Dubai
The United Nations (UN) states that violence is not just physical; it can also be psychological. One in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. The problem persists in the UAE, too. According to a Gulf News report published on November 25, more than 1,500 cases of domestic violence against women have been reported to the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children (DFWC) during the past seven years. The cases involved women over the age of 18, who are of various nationalities and have faced physical, emotional or psychological domestic violence by men in their families.
Violence against women has been referred to as a global pandemic by the UN, which takes place in public and private spaces. The UN is currently conducting research, which will lead to more definitive strategies and interventions to prevent violence. They hope to “tackle the unequal power relations and structures between men and women and highlight the necessary attitudinal, practice and institutional changes”, according to an official press release issued by them on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
“Imagine how different the world would be for girls growing up now if we could prevent early marriage, female genital mutilation, the turning of a blind eye to domestic violence, abusive text messages, the impunity of rapists, the enslavement of women in conflict areas, the killing of women human rights defenders, or the hostility of police stations or courtrooms to women’s testimony of violence experienced,” the press release reads.
Around the world, 125 countries have laws against sexual harassment, 119 have laws against domestic violence, but only 52 countries have laws on marital rape.
This year, the UN launched the campaign UNiTE to raise awareness about violence against women. They invited the world to participate with “orange events” between November 25 and December 10. The campaign was also promoted on social media with #orangetheworld and many landmarks around the world were lit in orange.
To continue their mission, the UN marks December 10 as Human Rights Day to commemorate the day the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The day aims to promote and raise awareness about “freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear”.
In addition to this, society is also raising its voice against the discrimination by participating in social media campaigns. To name a few, there’s #LeanIn, #LikeaGirl and #ChangeTheRatio. Each of these campaigns, and many others like them, allows women around the world to stand for women empowerment and change people’s perception of their position in society.
