the last fortnight, the world has been shocked and outraged, yet again, by 3 terrible acts of violence. On 23 May, in Santa Barbara, USA, a 22 year-old man cut short 6 young lives before killing himself.  Before embarking on his terrible, deadly rampage, he released a hateful rant on YouTube, blaming his actions on women who spurned his romantic advances in favour of other men."

On 27 May, in Lahore, Pakistan, a pregnant woman was murdered by her relatives outside the High Court, for marrying against their wishes.

The same night, 2 teenage sisters in Uttar Pradesh, India did not return after they went out to relieve themselves in the open – there was no toilet at home.  They were found hanging from a tree. They had been gang-raped and murdered.

With the abduction of Nigerian schoolgirls also at the forefront of our minds at the moment, these three horrific incidents, each with their own complex background and tragic human consequences, are yet more reminders that violence against women and girls is a worldwide epidemic, which demands immediate action.

The threats facing women and girls differ in nature and extent depending on context, but in every culture, every community, and every country, women’s lives are being blighted by violence. We will only see a difference when we change attitudes and challenge stereotypes, something we all have a role in doing.  We all must continue to raise awareness, take action, advocate on behalf of the billions of women and girls worldwide who are subjected to violence, every day. 

As Soroptimists, I know many of you work tirelessly to prevent or address violence in your communities and beyond: through education and awareness-raising, supporting and empowering survivors to break the cycle, or like Soroptimists in Kolkata, India, engaging in concrete actions like building indoor toilets so girls in rural areas do not have to risk violence by going out into the fields. 

I urge you to continue your local actions, and to redouble your efforts. Reach out, build partnerships, involve others.  At the same time, we need to recognise that such a huge global problem, as evidenced by the recent tragedies, demands a concerted response by all civil society, governments and international bodies. 

At the Commission on the Status of Women in March 2013, lobbying by NGOs like SI helped to bring about strong conclusions and recommendations on violence against women and girls, agreed by world governments. We need to keep pressuring decision-makers at all levels to turn words into action.  For many years but in particular over the past 24 months, at every meeting, in every statement and every lobbying conversation, we have advocated for the use of education, empowerment, and enabling opportunities as the most effective tools to end violence against women and break down the gender stereotypes that allow violence  to continue.  Soroptimist International will continue this work at the global level, by adding our voice to the Beijing +20 reviews and influencing the Post-2015 agenda. 

But we can’t do it without you.  Each and every one of us is responsible for creating the change necessary to work towards the day when we don’t read about these kinds of tragedies, when girls can attend school without fear, and when women can be empowered without risking their lives.