Countries across the world take a stand on violence against women
A woman during the rally against violence in Switzerland/AP
Saratu Abubakar, Staff Reporter
To mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, people worldwide are taking stands in different forms to stand against violent crimes women face daily.
A series of protests were reported from across the world. Germany, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Mexico saw protests in the streets. South Africa launched a campaign to draw light to the issue. While Nigeria released a data-base of sexual offenders.
The theme of this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is ending sexual violence and rape.
Starting with the France, the government announces new measures that will be put up to fight violence against women by people in their lives.
According to the Prime Minister, the plan would prove an “electric shock,” the measures will draw out what violence means and how harassment can lead to suicide. The act of psychological “entrapment” will also be included in the law because it can lead to violence.
So far in 2019, at least 117 women have been murdered by their partners or ex-partners in France, according to a study.
On the other hand 213, 000 women face physical or sexual violence from their partners or ex-partners each year, states official figures.
On Sunday tens of thousands of people marched across France to demand an end to violence against women.
Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President, launched a campaign to end femicide on the event of the annual 16-day anti- violence campaign.
He called on South African men to change their “sexist and patriarchal attitudes.”
According to statistics, one female in South Africa is killed every three hours and every day 137 sexual offences are committed.
The South African government is working on opening more specialised Sexual Offences Courts across the country and also equipping police stations with more rape evidence collection kits.
In Mexico’s capital, various women’s groups protested at cultural institutions using painting, crocheting and breastfeeding to create awareness about rampant violence and machismo in the country.
About 10 women are killed each day in Mexico, making it one of the most dangerous places to be a woman in the world. At the Museum of Modern Art, women protested the museum’s expulsion last week of a woman who was breastfeeding inside the building by breastfeeding inside the museum themselves.
United Nations calls on the Afghan authorities to put in more effort in putting an end to violence faced by women in the nation.
A lot of Afghan women face attacks and unkind treatment based on their gender.
According to a research carried out by the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC), the rate of violence against women has increased in the past months.
The government is called upon to put up laws and cancel impunity for violence against women and crimes.
In Nigeria, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, was marked with the launching of a national sexual offenders register. The database contains information on those convicted for sexual violence.
Authorities said the database will be used as a tool that will aid in bringing an end to violence against women in the country.
According to the United Nations children agency UNICEF, one in four Nigerian women are sexually abused before they turn 18 -- and the majority of cases of sexual abuse in country are not prosecuted.
