I was introduced to the topic of gender violence in 1982 when
Charles Campbell extracted vengeance on the families of some of my classmates in my hometown. And why, people asked my Father, did you release this criminal? Even though he had advised the parole board that this man should not be released into the general population. All he could say was, "budget cuts".
Since then, despite those with the courage to speak out, at home and abroad, I have watched the violence continue . The porn industry continues to thrive, exploiting woman and children through drug addiction, and threats of violence. The trafficing of sex slaves continues as well as the abduction of children.
I've listened as friends stricken with PTSD inflict injury upon themselves, and even take thier own lives in despair. I've listened as friends break down into emotional catatonic states, and cried when a friend was burned alive in her own bed to keep her from speaking out. And still the myths persist.
Secratry General Kofi A. Annan states,
"Violence against women causes untold misery, harms families across generations, and impoverishes communities. It stops women from fulfilling their potential, restricts economic growth, and undermines development. When it comes to violence against women, there are no civilized societies."
In truth, however we cannot just isolate the violence against women to women alone. Since woman tend to be the primary care-givers to our children, the focus must be on our children as well. This can be demonstrated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Article 25.
(1) Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.
(2) Motherhood and childhood are entitled to special care and assistance. All children, whether born in or out of wedlock, shall enjoy the same social protection.
To this end the Secratary General Kofi A. Annan has recently released this study. And continued the discussion within the General Assembly of the UN
Starting Nov 25, The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991. Participants chose the dates, November 25, International Day Against Violence Against Women and December 10, International Human Rights Day, in order to symbolically link violence against women and human rights and to emphasize that such violence is a violation of human rights. This 16-day period also highlights other significant dates including November 29, International Women Human Rights Defenders Day, December 1, World AIDS Day, and December 6, which marks the Anniversary of the Montreal Massacre.
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