Global and regional rights’ activists, researchers and journalists expressed their concern on Monday over rising trends in violence against women (VAW) in spite of huge global campaigns.
At a two day long conference - Joining Forces to Overcome Violence against Women - organised by the World Bank (WB) and Oxfam International in Kathmandu, Nepal on June 17-18, experts said VAW was becoming “a mere word” used by NGOs, journalists and politicians, without recognising issues that cause VAW.
Speakers at the conference said whenever incidents of violence are reported “defenders of women’s rights” such as journalists, activists, NGO workers and politicians are far more focused on victims, instead of taking steps to eliminate root causes of VAW, namely patriarchy, hierarchy and various forms of discriminations that lead to violence.
There was pin-drop silence at the venue when a victim of abuse from Nepal’s Kamalari community, Urmila Chowdhury shared her story about being forced into bonded labour at the age of six. Urmila gained her freedom after 11 years of bonded labour in a household.
Her story shocked everyone in the auditorium, which included politicians and policymakers from various countries. Renu Rajbhandari, chairperson of Nepal’s National Alliance for Women’s Rights Defenders, said NGOs should use a portion of funds to eliminate root causes, namely poverty to ensure rights of women.
Pointing to the systematic rape of women in India’s Northeast, Indian journalist Kalpana Sharma said: “Poverty cycle, patriarchy and hierarchy are the main reasons behind the existence of VAW in the region.”
Kamani Jindassa of Sri Lanka quoted a survey that found 55% of Sri Lankan men do not think rape is wrong if the victim is promiscuous.