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End violence against women and girls - UN for IWD 2009

by mtammas | March 5, 2009 at 03:22 pm

575 views | 68 Recommendations | 11 comments

Sunday, March 8, is International Women's Day. This year the United Nations has chosen as its IWD 2009 theme, "Women and men united against violence against women and girls".

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released these remarks and more to mark this year's worldwide IWD celebrations and commemorations.

One year ago, I launched a campaign calling on people and Governments the world over to unite to end violence against women and girls.

We called it “Unite to End Violence against Women”. And unite we must.

It is sometimes said that women are weavers and men are too often warriors.

Women bear and care for our children. In much of the world, they plant the crops that feed us. They weave the fabric of our societies.

Violence against women is thus an attack on all of us, on the foundation of our civilization.

It destroys health and perpetuates poverty. It strikes against equality and empowerment.

It contributes to the spread of HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

Worldwide, one in five women suffer rape or attempted rape. In some countries, as many as one in three women are beaten, forced into sex or otherwise abused. This is alarming and shocking.

This must stop.

In 2008, South African-born, award-winning actor Charlize Theron became the UNs' Messenger of Peace who's particular focus is ending violence against women.

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Amy Judd

at 15:36 on March 5th, 2009

I hope this day has an impact around the world.

Jarrett Martineau

at 15:45 on March 5th, 2009

Thanks for this timely and important story. Here in Vancouver, the Sistahood Celebration is a great annual festival of women in art & music -- and an excellent way to support local artists and International Women's Day!

sara star

at 15:51 on March 5th, 2009

This is a good step towards respecting the woman's role. They do weave the fabric of our societies.

Paschen

at 17:33 on March 5th, 2009

We have to end all violence.

Roy C

at 18:40 on March 5th, 2009

Why is it always violence against women and girls? I will guarantee you that most violent men were treated violently at home. And, I will guarentee you that most men with violent histories against women were beaten by their mothers.

When a child is killed, the mother more likely was the killer the child than the father. That is the story of violence in the family.

Even the most modern studies of spousal violence show that women are almost as violent as men.

As is posted above: all violence must stop.

Fripouille

at 15:07 on March 6th, 2009

Hi, Roy,

"I will guarentee you that most men with violent histories against women were beaten by their mothers".

Wow! So you're saying here that most violence against women by men is the fault of women themselves? (Mothers).

Hmm. That's quite a statement.........

sara star

at 15:29 on March 6th, 2009

Yes I agree all violence must stop.

I disagree somewhat with your analogy Roy. What comes first the chicken or the egg? The men are violent because the women beat them, but the women became beaters because that is what they were taught.

I think the important thing is that it is woman's day on an International Scale and Women in most countries are suppressed. In America, our freedoms are greater, but we still are suppressed even here.

The female role is not honored. Have we ever had a female leader? And the female leaders that do rise up in the ranks are often "women behaving like men", so they can fit in and compete.

The thing that is not highly valued is the female qualities which is found in both women and men. The female components such as sweetness, emotional expression, nurturing is seen as "sissy" or weak. How are we to learn compassion then? At the end men suffer too, for they have to deny the woman inside them. There will be no peace until women's honor is restored.

Michelle Obama is a woman who exudes feminine qualities, and we see it spill over to the President who treats her with admiration and love, unafraid to show it. The other presidents just seem to pale in comparison, more like a duty, or political respect. Barack truly cares about Michelle's opinions.

Let us celebrate women and and celebrate men who honor their own feminine side.

Roy C

at 18:52 on March 5th, 2009

Thanks, Cypresso. I think that couching the violence question in these terms is convenient politically.

I first picked this up watching the Donahue Show decades ago. Very popular topic- violence against women, but when Donahue would have a topic about violence in the home by both parents, the audience lost its "enthusiasm" for the lib talk-show host.