[Comment] End violence against women
MARGOT WALLSTRÖM
25.11.2009 @ 15:30 CET
EUOBSERVER / COMMENT - According to UNIFEM, one in three women in the world will be raped, beaten, sexually coerced, trafficked or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Approximately 250,000 to 500,000 women and girls were raped in the 1994 Rwandan genocide. In eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, at least 200,000 cases of sexual violence, mostly involving women and girls, have been documented since 1996.
(Photo: Council of Europe)
Behind these statistics, we find Chantal in South Kivu, 28 years old and a mother of six, who was gang-raped by nine soldiers loyal to a General overseeing her area of habitation. She knows that there is no point turning to a justice system owned by that very General. We also find Mariam in Sudan, raped by the Janjaweed militia at just 18 years of age. She knows that she will not be able to prosecute the sexual violence, because she cannot collect the required four male witnesses to testify to the violation. In Europe we have Eva, a history teacher at 38, who pours out any alcohol in the house in order to prevent her husband from getting drunk and beating up his wife and children.
Domestic violence may be the least visible form of violence against women. Yet it is estimated to kill or seriously injure more women in Europe every year than cancer or road accidents; and it generates costs, in terms of human and other resources, both to the medical and health services and to employers, the courts and the police.
We already have legislation in place to address the issue. At international level, the UN has adopted several resolutions with the aim of ending sexual violence during conflict and war. Gender equality is enshrined in the European Union treaties, and every year the European Commission spends 16 million euro through its DAPHNE programme on transnational action to raise awareness, to prevent violence and to support victims.
What is lacking today is implementation of this legislation. Perhaps even more importantly, we need to go beyond only protecting women and treating them as victims. We must also empower women by including them in decision-making and conflict management.
Empowering women means making use of the world's entire talent pool, and exploiting the biggest financial asset we have. Sexual violence is not a woman's issue, but a human rights issue. It is about a woman's right to her own body; her right to life. And how can we build peace, if we don't respect women's rights?
The UN recently took an important step towards better implementation of legislation aimed at ending sexual violence in war, by creating a new post in its system to deal with the problem. Thanks to hard work and impressive dedication by UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon and the new US Administration, there will be as of next year a UN Special Representative in charge of Sexual Violence in conflict zones.
This is a great first step towards helping the Chantals and Mariams of this world. I hope that this new Special Representative will allow for the UN to work more efficiently and in a coordinated way to protect and empower women in conflict.
In order to help Eva and all the other women who get beaten, gang-raped, mutilated, violated and murdered every day, we must continue to tell their stories, and keep up the momentum that the cause recently has generated.
Next year, when we mark the 11th Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, I hope that we will have complemented our action for protection and prevention with empowerment and punishment. Perpetrators must be punished for their violations, and women must be included in decision-making and peacekeeping, as well as in the work of NGOs and international organisations.
The writer is vice president of the European Commission
