credits: United Nations
"Not until the half of our population represented by women and girls can live free from fear, violence and everyday insecurity, can we truly say we live in a fair and equal world."
UN Secretary-General António Guterres
The 25th of every month has been designated as Orange Day by the UN Women campaign Say No,UNiTE launched in 2009 to mobilize civil society, activists, governments and the UN system in order amplify the impact of the UN Secretary-General’s campaign, UNiTE to End Violence against Women.
credits: UN Women
Participants civil society, academic networks, women’s organizations, schools young people/students of the world over are encouraged to wear a touch of orange in solidarity with the cause - the colour symbolizes a brighter future and a world free from violence against women and girls.
From 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, Human Rights Day, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign is a time to galvanize action to end Violence against Women and Girls around the world.
The international campaign originated from the first Women's Global Leadership Institute coordinated by the Center for Women's Global Leadership in 1991.
credits: UN
Violence against women and girls (VAWG) is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.
Theme:
UNITE/ UN Women
Global Action:
In general terms, it manifests itself in physical, sexual and psychological forms, encompassing:
- intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide);
- sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber- harassment);
- human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation);
- female genital mutilation; and child marriage.
credits: UNESCO
The adverse psychological, sexual and reproductive health consequences of VAWG affect women at all stages of their life.
For example, early-set educational disadvantages not only represent the primary obstacle to universal schooling and the right to education for girls; down the line they are also to blame for restricting access to higher education and even translate into limited opportunities for women in the labour market.
Violence against women continues to be an obstacle to achieving equality, development, peace as well as to the fulfillment of women and girls’ human rights.
credits: Elyx Yak/ UN Ambassador
All in all, the promise of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) - to leave no one behind - cannot be fulfilled without putting an end to violence against women and girls.
credits: UN
Education:
“Gender based violence is also happening in school, the very place where children are expected to be safe and protected. This violence can be in the form of verbal or sexual harassment, unwanted touching, bullying, corporal punishment, or assault,”
Joanna Herat, Programme Specialist, Education Sector UNESCO
An estimated 246 million girls and boys are harassed and abused in and around school every year.
credits: UNESCO
Girls are particularly vulnerable to school-related gender-based violence (SRGBV), which often stems from deeply rooted cultural beliefs and practices, power imbalances and gender norms.
Violence against women and girls are now discussing at school curricula. There are many young girls victim of physical and psychological violence from their boys friends.
credits: Alexsandro Palombo
Many students - girls and boys - in schools and other educational networks participate in special debates and presentations about the importance of women and girls in society, their influence, and issues that affect them.
Education is a key to prevent violence against women and young girls through the challenging of dominant gender norms and stereotypes among young people leading to more gender equal relations within which violence is minimized or exclude.
Because I believe in prevention at school, I wrote some posts on this blog as my usual readers know.
After the debates, projects and different activities specially prepared from teachers to include into their lessons since the very young age, ask students to prepare some presentations by choosing different real stories (family, friends) news, TV, social networks, or movies.
- Develop a cross-curricular project: Languages; Design & Multimedia; Civics.
UN Women
Some thoughts:
Education can play a major role in preventing violence against girls and women in different ways: through increasing school safety, promoting gender equal attitudes and practices among staff and students, and empowering young girls to enable them to enjoy their full human rights.
One in every three women globally will be beaten up or sexually abused at least once in her life time. 50% sexual assaults against women are committed on girls under the age of 16.
As an educator, accept your role to help to end violence against girls and women. Violence against girls and women is an obstacle to constructing inclusive and sustainable societies.
Ask students (boys) about the man or guy you want to be: responsible, one that shares equally in family life and respects girls and women.
Parents should be a good role model and should share their experiences with children. As a father or a mother teach your boys and girls a healthy and equal relationship.
Challenge and speak out against hurtful language and bullying in your school, community or work place.
Fighting discrimination and violence against women and girls is a duty of all educators, parents and teachers.
“To paraphrase several sages: Nobody can think and hit someone at the same time.”
Regarding the Pain of Others
G-Souto
25.11.2018
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