Destined to fail? How violence against women is undoing development

zohra moosaWomen’s Rights Advisor

Sussex Development Lecture16 February 2012

What is violence against women and girls?

Violation of basic human rights

Widespread – across all ages, groups of women, cultures and countries

Takes many forms, and includes fear of violence

How does violence against women link to gender inequality?

Cause: means of social control, maintaining unequal power relations and reinforcing women’s subordinate position.

Consequence: result and abuse of unequal power relations between women and men that permit and sometimes encourage men to abuse without impunity.

What does violence against women have to do with development?

Basic context within which women are operating and living their lives

Is a violation of a fundamental right that in turn influences access to other rights

Influences how all major development agendas can be achieved – including MDGs

How does violence against women connect with poverty?

Is a major cause of death and disability

Is a weapon of war and a real barrier to building peace

Damages families and communities

Prevents women from entering the workforce

What are the costs of violence against women?

Even the most conservative estimates measure the national costs in the billions of dollars

Average cost to a household in Uganda per incidence of violence is 5 USD. Uganda’s per capita gross national income about 340 USD

Education

41 million girls are still denied a primary education and 2/3 of the world’s illiterate young people are female.

Every year 60 million girls are sexually assaulted at or enroute to school.

Maternal and child health

Over 5% of women in a WHO study were physically abused when they were pregnant.

In Pakistan and India, girls have a 30-50% higher chance of dying before their fifth birthday than boys.

HIV and AIDS

More than 17.5 million women are living with HIV globally and every day 7,000 more become infected.

3/4 of the total number of young people aged 15-24 that are living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa are women and girls.

Conflict

250,000-500,000 women and girls were raped in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.

The number of convictions on sexual violence produced by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda is eight.

Governance

Women make up less than 20% of MPs in national parliaments.

26% of women candidates faced violence in Nepal’s 2008 elections.

Case study:Women in Afghanistan

87% of women experience domestic violence

4 in 10 women never leave their village

1 in 11 women dies in pregnancy

Case study:Women in Afghanistan

27% of MPs are women

25% of government jobs are filled by women

Women’s rights enshrined in Constitution

New Elimination of Violence Against Women Act

Afghanistan: the challenge

Two thirds say life has got better in last 10 years

9 out of 10 fear a return to Taliban-style government

One third are specifically worried about international troops leaving

Afghanistan: the challenge

The biggest fear of women under 30 is sexual assault

All women were more fearful of sexual assault than abduction, kidnapping or being caught in an explosion – combined

http://youtube/ecSGgrY6n9Q

www.actionaid.org.uk/womensrights