Any kind of violence against a person based on their biological sex, gender identity or expression, or perceived conformity to socially established norms of what it means to be a man or woman, is referred to as gender-based violence. This includes threats, coercion, arbitrary deprivation of liberty, physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, as well as economic exploitation in both public and private life. Gender-based violence is also founded on power disparities between men and women.
One in eight young people report having experienced sexual abuse, making violence against young people a priority for worldwide public health. Devastating outcomes, including long-term psychological, social, and bodily injury, may follow. Global efforts to remove all obstacles to the relief of gender-based violence should be complemented by initiatives to prevent and respond to youth violence.
A society's capacity to safeguard women and girls against gender-based violence can be greatly weakened by armed conflict, natural disasters, and humanitarian crises. In times of crisis, rates of intimate partner violence frequently rise. Sexual violence is a common tactic used by armed groups to further their military or political objectives. Girls and women may be compelled to barter sex in exchange for food, money, and other necessities of life throughout this time. To safeguard or take care of their families, they may also be forced or married off young in some countries.
According to the Council of Europe, it deprives individuals of their basic rights while waging an unremitting assault on human dignity. Gender-based violence damages a person's sense of self-worth and self-esteem and violates the fundamental human right to be free from violence. It has an impact on one's physical and mental health and can result in self-harm, social isolation, despair, and suicide attempts.
Everybody has a right to feel safe and secure, and when this isn't the case, people's capacity to operate in the family, their community, and society as a whole is likely to be hampered, since self-realization and growth are hindered. The realization of each person's well-being and right to fulfillment and self-development is hampered by gender-based violence.
According to the United Nations, some groups of women are particularly vulnerable to violence, including those who are members of minorities, indigenous peoples, refugees, migrants, women living in rural or remote communities, destitute women, women in institutions or detention, young girls, women with disabilities, elderly women, and women who are living through armed conflict.
UNICEF has provided evidence demonstrating the catastrophic short and long-term effects gender-based violence has on survivors' physical and mental health. Girls and women may sustain severe physical injuries, become pregnant unintentionally, or become infected with HIV or other STDs. Additionally, prevalent are suicidal thoughts, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Gender-based violence is a global pandemic that impacts one in three women over the course of their lifetime, according to a World Bank report. Intimate relationship abuse involving physical and/or sexual assault or non-partner sexual assault has affected 35% of women worldwide. Seven percent of women worldwide have experienced sexual assault by a person other than a romantic relationship. Up to 38% of female homicides worldwide are the result of an intimate relationship. Women have undergone female genital mutilation or cutting in 200 million cases. This problem not only has severe effects on victims of violence and their families, but it also has high societal and financial implications.
According to UNICEF, between 2005 and 2022, parties to conflicts victimized at least 16,000 children through rape, forced marriage, sexual exploitation, and other severe forms of sexual violence. Girls are particularly affected by sexual violence; from 2016 to 2020, 97% of victims were female. According to a Eurobarometer survey, the majority of European citizens do perceive domestic abuse as a frequent problem (74%), yet the majority do not speak about it, according to Lights4violence. Only 12% of the occurrences were reported to the police, 7% to health or support agencies, and 18% brought up the lack of evidence. In addition, 26% of respondents said the subject was none of their business, and 15% said domestic abuse was still a private matter.
We must put our efforts into educating the public about the causes of violence, stopping discriminatory practices, opposing sexual harassment, creating safe spaces for victims, etc. if we are to abolish gender-based violence. The government and legislative bodies should also prioritize ensuring equitable access to education, empowering women in the workforce, defending reproductive rights, bolstering legal protections, and giving the most marginalized people priority.
UNICEF offers survivors professional health services, dignity kits, emotional support, and the safe spaces they require to seek care and protection in conjunction with governments, civil society, and United Nations partners. In safe places, women and girls can engage in empowerment-related activities and get access to vital information about their risks, rights, and needs. This includes details on where to report sexual exploitation and abuse as well as how to seek aid. Safe spaces are frequently the only places where women and girls can obtain pertinent and life-saving information.
The World Bank, on the other hand, is committed to combating gender-based violence through funding, research, education, and partnership with international stakeholders. The World Bank has worked with nations and partners since 2003 to promote initiatives and information products intended to prevent and address gender-based violence. In World Bank Group-financed operations, the Bank supports more than $300 million in development projects that address gender-based violence. These projects can be standalone or incorporate gender-based violence components into sector-specific projects in areas like transportation, education, social protection, and forced displacement.
Addressing gender-based violence in operations has been emphasized as a World Bank priority within its Gender Strategy, in recognition of the magnitude of the challenge.
Global leaders and stakeholders from all sectors must develop their models as soon as possible to reduce gender-based violence. A gender-based violence alleviation community of practice will be useful because finding localized solutions is crucial for reducing global issues. To create a better future with a 0% gender-based violence rate, we must work toward a common objective.
Md Jahedul Islam is a Public Health Researcher, James P Grant School of Public Health, BRAC University.
