Strategies and actions for ending violence against women and reducing HIV and AIDS infection
Stop violence against women: it's in our hands
Amnesty's campaign to end violence against women
Authors:
; Amnesty International
Publisher:
Amnesty International , 2004
This paper explores the definition and perpetration of violence against women around the world. The authors explore how the underlying cause of violence against women lies in discrimination which denies women equality with men in all areas of life. Violence is both rooted in discrimination and serves to reinforce discrimination. They stress that violence against women is not “natural” or “inevitable”. It is an expression of historically and culturally specific values and standards. Although violence against women is universal, many women are targeted because of their race, class, culture, sexual identity or HIV status.
In addition to detailing many of the atrocities that women are often subjected to, the authors also detail the human rights mechanisms that are supposed to protect women, and the rights to which women should be able to appeal. They also examine instances where violence against women goes unchecked, and may even be written into national law.
Finally, the authors outline Amnesty International's campaign to stop violence against women, which was launched in March 2004. This paper highlights the responsibility of the state, the community and individuals to take action to end violence against women. It claims that women’s self-organization, bolstered by the solidarity and support of the human rights movement, is the most effective way to overcome violence againstwomen. Amnesty International’s campaign is designed to mobilize both men and women to work to counter violence and to use the power and persuasion of the human rights framework in the efforts to stop violence against women.
