Global statistics on Violence against Women show that, on average, 35 per cent of women have experienced either physical and/or sexual violence by someone who is an intimate partner or sexual violence by someone who is not a partner. A report by Care International (an INGO) asked the readers to imagine a room full of women and imagine that every third woman in the room will be raped, beaten, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, mostly by her male partner. The analysis concludes that the given scenario is a fact. Reported cases of Violence against Women and Girls are just the tip of the iceberg.
Despite mismatched resources allocated to the elimination of the brutal violation of human rights of all women and girls, a huge volume of research-based literature, journalism, communication products and advocacy material tells us that VAWG, though prevalent, is preventable. The question is how? “UNITE! Activism to end Violence against women and girls” is the global theme for the16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, which will run from 25 November to 10 December 2022. These 16 days of activism, originally a civil society initiative were started by activists at the inaugural Women’s Global Leadership Institute in 1991 and later the UN owned it in 2008. To end VAW by 2030, the UN’s General ‘Secretary’s initiative UNITE calls for global action to increase awareness, galvanise advocacy efforts and share knowledge and innovations to end VAWG once and for all.
Movements like #metoo have created waves, and many other feminist voices keep on creating ripples. However, all this “change” is happening in a limited space of Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other Social Media platforms.
Published statistics do not usually even account for all other forms of violence against women.
Published statistics do not usually even account for all other forms of violence against women, such as sexual harassment and abuse against girls under the age of 15, the damage to children and extended families, and the anguish and psychological trauma that can last for years. Additionally, many forms of VAWG and Gender Based Violence are cultural and context-specific and are not popularly perceived as Violence or injustice.
Dowry violence, unjust taxation based on the marital status of women, the plight of women and girls among forgotten stranded Pakistani Biharis in Bangladesh or discriminations imposed on indigenous people of Canada or Australia, for instance, never make any headline or falls under priority areas of work by the UN or major donor agencies. Ironically, a greater part of civil society, including “fearless” media, also takes sides and works with the powerful for potential benefits and or latent threats.
Like all previous years this year, too many CSO funded by different technical and aid agencies and UN agencies will organise a wide range of activities to raise awareness and responsiveness, regarding many forms of abuses experienced by women and girls of all ages around the world. Many stakeholders’ especially high-powered ones like distinctive community gatekeepers, influencers and decision-makers for public policies and legislation would be engaged in a possible shift in attitudes, behaviours and positions that sneakily or seriously enhances misogyny. Most of the work is done in language and styles that are mostly alien to an indigenous woman/ girl in any part of the world. In a competitive world, people seldom dare to try upstream swimming. Sticking to the culture of agreeing with those superior in positions does not allow any out-of-box thinking in actual spaces to counter VAWG and the Trans community.
Noise on social media and seminars organized in the cool ambience is nothing but distractions and deceptions. When some naïve activists and practitioners (myself included) tell the bosses the need and relevance to work with people (not for people) and communicate with the communities on an equal basis do get heard. They are rewarded through sudden termination of their job contracts, bullying in the offices, maligned reputes, and longer periods of unemployment.
In our homeland Pakistan, where inequality is not considered a problem by a larger section of society, I wonder if there is any chance of even the beginning of an authentic transformative change leading to changes in the condition and position of common women and girls. Some specific reasons acting as stumbling blocks could be; (a) Justice is an elite privilege. Access to justice is not a dream but a nightmare for a common man, let alone, a woman or girl with multiple and/or overlapping vulnerabilities. (b) The realm of activism is driven by donations and dominated by elites or aspiring elites, and some privileged groups have hijacked the agenda of feminism (that I see as social justice). (c) Our collective bargaining and pretentious characteristics are reflected in the media groups and journalists (irrespective of their breed and genre). (d) Nepotism, mafias, and lobbies in various offices of public sector organizations and those establishments mandated to work with the governments will never cause any structural reform. In spite of these bleak realities, let us still hope that this year’s paid projects will focus on this aspect and reach the women and girls most in need in the spirit of agenda 2030 which vows to leave no one behind and reach the farthest first.
Source: Dailytimes
