On September 28, the world awoke to fresh reports of unspeakable violence against women. In Guinea, the “berets rouges,” the Presidential guard, raped women of all ages – in groups, with weapons, and with such brutality that many who weren’t immediately killed died of injuries soon afterwards.
Neither the scale nor the scope of this violence is new. For the past ten years, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, soldiers have been raping and mutilating women as part of a deliberate and coordinated strategy to destroy civilian communities. And gender-based violence is not limited to war zones or regions in conflict. Girls and women are targeted because of their sex at every point in their lives, from female feticide, to inadequate healthcare and nutrition given to girls, to child marriage, trafficking, so-called ‘honour’ killings, dowry-related murder, and the neglect and ostracism of widows – and this is not an exhaustive list.
This violence is a global pandemic. It cuts across ethnicity, race, class, religion, educational level, and international borders: the only common element is that the victims are selected because they are women.
Since 1991, the world has set aside the 16 days that link 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, with 10 December, International Human Rights Day, to underscore the idea that violence committed against women because of their sex is a fundamental violation of human rights. This violence is not ‘cultural’ – it is criminal. It is every nation’s problem, and it needs a response that is commensurate with the seriousness of these crimes.
The assaults on women cannot be blamed on a few aberrant perpetrators. Rather, these diverse forms of violence stem from the entrenched and enduring low status of women and girls around the world. Ending the violence – treating the causes as well as the symptoms – requires not only that we increase prosecutions of perpetrators but also that we work towards women’s complete equality in every sphere of life.
Gender-based violence is not solely a women’s issue – it is a global challenge to human rights and security. As an international problem, it requires international solutions. And the United States is committed to working with governments, multilateral institutions, and a wide range of private partners – from activists and advocates, to survivors and civil society leaders – to end impunity for those who perpetrate these crimes, and to ensure that laws that recognise women’s equality and right to be free from violence are implemented fully. We’re working to promote men’s engagement in ending the violence. We’re asking religious leaders to incorporate these messages, so consistent with all faiths, into their activities and outreach. And we’re helping to ensure that boys and girls in all nations have safe and equal access to high-quality education that teaches the intrinsic worth of each person.
The Obama Administration is committed to ending violence against women in the United States, where too many women are still mistreated and abused. Secretary Clinton has made this issue a top priority for American foreign policy.
A few days ago, Minister of Justice and Home Affairs Carmelo Mifsud Bonnici spoke about the scourge of domestic violence and referred to it as “one of the major challenges facing modern societies” across the globe. He highlighted the efforts of the Maltese Government to address the legal and social aspects of the problem and emphasised the need for more awareness and more educational programs for youth in order to minimise the incidence of domestic violence. Several organisations in Malta are dedicated to supporting the victims of such violence and empowering them to gain autonomy and find direction in their lives and the lives of their dependents, often defenseless children who have been traumatised by the violence they have witnessed. In an effort to highlight these organisations in Malta, the United States Embassy has provided information on these organisations on its website.
Recognising the intrinsic dignity of all is the key to progress and prosperity in the 21st century. It is the ‘truth’ of the human person. When anyone is marginalised and mistreated, humanity cannot progress. Violence destroys – it tears down, it separates that which is meant to be together. By contrast, when men and women alike are accorded their rights and afforded equal opportunities in education, healthcare, employment, and political participation, we lift up our families, our communities, and our nations.
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