11/12/2024
STOP, WOMEN AND GIRLS!!! READ THIS!
Today, Dec 10, is the final day of 2024's "16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence." This GLOBAL campaign led annually by UN (United Nations) Women runs from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day). https://www.unwomen.org/en/get-involved/16-days-of-activism.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? One reason is that the global rate of FEMICIDE has risen continuously over the past two decades. Femicide is the MURDER of a woman or girl by a man because of her gender. This extreme form of violence is the ultimate and most brutal manifestation of violence against women and girls.
Statistics for Trinidad and Tobago are not on hand but worldwide for 2023, 51,000 women were killed at the hands of their intimate partner or a close relative. This means that 40 women and girls were killed every day and one woman or girl was killed every 10 minutes.
Africa had the highest number of cases, 21,700 women and girls were killed for 2023. 59 women were killed a day in Africa. In the UK, a woman was killed by a man every three days.
Governments and the private sector are urged to END FEMICIDE by:
Advocating for an international zero tolerance policy on violence against women and girls
Adopting corporate policies for support and reparation for woman/girl survivors of violence
Holding perpetrators to account by strengthening law enforcement and justice sectors
Ensuring women’s and marginalised groups’ meaningful access to gender-responsive justice where they can seek remedies without fear of negative consequences.
Gender-based violence is a global PANDEMIC that impacts the lives of one in three women. This violence against women and girls is a human rights violation that has been perpetuated for decades. It is pervasive, but it is not inevitable, unless we stay silent. The root cause of Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) is said to be gender inequality, or unequal power between women and men. We need to implement policies and programs aimed at improving gender equality in education, government, labour force participation, and earnings.
10 ways you can help END VIOLENCE against women are summarized below (https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/11/compilation-take-action-to-help-end-violence-against-women):
1. Listen to and believe survivors.
2. Teach the next generation and learn from them.
3. Call for responses and services fit for purpose.
4. Understand consent.
5. Learn the signs of abuse and how you can help.
6. Start a conversation.
7. Stand against r**e culture.
8. Fund women's organizations.
9. Hold each other accountable.
10. Know the data and demand more of it.
