Violence Against Women, A Worldwide Phenomenon

On the occasion of the International Women’s Day OMCT wishes to recall the every-day discrimination women are subjected to worldwide, for the crimes committed against them go most often unpunished and the crimes they are convicted for and the way they are punished are all too often disproportionate and arbitrary.

Violence against women perpetrated by one’s family and community is as universal as the rights they should enjoy. It requires more than prohibition in law. Its practice goes unchanged as long as it is socially tolerated in the name of patriarchal order, tradition or sexual domination. However when one points at the State’s duty to exert its due diligence to prevent, protect, investigate and punish domestic and community violence against women, one should first look at the State’s perpetrating or sponsoring of violence against women. Hence the need to look at all dimensions of the problem and tackle it at different fronts, different levels, through a holistic approach. This is what OMCT, with the support of its members (282 as of today), has been doing since 1996.

OMCT has noted throughout the ten years of the existence of its Violence against Women Programme that certain women are particularly prone to be victims of violence because they play a specific role in society or belong to a certain social category. For instance, in Tamil Nadu, India, dalit women victims of violence, including rape, will most likely be denied access to justice and redress because the perpetrator is from an upper caste. The virtual guarantee of impunity plays a catalyst role for the perpetuation of such acts. Moreover, those who defend the rights of women, whether a men or a woman, are often targeted for their challenging both governmental policies and social norms.

OMCT has also long documented the particularly acute violence women are subjected to in the context of internal armed conflicts (Sudan, Colombia) occupation (Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories) or within the context of dispute over territorial sovereignty (Western Sahara). In these cases governmental and rebel armed forces which are expected to abide by International Humanitarian Law enjoy impunity for the ill-treatment, the use of forced labour, sexual exploitation and sexual abuse of women often used as a weapon of war.

Numerous factors restrain and dissuade women from denouncing acts of violence they are subjected to, be it social pressure, shame, fear of retaliation or the certainty that nothing will be done to investigate and punish these crimes. OMCT has noticed however that international solidarity networks, such as its SOS-Torture network, are particularly active in the support of women victims of violence. The underreporting of such violence is detrimental to the improvement of the situation of actual and potential victims. Perpetrators must be named and shamed and States held accountable either for committing or condoning violations of the most fundamental rights of women.

For further information or documentation see www.omct.org or contact:
Mariana Duarte, Tel.: +41 22 809 49 39 - Fax: +41 22 809 49 29 – E-mail: md@omct.org