AFGHANISTAN GENDER EQUITY MATERNAL & DIVERSITY RIGHTS
In Australia, we increasingly hear horrific stories of family violence. The stats – almost one in three women in Australia experience physical violence, with one woman being killed every week by a current or former partner. The situation has been labelled an epidemic.
inequality is still present in schools, in workplaces, in bars and even walking down the street where some men thinks it’s ok to catcall or harass women based on their looks or what they’re wearing. This is where domestic violence is born. As a high-income country, we should be at the forefront of change. Media coverage of domestic violence has been crucial to securing more funding for domestic violence support services and campaigns. This issue must be kept on the agenda, and perhaps most importantly, we must educate young people, both girls and boys, about gender inequality and domestic violence, and what to do should it arise. It’s no longer adequate to respond to domestic violence when it occurs, it must be addressed before it begins.
In 2013, the World Health Organization (WHO) released a report stating that 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced sexual violence, most commonly perpetrated by a partner. The report showed that high-income countries including Australia, New Zealand, the US and members of the EU presented the lowest levels of partner-perpetrated violence compared to the rest of the world. At 37.7 per cent, South-East Asia showed the highest prevalence of partner violence, followed by the Eastern Mediterranean at 37 per cent.
Amnesty’s role: Domestic violence and gender equality is a key area of focus for Amnesty International. The Women in Afghanistan campaign acknowledges the rights that women have won since the fall of the Taliban. Amnesty stands alongside Afghani women to make sure these rights are maintained.
In addition to the immediate risk posed by this violence, women who experience violence are at greater risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, are more than twice as likely to have an abortion and nearly twice as likely to experience depression. While Australia rates better than many other countries, our domestic violence statistics are still shameful. The prevalence of violence shows that, despite being a developed country with adequate support services, we continue to foster a culture of gender inequality. Gender
See our list of support services around Australia for women experiencing domestic violence. Image Credits: Amnestypic1: gianluca, “senza titolo”. Attribution sharealike 2.0 generic. No changes made.
Amnestypic2: anna gutermuth. Attribution 2.0 generic.
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AM-UNITY MAG EDITION 6
Amnesty continues to advocate for reproductive rights for all women, including decriminalising abortion in countries such as Ireland, Chile and El Salvador.