Violence Against Women

Strengthening Resistance focuses on the points of intersection in the social, political and public health crises of violence against women and HIV/AIDS. The report uses a human rights lens to focus on critical political challenges and on innovative strategies used by activists worldwide as they respond to the links between violence and HIV/AIDS. From street theater to telenovelas/soap operas to traditional lobbying, activists in both VAW and HIV/AIDS communities are beginning to work together to focus attention to ways both crises are causes and consequences of each other. Neither can be addressed adequately without taking into account the links between them and the human rights implications of each crisis on its own, and in conjunction with the other.

At least 300 women are victims of sexual violence every year in Bamako, according to local police records, but the actual figure is much higher said the president of the Bamako-based non-profit, Women in Law and Development in Africa.

"Victims and their families rarely denounce rapists in order to preserve the family's dignity and honour," said the group's president Sidibe Djenba Diop, "Rape cases are on the rise, yet neither the [Malian] culture nor its laws recognise, yet, that rape is an act of violence against women."

Older women who have experienced abusive relationships are to be given a voice as part of a University of Nottingham study.

Up to 40 women aged over 65 who have lived through domestic abuse will be interviewed about their experiences by researchers from the University's School of Nursing.

Their unique insight into this complex and largely hidden phenomenon will be used to produce an online learning resource for healthcare professionals on how to effectively identify and support older patients who they suspect may be suffering abuse at the hands of their partner or have experienced abuse in the past.

The one-year project has been funded with a £31,498 grant from The Burdett Trust for Nurses, an independent charitable trust that aims to support and promote the nursing contribution to healthcare.

Appropriate legislation to give effect to and reinforce the aforementioned international and national initiatives is of critical importance. It is clear that the law cannot be employed as a panacea for the ills of a complex social phenomenon such as domestic violence. However, when victims of domestic abuse do turn to the law for protection, the law should be effective and efficient in its response. Having regard to the Constitution of South Africa and the international commitments and obligations of the State towards ending violence against women and children, victims of domestic violence should be afforded the maximum protection by ensuring that the substance and procedures of domestic violence legislation are well tailored to the needs of those suffering abuse in a domestic context.

Based on the Habitat Agenda, UNCHS (Habitat) is addressing increasing urbanisation and the problem of urban poverty strategically through two campaigns, on Secure Tenure and Good Urban Governance. Meeting the needs of women will be a key measure of their  success. Enhancing the role of women in urban governance is a pre-condition for the inclusive city promoted by the Global Campaign for Good Urban Governance.

A policy on women and urban governance should address two aspects. One is women's increased representation in local decision-making. The second is greater attention to issues of concern to women. Both are examined in this policy paper, which also reviews current efforts to address them. The norms of the Campaign for Good Urban Governance are then used as a lens to focus on the policy issues with which the paper concludes.