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Last Updated: Feb 13, 2017 - 1:45:37 AM |
Mending the path to social justice: A world free from violence for all women and girls in the Americas
By Carmen Moreno, Executive Secretary Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM) - Organization of American States (OAS)
Dec 10, 2015 - 4:26:34 PM
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 On November 25th the International Day for the Elimination of
Violence against Women, we remembered the struggle of thousands of
women who are seeking the basic right to live free from violence. Today,
December 10th we commemorate Human Rights worldwide; and
it’s worthwhile to take a deeper look at the violation of this right to
live free from violence, which still happens on a daily basis to
thousands of women, adolescents and girls around the world.
The global figures, which include our region, indicate that 1 out of
every 3 women in the Americas, is, has been or will be a victim of
violence. If we take into account the fact that in most registered cases
in our countries, the offender is the women’s partner, ex-partner, a
family member or close relative, we can state that women and girl’s
homes are still the most dangerous place for them.
Of course, this violence does not occur only in households; it also
happens in health, education and work centers, where harassment, sexual,
physical, economic, psychological, work-related and institutional
violence become part of women’s daily lives. Furthermore, discrimination
remains deeply rooted in culture and gender stereotypes, which deepen
unequal power relations. In this scenario, respect for women’s human
rights in the Americas seems like an unattainable goal.
Every country in the region has legislative enactments and public policy
to prevent, punish and eradicate violence against women, in compliance
with their agreed commitments under the Belém do Pará Convention.
Nonetheless, figures on the incidence of violence are not decreasing,
and even worse, we have seen an increase in the violence that is
inherent to or often accompanies other phenomena, such as trafficking of
women and girls, organized crime, the war on drugs, mass migrations and
internal conflict, not to mention other related rights that are still
being violated by the States, such as the prohibition and lack of access
to legal termination of pregnancy.
The Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, has emphasized the
search for more rights for more people, and that women’s sexual and
reproductive rights are a significant part of this quest. The Secretary
has highlighted that in order to achieve development and participation
in conditions of equality, women must be able to decide on their own
bodies. Moreover, he has stressed that the denial of these rights in
educational, work-place, health and any other kind of contexts,
nullifies and hinders the exercise of other rights.
The Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), in its capacity as
Secretariat to the Follow-up Mechanism to the Belém do Pará Convention
(MESECVI), during the 21 years of validity of the Convention, has been
highlighting the efforts and challenges faced by the States to fight
this scourge. This methodical revision shows significant progress
regarding legislation, recognition of rights and national plans.
However, this progress is not sufficient.
For these reasons, we will continue to work intensely on the path to
eradicate violence against all women. Because the search for a
respectful and egalitarian society is not a privilege, it’s social
justice, the basis for democracy and a commitment that we all have to
assume as our own, mending the path to a better overview of our region.
© Copyright 2015 by thebahamasweekly.com
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