SUMMARY OF THE WORKING GROUP DISCUSSION
25 November - 24 December 2001
This message attempts to summarize briefly the major discussion points
made in the End-violence Working Group. Inevitably, many valuable points
will not be captured here, and new Working Group members are encouraged to
obtain past Working Group archives. The archive can be obtained from the
EDC web site <http://www.edc.org/GLG/end-violence/hypermail>.
Discussion by members of the Working Group focused on: the 16 Days of
Activism Against Gender Violence campaign, HIV/AIDS and violence against
women and girls, violence against women in post-conflict situations,
counseling for domestic violence offenders, legislation, changing public
attitudes, research and tools, violence against girl children, conferences,
books/journals/websites
16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM AGAINST GENDER VIOLENCE
Many members shared information on their activities during the 16 Days of
Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. Members from Croatia, for example,
conducted widespread media campaigns and called on religious leaders to
promote efforts to end violence against women. It has been extremely
important for them to be able to demonstrate that the 16 days is an
international campaign, not one limited to a few Croatian women. In
Romania, the Association for the Promotion of Women developed a media
campaign to raise public awareness about violence against women, including
a candle light vigil. They also held a conference of 50 women leaders from
Central and Eastern Europe to build a network of women's NGOs working
against gender violence. In Yugoslavia, the women's group, Safe Women's
House, conducted a media campaign. The Centre for Women and Children
Studies (CWCS) and students of the Department of Sociology of Dhaka
University jointly organized a rally and a human chain as part of a
celebration of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence.
The Women's Commission for Refugee Women and Children (WCRWC) and the
International Rescue Committee (IRC) invited those involved in "16 Days"
activities to access their website for resources on gender-based violence
(GBV) among refugee and conflict-affected populations: 1) An annotated
bibliography <www.rhrc.org/tech/sgbv>, 2) a paper, "The Role of
International Law in the Struggle Against Sex-based and Gender-based
Violence Against Refugee Women," 3) an overview of gender-based violence,
with 12 country profiles. In Fall 2002, a Monitoring and Evaluation Field
Tools Manual will be available.
In Mauritius, the organisation S.O.S Femmes organized a regional workshop
to launch the Southern African Network on Violence Against Women and
Children (SANVAWC) to end violence against women and children. S.O.S Femmes
also sponsored a play, "Secrets of Owl", that exposes the daily problems of
violence against women and HIV/AIDS, and offers a message of empowerment
for women. Both the play and the workshop gained significant press coverage
by the local Mauritian and regional media.
In Uganda, the NGOs Raising Voices, National Association of Women's
Organizations in Uganda (NAWOU), and ActionAid Uganda are conducting a
comprehensive, community-based Domestic Violence Prevention Project (DVPP)
to engage the community to prevent domestic violence against women and
children. This year DVPP spearheaded the 16 Days of Activism campaign in
Kampala, which included public awareness programmes, media campaigns,
school-based activities, and community meetings lead by local political
leaders. Visit: <www.raisingvoices.org>
The Center for Women's Global Leadership offers detailed information on the
16 Days Campaign, please visit:
<http://www.cwgl.rutgers.edu/16days01/index.htm> (in English, Russian and
Spanish).
HIV/AIDS AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS
Members from many countries examined cultural, legal, political and other
factors linking violence against women and HIV/AIDS. They expressed the
importance of being able to share information about "what works" across
countries and regions.
A member from Bangladesh discussed activities of the women's organisation
Unnayan Shakti to observe World AIDS Day 2001, including public awareness
campaigns and advocacy among policy-makers. The member noted that women
must be included in key government health policy circles and all
policy-makers must become more knowledgeable about gender aspects of
HIV/AIDS.
A member shared her concerns about reports of the rape of babies in South
Africa, by men believing that raping a virgin will cure AIDS. Some members
noted that the virgin myth exists in Botswana, Swaziland and other
countries where HIV/AIDS is prevalent. Another member countered that rape
motivated by the myth of "virgin cleansing" is rare. The underlying cause
of all rape is deeply rooted in cultural values that legitimize men's ready
sexual access to and control over women, by women's accession to those
values, and by a failure of law enforcement. Other members agreed, noting
the various factors leading to rape of babies, including culture, poverty
and alcohol abuse. A member argued that "high profile" individuals need to
publicise their opposition to all forms of violence against women. A member
cited a study by the CIETafrica (Community Information Empowerment and
Transparency) <www.ciet.org> finding that cultural values support sexual
violence in South Africa, while laws against rape often are not enforced.
Another member from South Africa spoke poignantly of the impact of the
pandemic on the entire society, including educational institutions, and our
need to know more about the causes in order to shape effective solutions.
Data show that childhood trauma related to rape, abuse, incest, stigma and
isolation due to AIDS is becoming common in many schools in the southern
African region, and girls are at particular risk -- at home, on the streets
as well as in schools. This situation contributes to the rapid spread of
the disease. Yet there are also important examples of community-based
interventions against sexual violence in South Africa, where local
politicians have created regular forums where mothers and daughters can
discuss sexuality and principals arranged for counseling for students. In
Swaziland, the spread of HIV led the government to reinstate the tradition
chastity rite of "umchwasho", banning sexual relations for unmarried girls
under the age of 18.
A member described the particular plight of the widows, who suffer many
forms of discrimination and violence at the hands of their communities,
families and society at large. Widows of AIDS victims are often forced into
sexually violent mourning and burial rites, may be forced into marrying a
brother-in-law, or accused of "murdering" their husbands and be killed or
chased from their homes. Widows' daughters are also at particular risk,
forced to leave school, and exposed to rape or early marriage.
A member of the NGO Silent Tears <www.silenttears.org> discussed the lack
of information about the link between domestic violence and HIV/AIDS, and
their efforts to raise public awareness and to help women victims of
domestic violence to protect themselves from unsafe sex with their
partners.
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN POST-CONFLICT SITUATIONS
A discussion was initiated to examine violence against women in
post-conflict societies. Post-conflict societies often struggle with a
legacy of violence against women that affects all male-female
relationships. On the other hand, post-conflict societies have an
opportunity to make bold changes to prevent violence against women and
promote women's human rights.
WITNESS, a US NGO, helps NGOs use video as a tool in advocacy and activism
campaigns to end violence against women. They have worked with NGOs in
post-conflict societies to use video to change public attitudes. A recent
video "Operation Fine Girl: Rape as a Weapon of War in Sierra Leone"
www.witness.org, shows that rape and sexual violence against women is used
by rebels in Sierra Leone to undermine the values and integrity of the
society and terrorise the civilian population. The video also reveals that
many soldiers consider rape a natural part of war rather than a crime
against humanity. It also shows that some local groups and international
experts believe it is necessary to recognise and prosecute rape in a
post-war special court.
The Reproductive Health Consortium is currently compiling information for a
study of gender violence programmes in post-conflict Guatemala, and
welcomes input from the Working Group.
COUNSELING FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OFFENDERS
In response to an article on the poor results of counseling of male
perpetrators of domestic violence
<http://www.observer.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,319411,00.html> several
Working Group members applauded the decision by the UK government to
redirect funds from therapeutic men's programmes to programmes for women
victims. Members noted that many putatively therapeutic programmes simply
reduce the punishment of perpetrators, while failing to change their views
or behavior. Some members argued that until cultural values change,
counseling will rarely be enough to change male behavior. A member from
Malaysia added that society must also empower women, both psychologically
and economically, through education and skills training. A member from
Pakistan agreed, and asked about research examining the relative success of
programmes providing economic, psychological and political support for
victims of domestic violence compared with the impact of counseling for
abusers. She also noted that there is little funding available for
counseling programmes for victims of domestic violence. Although work on
public attitudes and male behavior should not stop, more resources need to
be focused on supporting victims of violence.
However, other members emphasised that working with men requires approaches
that differ from standard counseling. Such initiatives are new, and few
have been evaluated long enough to determine their effectiveness.
Furthermore, some members argued, most counseling programmes for male
perpetrators are under-funded, or are not designed and run specifically for
those offenders. They believe that well-designed programmes can be highly
successful. A coordinator of a community-based organisation working with
men in Australia has found that their counseling programmes are changing
some men's behavior. Furthermore, these men often try to convince other men
to change. When the men attending the programme fail to change, the women
often find it easier to leave the relationship because they feel they've
given the man every chance to change. The Working Group member held that we
must learn far more about effective ways to change men who are abusive.
Counseling programmes offer hope of changing male behavior in ways that
imprisonment, 'tagging' and shelters do not. They must be evaluated and
modified, not eliminated. Another member added that counseling is needed
not only for perpetrators, but also for their sons.
On a related note, a member from Amnesty International pointed out that
development programmes are increasingly adopting "full gender" frameworks
to include women and men, without recognising that the result can reduce
resources for fragile women's initiatives. Part of the trend involves
concern with acknowledging "masculinity" in ways that have had little input
from the women's movement. The member urged the Working Group to address
the issue of masculinity -- and its relationship with violence against
women -- in a rigorous and constructive manner.
LEGISLATION
A member informed the Working Group of an important success achieved by the
women's movement in Turkey: amendment of the civil code to ensure equality
of women and men in the family. The changes eliminate the definition of the
man as the head of the family, raise the legal of marriage to 18 years for
both women and men, give children born outside marriage the same
inheritance rights as others, and allow single parents to adopt children.
The most controversial part of the reform entitles women to an equal share
of the assets accumulated during a marriage; however, some members of
Parliament are trying to restrict application of the law to property
acquired after 1 January 2003. Women's groups are fighting this
restriction. A booklet on the new Turkish Civil Code is available in
English from <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. The Working Group member also
responded to an inquiry from Namibia by providing the website with the law
on protection orders in Turkey: http://www.wwhr.org/4320.php.
A member from the Philippines described the pioneering work of Women's
Legal Bureau, Inc. to improve the legal management of rape cases in the
Philippines. They produced a training manual, "Addressing Rape in the Legal
System," for academies and institutes, law enforcers, medico-legal
officers, prosecutors and trial court judges. They also provide legal
representation to victims of gender-based violence. As part of SIBOL
(Collective Initiative of Women for the Transformation of Law and Society),
they are lobbying Congress for passage of the Anti-Anti-Abuse of Women in
Intimate Relationships (Anti-AWIR) bill.
A member from Senegal informed the Group that her NGO is taking action to
establish legal gender equality in their country, and asked for information
about the situation and actions taken in other countries.
The UN General Assembly's Social, Humanitarian and Cultural Committee
passed a resolution that identified a number of human rights abuses in
Iran, and expressed concern at the systematic discrimination against women
and girls, and against minorities especially Bahais, Christians, Jews and
Sunni Muslims. The resolution urged Iran to act "to promote full and equal
enjoyment by women and girls of their human rights,"' to eliminate
religious discrimination, to end the use of torture, and to abolish the
death penalty for crimes by those under the age of 18.
CHANGING PUBLIC ATTITUDES
A member from Kenya suggested dedicating 2-3 days/month to ending all forms
of violence, with community events, policy and national level debates, and
other activities to change the public attitudes about violence. Another
member added the idea of providing positive incentives, e.g., an award to
families free of violence.
RESEARCH AND TOOLS
Several members emphasised the importance of cross-regional exchanges of
experience and tools, in multiple languages, on the Working Group. A member
pleaded further for English-speakers in non-English-speaking countries to
share their experiences.
A member from Lebanon described a study conducted in the Machreq/Maghreb
Gender Linking and Information Project (MACMAG GLIP), by the Center for
Research and Training on Development. They are mapping NGO activities to
assist victims of gender based violence. In Lebanon, domestic violence is
often denied by families and by the public. The maps will help provide
information to identify institutional mechanisms, treatment, and
legislation that are needed, as well as to raise public awareness.
Western Hemisphere Region of International Planned Parenthood Federation
(IPPF/WHR) has been carrying out a project to integrate gender-based
violence (GBV) screening, services and advocacy as part of the sexual and
reproductive health services provided by its affiliates in Brazil,
Dominican Republic, Peru and Venezuela. They have a range of related
documents and tools available on their website that include cases studies,
lessons learned, tools, guidelines <http://www.ippfwhr.org>
VIOLENCE AGAINST GIRL CHILDREN
A member discussed the activities of the JICRC (the Japan International
Center for the Rights of the Child), which aims to raise awareness about
commercial sexual exploitation of children. They held a workshop and study
tour as part of the Second World Congress Against Commercial Sexual
Exploitation of Children (Yokohama Congress, December 17-20), to help the
public recognise that commercialisation of sex in a male-dominated society,
combined with children's lack of understanding of sex and their rights,
puts children at high risk as victims of sexual exploitation.
Members from India expressed concern for rising rates of forced female
foeticide in their country. Their company, Datamation, has launched a
programme that uses information and communications technologies (ICT) to
help prevent female foeticide. They use email to communicate quickly and
inexpensively with large numbers of people to raise public awareness, as
well as with doctors. They are setting up a website
<www.indiafemalefoeticide.org> with information on regulations and a means
to lodge complaints or make donations to women's groups. The company is
also building ICT capacity among women's groups involved in women's rights.
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