The need for an equitable society

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, marked on November 25, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres issued a message that both deplores violations of women’s rights and calls for “collective action to end violence against women and girls for good”.

More than 1 in 3 women in the world have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lives; 750 million women were married before age 18 and over 250 million have undergone female genital mutilation, said Guterres who also stressed that violence against women, including harassment and harmful practices, is a major barrier “to the fulfilment of human rights, and a direct challenge to women’s inclusion and participation in sustaining peace”, a challenge that, if left unaddressed, will impede the fulfilment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The 16 Days of Activism to end gender-based violence, starting on November 25, this year has “Leave no one behind” as a theme, which means defending all those affected by gender-based violence.

Or, as poignantly put by UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, “paying attention to ... the missing adolescent trafficked as a sex slave; the little girl who moves tents in an IDP camp, after being married to an older man, old enough to be her father or grandfather; the baby girl cut with a razor in an FGM ceremony; the woman beaten by her partner behind closed doors; the women’s human rights defender silenced and brutally murdered; the teenager in her bedroom reading bullying messages on her mobile phone; the working women who are harassed and humiliated by bosses and colleagues; the woman tormented because of her sexual orientation”.

According to the UN, violence against girls and women is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations and the most extreme form of discrimination.

The list of discriminatory practices against women and girls is long and includes, crucially, unequal access to education and to employment commensurate with the level of education.

Besides crippling human beings who could otherwise develop to reach their full potential and contribute to the development of their societies, mistreatment of women also hinders countries’ progress.

Blamed for gender inequality, which is not exclusive to developing countries, are often patriarchal attitudes and related social norms.

Which means that in many developing countries, reaching gender equality and ending discrimination is going to be a long battle.

The one day a year that reminds the world of the plight of girls and women should serve as a catalyst that spurs countries into action to combat violence against and oppression of women everywhere.