ATHENS – On Valentine’s Day, countless couples will celebrate romance by candlelight. On the same day, one billion women and men worldwide will stand up to shine a light on the darker side of gender relations.
According
to the United Nations, one in three women worldwide will be raped or
beaten in her lifetime. In some countries, up to seven in ten women will
be beaten, raped, abused, or mutilated. Often, the victims of such
abuses are treated as criminals – dishonored, brutalized, ostracized,
imprisoned, and even executed – while perpetrators remain free. Millions
of women suffer in this way, but their stories remain untold.
Last
December, the brutal gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman in
India – two months after Pakistan’s Taliban shot 14-year-old Malala
Yousafzai for advocating education – triggered large-scale public
protests. This outcry should mark the start of a global movement to lift
the veil of silence that shrouds violence against women – which often
begins at home – and protects the perpetrators.
From
honor killings to child marriages, from date rape to sex slavery,
crimes against women are prevalent in every society. But, when women are
courageous enough to report abuse, doctors are often unhelpful, police
are hostile, and the justice system fails them. For example, one in three women
in the United States military is sexually assaulted, usually by a
colleague, yet very few attackers are convicted. Likewise, in the United
Kingdom, 473,000 sexual offenses are reported annually, 60,000-95,000
of which are classified as rape. But, in each of the last three years,
only slightly more than 1,000 offenders were convicted of rape.
In
the 1970’s, feminists identified the connection between rape, male
privilege, and female sexual vilification. Today, readily accessible
Internet pornography is teaching boys and men that sexual acts involving
degradation and even violent abuse of women are acceptable.
Meanwhile,
many privileged women, instilled with a strong sense of entitlement,
dismiss feminism as passé. But gender discrimination continues to
pervade all aspects of society, with most social and political
institutions continuing to foster “glass ceilings,” if not outright
female subordination. Women receive equal pay and equal opportunities in
very few countries.
Feminism
thus has a crucial role to play in the twenty-first century. After all,
as Executive Director of UN Women Michelle Bachelet has put it,
“violence against women is…a threat to democracy, a barrier to lasting
peace, a burden on national economies, and an appalling human-rights
violation.” Governments must continue to advance women’s rights through
legislation, while civil society must promote a cultural shift that
rejects women’s marginalization or mistreatment. Only by enabling women
to realize their potential can countries ensure economic and social
progress.
This
potential was evident during the Arab Spring uprisings, when women,
empowered by recent advances in literacy and education, organized and
led demonstrations that toppled decades-old regimes. In Egypt, even as
female political activists and reporters were being sexually harassed in
Tahrir Square, they continued to contribute to the revolution.
But
gender equality remains a distant goal in the region, with women being
left out of the political process, exerting little influence in
governing bodies or in drafting new constitutions. In fact, on the
Egyptian revolution’s two-year anniversary last week, when thousands of
demonstrators took to the streets to protest President Mohamed Morsi and
the Muslim Brotherhood, at least nine female protesters were sexually
assaulted in Tahrir Square.
In
March, government and civil-society leaders will gather in New York for
a meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women to agree on a
plan to eliminate violence against women. Global leaders should take
this opportunity to pledge to adopt the policies and devote the
resources needed to end pervasive violations of women’s human rights.
But,
without the political will to enact legislation and enforce it
effectively, promises are meaningless. Although 187 countries have
signed the 1979 United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence Against Women, statistics show little progress.
Consider Afghanistan,
which ratified the convention in 2009. A 2012 Action Aid survey found
that violence against women has never been more prevalent, with 87% of
women suffering domestic abuse. In the same year, President Hamid
Karzai’s government upheld a husband’s legal right to beat his wife. If
an Afghan man murders his wife, he can expect to pay a fine.
Change
is possible, but it requires collective action by the international
community to challenge the attitudes that lead to violence, oppression,
and inequality. Five steps are particularly important:
·
Ratify and enforce all relevant regional and international treaties,
and implement laws that prohibit violence against women and ensure
effective punishment of offenses.
·
Enhance women’s economic and political empowerment, including by
directing international aid toward their health, education, and welfare.
·
Increase public awareness of the problem through traditional media, as
well as through social media and other electronic channels.
· Mobilize men and boys against violence through educational programs.
·
Improve support for survivors of violence and their families, including
legal assistance, psychological counseling, and health care.
Many international movements and organizations – such as Women Under Siege, V-Day, and Stop Violence Against Women
– are already working to deliver justice and security to women.
Governments and political parties should support such initiatives.
All people deserve justice, equality, and freedom from violence. On February 14, women and men worldwide should support One Billion Rising,
a global call for people to show their support for the one billion
women who have survived violence and abuse. Whether you choose to
strike, dance, speak out, or simply stand up, your involvement will
bring the world closer to ending this deadly war against women.
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