Violence Against Women and Girls

Economic and Social CouncilUnited Nations Women

TopicViolence Against Women and Girls

The evolution of global frameworks to combat violence against women and girls began with the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) adoption, which focused broadly on discrimination. In 1993, the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 48/104, which provided the first official international definition of gender-based violence. A study done by UN Women revealed that in crisis settings, the prevalence of gender-based violence spikes dramatically to 70% of women, compared to 35%. In 1995 the Fourth World Conference on Women put forward the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action to empower women, it identified violence against women as a critical concern.

Across the world, one out of every three women experiences sexual or physical violence that can leave short-term and long-term negative effects not only on the individual, but also on the surrounding community. Effects of gender-based violence can span from immediate family issues all the way to economic losses, strains on healthcare, and issues within the legal and educational systems. This can cause a nation to fall behind in economic productivity, positive international relations, literacy rates, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The United Nations Committee on Women works alongside individual nations and regions around the world to implement programs and initiatives protecting women and girls from violence. The Spotlight Initiative is an expansive program with large-scale investments in Latin and South America, Asia, Africa, and the Pacific. In the Southeast Asian region, the initiative is focused on stopping labor exploitation of girls and human trafficking. In Africa, the initiative focuses on eliminating sexual violence like child marriages and female genital mutilation (FGM). In Latin America, there is a large focus on ending femicide, while in Kyrgyzstan, UN Women is working alongside influencers in the community to create social media ads tailored to protecting women and girls.

Based on UN Women data and research from their initiatives, prevention is still the most cost-effective method of stopping violence. Prevention can include investing resources and money into women’s organizations, implementing gender equality laws, investing in higher education for women and girls, and educating men and boys about gender-based violence. UN Women has been working in male-dominated job fields, sports industries, and the media to reach men and boys to educate them about respectful domestic relationships, harmful behaviors, and perceptions of women in the community.

After experiencing gender-based violence, only 40% of women seek help or assistance, and only 10% go to the police. Many factors contribute to women staying silent, including coercion, fear of retribution, shame from their family and community, loss of social status, lack of knowledge of how and where to receive help, and the high costs of accessing those resources. These obstacles can lead to revictimization, which can further traumatize the individual and possibly affect children.

Focus Questions:

This committee should focus on the before, during, and after stages of violence against women and girls. The ‘before’ stage means prevention: what legislation can be passed to protect women and girls from this violence? How can education around this topic reach urban and rural areas? What services and safe centers are in place for victims now, and how can they be improved? The ‘during’ stage can include short-term assistance for the victims such as healthcare, counselling, direct police response, and legal connections. How can women and girls survive the days, weeks, and months following violence? How can international organizations strengthen reporting and prevention of violence against women? And finally, the ‘after’ stage of violence. How can the community continue to support victims of gender-based violence? What educational initiatives can be created? How can women and girls advocate for themselves and each other until gender-based violence is eliminated?

Useful Links:

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women
https://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/convention-elimination-all-forms-discrimination-against-women

UN Global Database on Violence against Women and Girls Overview
https://data.unwomen.org/global-database-on-violence-against-women

UN Global Database on Violence against Women and Girls Data
https://data.unwomen.org/global-database-on-violence-against-women/data-form

UN Women Page on Ending Violence Against Women
https://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/prevention

Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action
https://www.unwomen.org/en/digital-library/publications/2015/01/beijing-declaration

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