Violence against Women and Girls - Essay Example

416306 Violence against Women and Girls. Violence against young girls as well as women has become one of the most common and widespread violations related to human rights. It encompasses sexual, physical, economic and psychological abuse and goes beyond age, race, wealth, geographical and cultural boundaries. Violence against women and young girls takes place in the streets, in schools, at the work place, at home, in firm fields or even in refugee camps in times of crises and conflicts. It includes several manifestations such as the most universal prevalent ways of domestic as well as sexual violence and such harmful abuses like abuse during pregnancy, honour killings and other femicide (UNIFEM, 2010). Although some international and regional instruments of law have put in place the necessary measures for the states to use in order to cub, eradicate and even punish violence against young girls and women by demanding that the states ought to take the necessary measures to combat the violence, there has however continued prevalence of these vice. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) indicates that the vice has grown to a global pandemic of alarming proportions which is yet to be addressed with all the appropriate political commitment as well as resources. According to UNIFEM (2010), approximately six out of every ten women in post conflict countries have experienced sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. A study by World Health Organization related to some twenty four thousand women in some ten countries indicates that prevalence of physical and sexual violence by a woman's partner ranged from 15 % in most urban areas of developed countries to a range of 30 - 60 % in most rural areas of post conflict states (UNIFEM, 2010). In most of these states, the violence against young girls and women have had some far reaching aftermath including so much harm to the families and communities affected. It has become a major source of disability or even death for girls and women of 16 up to 44 years of age. A World Bank investigation into some selected risk factors facing women and girls at the indicated age group showed that rape and domestic violence have emerged as more dangerous to the affected ladies than war, malaria, motor vehicle accidents and cancer. There has also been a close association between these kind of violence and HIV and AIFDS with a survey showing that there are some 1,366 women from South African region who have been beaten by the life partners and were more likely to be infected with HIV more than those who were not. Gender-related violence violates human rights as well as hampering of human productivity, reduction of human capital and undermining of economic growth to the affected lives. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report in 2003 indicated that the intimate partner violence costs in the USA alone have been found to exceed US$ 5.8 billion a year with US $ 4.1 billion being budgeted for direct medical as well as services related to health care (UNIFEM, 2010). Young girls at the tender age have unfortunately happened to be majority victims of sexual assault. Other group that has become subject to unwarranted sexual coercion is women who are in position of abject dependence on male power. Rape cases have also been high in post-conflict countries. This has been very much documented in the last few years in countries affected by civil conflicts. Rape in such cases has been employed systematically as a torture instrument or even domination of ethnic groups (Gender Equality, 2009). Although there has been indication of growth of the vice, some efforts by the post conflict nations in addressing the vice need to be put in place in preventing this situation. Some 89 post conflict countries in 2006 have installed some legislation measures targeting prevention of the domestic violence and plans of action. In most of these states, marital rape has become prosecutable offence while others have installed laws which govern sexual harassment. In spite of this advancement, there is still big gap remaining in most post-conflict countries. In some of them, there are no certain legal measures put in place against domestic violence or marital rape where they have not been prosecutable. Several fronts are needed to be installed in order to end violence against young girls and women. Such include dealing with the main source of the vice: gender inequality. Advocacy campaigns, government partnerships, the UN system and civil society are essential and needs to be included in the efforts meant to fight this vice. Necessary initiatives to be required include operating with the necessary authorities to establish legal frameworks and the necessary national actions support of the prevention at the grassroots level such as understanding the conflict and post-conflict circumstances. Data collection on violence against young girls and women is essential as it would facilitate fresh learning experience on the concerned issue. Some bodies such as the United Nations need to play major role together with the UN system as well as other partners who are involved in the campaign in other parts of the world in providing the necessary information as well as other resources needed to fight the vice. Initiatives such as Say No to Violence against Women have advanced the objectives of the campaign. This has been achieved via social mobilization. The campaign has presented about 5 million signatures to the United Nations indicating support by the public in their willingness to end violence against young girls and women in general. Another phase would need to collect as well as demonstrate actions from several persons and other decision makers in the concerned parties including engaging societies of faith and young people in creating awareness and cubing violence against young girls and women all over the world (UNIFEM, 2010). Violence against women and girls violates and also impairs the enjoyment by the victims of the human rights as well as fundamental freedom they are entitled to. Gender-based violence indicates and strengthens inequalities between both men and women. It also compromises dignity, health, autonomy and security of the violence victims. This includes sexual abuse of young children, domestic violence, sexual harassment and assault, women and girls trafficking Some of the most common experienced effects of violence in young ladies include restricted access to information regarding family planning and contraceptives as well as unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortion, injuries and pains due to legal abortion after the unwanted abortion, frequent and high-risk pregnancies as well as lack of follow-up care complications. Others include persistent gynecological and psychological complications and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV. Gender Equality (2009) indicates that there is need to put every effort to break the long silence and see to it that the women and girls' voices are heard. Fund works should change the paradigm of masculinity which gives chance for the resolution of conflict via violence. One of the major strategies to involve men who are parents and young boys. There is need to advocate for reforms in legislation and enforcement laws concerning gender based violence as well as protection and promotion of the rights of the women and girls to health choices and informed consent such as promotion of the awareness of these laws, policies and regulations which have impact on their fundamental rights and their family life responsibilities. The provided funds should promote zero tolerance to all kinds of violence against girls and women as well as eradication of traditional exercises which are proving harmful to their reproductive as well as sexual health like puberty rituals. More training by the concerned bodies is necessary to counter gender-based violence. Medical professionals need to undergo this form of education in order to make them more responsive to females who have undergone such gender-based abuses hence meet the health needs. More workshops for providers of health care in these countries are essential after recognizing the aftermath of the gender-related violence as far as the health of the women is concerned. This would also educate then on how the necessary approach in detecting and cubing violence and helping the victims. Gender Equality (2009) holds that more strategies the Fund for prevention of violence against women should engage into include seeing to it that there is emergency contraception which is readily meant for sexual violence victims, providing more strength to advocacy on gender related violence in all the affected country programmes in collaboration with the United Nations partners as well as NGOs. Other measures should include advocating for females with links in national and parliamentarian levels. In addition to these, the messages on prevention of gender related violence should be integrated into information, communication projects as well as education. More research needs to be carried out on gender-based violence. With the setting of the international Criminal Tribunal for several countries formerly affected by civil conflicts meant to try people charged with mass rape, other behaviors including sexual assault, forced prostitution, forced abortion, sexual slavery and forced pregnancy have qualified as crimes against humanity, crimes of torture and even in some severe cases crimes of genocide. Studies have indicated that domestic violence in such countries has been grown as a result of tacit acceptance by the community. In such societies, men perceive themselves as still men while believing that women need to be treated as just traditional women. This determines if there will be coercion or violence and biasness against women and young girls in such a society (Gender Equality, 2009). Work Cited Gender Equality. Ending Widespread Violence against Women. 2009. Accessed Feb 21, 2010 < http://www.unfpa.org/gender/violence.htm > UNIFEM. Violence against Women. 2010. Accessed Feb 21, 2010 < http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/violence_against_women/ > Read More