“If we act with courage, conviction and
commitment, we can change violence against women from being the most pervasive
violation of human rights to being a rare occurrence that is considered
unacceptable and no longer tolerated.”
Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, on International Women’s Day
Michelle Bachelet, Executive Director of UN Women, on International Women’s Day
The United Nations reports that 70% of
women in the world are faced with some form of violence in their life and all
too often they are blamed or punished themselves. Gender-based inequalities
continue to deny women a say in the decisions that affect their lives. Domestic
violence is the most prevalent form of violence that affects women, whereas
forced marriages of young women and girls, rape and spousal killings are still
meted out on women every day with impunity. Discrimination and hate crimes
linked to sexual orientation are also prevalent around the globe.
Violence at the workplace; be it sexual, physical or
psychological happens everywhere – and must be stopped. “Public sector workers
are well-placed to promote and enforce laws and rules that advance gender equality
and protection against violence and harassment. Quality public services are
often the only shield and support for women in this situation. Violence against
women creates inequality, affecting the well-being of current and future
generations. Violence and the threat of it deprive women of their basic human
rights,” says Rosa Pavanelli, General Secretary of Public Services
International.
Women’s rights are a central issue for the
trade union movement, and connected to action on health, peace, human rights
and sustainable development. In March 2013, the UN Commission on the Status of
Women adopted agreed conclusions on the elimination
and prevention of all forms of violence against women and girls, reaffirming the Beijing Declaration and other
international instruments. Governments have made many commitments in the past
that have not led to concrete results. Far too often, cultural, religious or
political views are used to block gender equality. Urgent action is needed to
strengthen and accelerate implementation, which is now too slow and uneven.
”Ending violence against women is a matter
of life and death. It is not acceptable that everyday women around the world
are beaten, raped and killed. Brutality and inequality must end. States must
provide adequate measures to prevent violence and protect threatened women,
prosecution, counselling and education to change the mentality of people.
Shelters for abused women should be provided, and it is unacceptable that under
austerity policies those services are abolished in many countries. We need
strong commitments from states to end violence against women,” says Pavanelli.
PSI and our affiliates can work together
and with civil society organisations to break the silence and mobilise against
discrimination and violence in our workplaces and societies. This can include
measures in collective agreements, pressuring governments to enforce laws
provide the necessary resources to assist victims, and train judicial
authorities and the police to deal adequately with issues of violence against
women and girls. We also support initiatives such as the White Ribbon Campaign
that focuses on prevention of violence through the education of men and boys
and their involvement in the fight for gender equality.
We call on all PSI affiliate members, men
and women, to make a pledge to end violence against women and girls, at each of
their workplaces around the globe.
Violence against women is an age-old problem – it is
time to end it now.
Around the world – unions are implementing campaigns and organizing
events. Some planned events:
In Singapore, PSI affiliates are holding an event on 23 November and
invited the Speaker of the Parliament as the guest speaker.
In Delhi, a Global Union Federations will hold a joint national event
with all the GUF affiliated unions on 25 November to plan a campaign together
with civil society highlighting the recent events in India.
In Sao Paolo, on 25 November PSI affiliates are organizing a March of
women against violence and organizing a sub-regional planning event for the
continued 2014 Campaign against violence.
In Algeria, SNAPAP is organising a public event on violence at the
workplace on 25 November, training women unionists to actively educate victims
of violence and help them regain confidence in themselves.
In Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon, PSI affiliates are working together with
an NGO coalition for the 16 Days
of Activism Against Gender Violence Campaign.
In Geneva, PSI will join our Swiss affiliates and the Guatemala
International Platform against Impunity for an event on violence against women
on 4 December.
In Dakar, Senegal, PSI affiliates and the PSI Women’s Committee Chair
are participating in the ITUC World
Women’s Organising Assembly, where a
session will be dedicated to the creation of an ILO Convention to stop
gender-based violence at the workplace.
UNI Global Union is making men the focus of its campaign – Gender
Violence is not only a women’s issue!
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