Reflections on Gender Based Violence
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence
REFLECTIONS
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.
Every year, the UNITE Campaign focuses on a specific theme and this year’s is “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”.
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Luisa's story - victim of gender-based violence
Is it still inflamed?
Yes, it is inflamed and painful.
What did he use to hit her?
He hit her with a big stick wood.
He hurt her head from here to here.
Sincerely, it's so sad!
Did he do this simply because she left the baby to play with her sisters at home?
Yes, simply for this reason.
This is the act that her husband committed. He is my son-in-law. What does he deserve for this act?
He must be punished, he cannot hurt people's heads.
He is doing this because he promised to have a traditional wedding.
So to have a traditional marriage, he must first hit and injure his wife?
Did you do something wrong to him?
No. I didn't do anything wrong to him.
He said I didn't answer what he wanted to hear.
Is this the stick he used to commit the crime?
Explain what this domestic violence was like.
Was he drunk?
Yes, he was drunk.
He asked me why I left the baby at home.
I explained that I left the baby at home because I went to a family meeting, the baby is already big and one year old, she can now stay with her older sisters to be looked after. It's been a hassle for me to always move up and down on public transport, I get home from work very late and in that crowd of people fighting to get a seat on the bus it's very frustrating and it hasn't been good for me or the baby.
It was on a Saturday when he arrived from a trip and found me sitting at the table making dinner. Then he asked me where I had gone and why I left the child at home. I explained what I said above, I went to the family meeting at my older brother Mingo. I left the baby because she is old enough to stay at home.
He got angry and told me: When I'm talking, I like people to answer me honestly.
I told him that I was being very sincere, I simply left the child because she is no longer a new born and can stay at home. Today is the first day that I let her stay at home. Our eldest daughter Telma is already 16 years old and our second daughter is already 13 years old, they can now take care of the baby when the mother is not at home. The baby didn't cry and spent the whole day playing.
He was near the kitchen, suddenly grabbed the stick and hit me really hard on the head. The entire head is sore and hot even now, after I covered with this cloth, I can still feel the pain.
Did he make death threats?
Yes, he made many threats and started shouting angrily, he grabbed the spatula, turned on his lights and started jumping, shouting that he was going to destroy our tin house. He also said that he was waiting for this day to carry out his plan.
I don't know what he was planning for this day, maybe he wanted to kill me.
I had to run away from home, because if I didn't run away he would hit me with the stick one more time and I would die.
Besides this stick, did he try to use other types of weapons?
Yes, he took out the machete he kept under the bed and also held the stick and started looking for me to see where I hid myself so he could attack me.
Didn't you sleep at home that night?
No. I hadn't slept at home, I hid at his cousin's house who is our neighbor too.
Have you tried to report the crime?
No.
Don't you think about doing this?
No.
Was it the first time he hit you?
Yes, we've had a few fights before, like all couples do, and the fight always ended in slaps. But this time he became very violent, he went too far. I prefer those men who only hit with slaps or flip-flops than those who pick up heavy instruments to hit, these can kill the person.
The campaign calls on citizens to show how much they care about ending violence against women and girls by sharing the actions they are taking to create a world free from violence towards women. This year's campaign also calls on governments worldwide to share how they are investing in gender-based violence prevention.
SDG Target 5.2.1
Eliminate violence against women and girls: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
Violence against women is a violation of women's fundamental human rights: The right to life. The right not to be tortured or treated in an inhuman and degrading way. The right to respect for private and family life (including the right to physical and psychological integrity).
Human Rights Day
2023 Theme: Freedom, Equality and Justice for All
On December 10, we commemorate Human Rights Day, a day to recognize the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948.
This declaration acknowledges that the principles of equality and non-discrimination are at the heart of human rights, and it establishes the equal dignity and worth of every person. Human Rights Day is an important reminder that in order to fulfil the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, ending violence against children and adolescents is essential.
Children and adolescents have a right to live free from violence
At the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development are the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which serve as a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, focusing on a variety of social issues. Many of these goals, specifically SDG 5 and SDG 16, can be achieved by eliminating violence against children and adolescents.
SDG 5: Creating a gender-equal world to empower women and girls
SDG 5 consists of achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls.
Achieving this goal is even more urgent now due to the fact that the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have adversely affected recent progress on gender equality. As a result of the pandemic, violence against women and girls has intensified and child marriage is expected to increase after declining in previous years.
In order to achieve SDG 5, six targets must be met, many of which are focused on ending violence against children.
The six targets include:
- End all forms of discrimination against all women and girls everywhere.
- Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.
- Eliminate all harmful practices such as child, early and forced marriage and female genital mutilation,
- Recognize and value unpaid care and domestic work.
- Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision making.
- Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and rights.
