UN marks International day
for the Elimination of Violence against women
 |
| Demonstrators take to the streets in France for the International Day for the Elimination of Viiolence Against Women (AFP) |
A 16-day-long campaign aims to raise aware of violence
against women and improve support services for survivors.
By Father John Waters
November 25 marks the International day for the Elimination
of Violence against Women. The day has been observed, in one form or another,
since 1981. In 2000, the United Nations officially designated 25th November
as the day for eliminating Violence against Women and invited governments and
international organizations to raise awareness of the day, and the issues it
challenges, through a series of events and activities.
This year the UN headquarters in New York hosted a
conference to begin 16 days of activism aimed at combatting violence against
women. The campaign will conclude on 10 December, which marks Human Rights day.
The 2019 campaign focuses particularly on the issue of rape
and sexual violence against women, particularly within warzones and conflict
areas. The UN notes that during the Rohingya refugee crisis, rape and other
forms of sexual violence were used as part of efforts to displace populations.
Horrific stories have also emerge from various warzones involving rape being
used as a form of prisoner interrogation or as a means to coerce the relatives
of prisoners into surrendering. Most recently, stories of this sort emerged
from the civil war in Syria.
The campaign also aims to increase the amount of support and
assistance given to women who are survivors of violence, particular in sexual
forms such as rape.
"Migrant and refugee girls are today among the
categories most at risk of violence, in particular linked to sexual
exploitation, although it is difficult to mention exact numbers. The young
people we come in contact with surprise us for their resilience, but we know
that those who survived violence need support,” said Anna Riatti from UNICEF
Italy. She is responsible for the response to children and migrant adolescents
and refugees in Italy.
“This is why UNICEF accompanies them with interventions that
focus on empowerment as well as access to useful services. We also want to
ensure that the entire system of actors that come into contact with girls and
women is prepared to adequately support them in the difficult path of
overcoming traumatic experiences" she concluded
The UN has also issued guidelines for public authorities
concerning how to interact with survivors of violence, advocating a “survivor
centered approach,” where respect for the survivor and their dignity is kept at
the center of all dealings with those in authority. It is hoped that this
approach will help to end some of stigmas and shame still associated with women
who have been victims of violence.
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