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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 8:46 pm
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Results for female genital mutilation
22 results foundAuthor: Roy, Sumanta Title: The Missing Link: A Joined Up Approach to Addressing Harmful Practices in London Summary: This study was commissioned and funded by the Greater London Authority to address a knowledge gap on the needs of black, minority ethnic and refugee (BMER) women experiencing harmful practices (HPs). The specific aim of the study was to provide a document which would help to engage commissioners, funders, policy-makers and frontline practitioners to improve the way London responds to HPs. The study was carried out between December 2010 and March 2011. There is no universal definition nor is there an exhaustive list of harmful practices. The term ‘harmful traditional practices’ was used by the World Health Organisation in 1979 at a regional seminar held in the Sudan as a less contentious cover for raising the subject of female genital mutilation. It was used at a time when the issue was considered to be too controversial to be raised as a single issue. Henceforth, other practices, including early marriage and forced feeding, along with female genital mutilation were referred to as harmful traditional practices. Historically, there are practices that would not be considered to be gender-based violence within the evolving definition of HPs. The United Nations has defined harmful traditional practices as: "forms of violence that have been committed against women in certain communities and societies for so long that they are considered part of accepted cultural practice. These violations include female genital mutilation or cutting (FGM), dowry murder, so-called ‘honour killings,’ and early marriage. They lead to death, disability, physical and psychological harm for millions of women annually" (UNFEM 2007). In addition to the above list, acid attacks would also be a type of HP (UN 2009:4). There are a number of reasons why these forms of violence may occur. First, harmful practices, as forms of violence against women, are rooted in gender inequality. Other reasons cited often include ‘traditional’ values, such as the authority and wisdom of parents and children’s duty of obedience. However, the commonality between these forms of violence tends to be the existence of established hierarchical power-relationships between men and women and between parents and children. Despite their harmful nature and their violation of international human rights laws, such practices persist because they are not questioned and take on an aura of morality in the eyes of those practicing them (UN, Office of the High Commissions for Human Rights, undated).The United Nations recognises that “the ways in which culture shapes violence against women are as varied as culture itself” (UN 2009:7). For example, some writers have referred to the phenomenon of ‘date rape’ as a cultural norm although it is not always labelled as such. Some academics have argued that there is inadequate focus on harmful practices in western societies. Jeffreys (2005), for example, argues that prostitution and pornography are harmful practices yet are rarely discussed in the context of cultural practices. Furthermore, it is evident that new HPs are constantly developing, and existing HPs have altered as a result of globalisation, migration and practices against women (UN 2009:7,11). For this study, the term ‘harmful practices’ was used instead of ‘harmful traditional practices’. The use of the word tradition was considered to be inappropriate for a number of reasons. By framing violence in certain communities as a custom, tradition or within a religious context it implies that violence against women and girls (VAWG) is an accepted norm or practice and makes it difficult to understand and challenge from within the VAWG framework. In addition, ‘traditional’ reinforces the ghettoisation of violence against women in BMER communities. Details: London: Greater London Authority, 2011. 86p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 27, 2012 at: http://www.imkaan.org.uk/index_htm_files/The%20Missing%20Link%20Full%20Report%20September%202011.pdf Year: 2011 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.imkaan.org.uk/index_htm_files/The%20Missing%20Link%20Full%20Report%20September%202011.pdf Shelf Number: 125422 Keywords: Female Genital MutilationForced MarriageGender-Based ViolenceHonor-Based ViolenceViolence Against Women (U.K.) |
Author: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Title: Too Much Pain: Female Genital Mutilation and Asylum in the European Union Summary: Female genital mutilation (FGM) includes procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. This harmful traditional practice is most common in the western, eastern, and north-eastern regions of Africa; in some countries in Asia and the Middle East; and among migrant and refugee communities from these areas in Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States of America. FGM is recognized internationally as a violation of the human rights of girls and women. The practice also violates a person's rights to health, security and physical integrity; the right to be free from torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment; and the right to life when the procedure results in death. The practice of FGM is also considered as a criminal act in all EU Member States. This statistical overview has been prepared on the occasion of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) study on FGM in the European Union and Croatia. Little is known about FGM in the European Union in general, and this statement holds true about FGM and asylum more specifically. In light of the recognized need for country- and community-tailored responses, this study provides some of the statistical evidence needed to advance the discussion on the necessary policies and tools to address the specific vulnerabilities of female asylum-seekers with FGM in the asylum system on the one hand, and of refugee girls and women living with FGM and integrating in EU Member States on the other hand. In addition, in the absence of statistical data on asylum claims relating to this harmful traditional practice, this document also provides estimates that draw attention to the specific needs for international protection girls (and their parents) as well as women may raise in relation to FGM. Details: Geneva, SWIT: UNHCR, 2013. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 12, 2015 at: http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/512c72ec2.pdf Year: 2013 Country: International URL: http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/512c72ec2.pdf Shelf Number: 134617 Keywords: Asylum SeekersChild Abuse and NeglectChild ProtectionFemale CuttingFemale Genital Mutilation Gender-Related ViolenceHuman Rights AbusesViolence Against Women |
Author: Population Reference Bureau Title: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Data and Trends Update 2014 Summary: An estimated 100 million to 140 million girls and women worldwide have undergone female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and more than 3 million girls are at risk for cutting each year on the African continent alone. The PRB data sheet, Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: Data and Trends Update 2014, contains the latest information available on the practice. This update of PRB's 2010 wallchart shows the practice is still present in at least 29 developing countries, although there is some evidence that younger generations in some countries may face a slightly smaller risk. FGM/C is generally performed on girls between ages 4 and 12, although it is practiced in some cultures as early as a few days after birth or as late as just prior to marriage. Typically, traditional excisors have carried out the procedure, but in some countries the procedure has been performed by medical professionals. FGM/C poses serious physical and mental health risks for women and young girls, especially for those who have undergone extreme forms of the procedure. According to a 2006 World Health organization study, FGM/C can be linked to increased complications in childbirth and even maternal deaths. Other side effects include severe pain, hemorrhage, tetanus, infection, infertility, cysts and abscesses, urinary incontinence, and psychological and sexual problems. FGM/C is practiced in at least 28 countries in Africa and a few others in Asia and the Middle East. The 29 developing countries included on this chart are the only ones where recent data have been systematically collected. FGM/C is practiced in households at all educational levels and all social classes and occurs among many religious groups (Muslims, Christians, and animists), although no religion mandates it. Prevalence rates vary significantly from country to country (from nearly 98 percent in Somalia to less than 2 percent in Uganda and Cameroon) and even within countries. Since the early 1990s, FGM/C has gained recognition as a health and human rights issue among African governments, the international community, women's organizations, and professional associations. Global and national efforts to end FGM/C have resulted increasingly in legislation targeting excisors, medical professionals, and families who perpetuate the practice; of the 29 countries on this wallchart, 25 now have laws or decrees related to FGM/C. Read a PRB blog about Feb. 6, the International Day of Zero Tolerance for FGM/C. In a number of countries, data collected in recent years reflect lower levels of cutting among girls ages 15 to 19, giving hope that abandonment efforts are yielding results. Details: Washington, DC: Population Reference Bureau, 2014. 11p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 18, 2015 at: http://www.prb.org/pdf14/fgm-wallchart2014.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: http://www.prb.org/pdf14/fgm-wallchart2014.pdf Shelf Number: 135706 Keywords: Female Genital MutilationGenital CuttingViolence Against Women, Children |
Author: West Midlands Police and Crime Panel Title: Tackling Female Genital Mutilation in the West Midlands Summary: Female genital mutilation (FGM) also known as female circumcision or cutting, is a collective term for procedures which include the partial or total removal of the external female genital organs, or injury to the female genital organs, for cultural or other non-therapeutic reasons. FGM is medically unnecessary, is extremely painful, and has serious health consequences, both at the time of the procedure, and in later life. It can also be psychologically damaging. A number of girls die as a direct result of the procedure, from blood loss or infection. In the longer term, women who have undergone some form of FGM are twice as likely to die in childbirth, and four times more likely to give birth to a still born child. The Female Genital Mutilation Act 2003 makes it - illegal to practice FGM in the UK - illegal to assist a girl to mutilate her own genitalia - illegal to take girls who are British Nationals or permanent residents of the UK abroad for FGM whether or not it is lawful in that country; - Illegal to aid, abet, counsel or procure the carrying out of FGM abroad; An offence under this act has a maximum penalty of up to 14 years in prison and/or a fine. Female genital mutilation is physical abuse, and whilst it is perceived by parents not to be an act of hate, it is harmful, it is child abuse and it is unlawful. It has long lasting significant implications for those who have the procedure performed on them. Details: Birmingham, UK: West Midlands Police and Crime Panel, 2015. 76p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 3, 2015 at: http://westmidlandspcp.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/WMPCP-Tackling-FGM-in-the-West-Midlands.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://westmidlandspcp.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/WMPCP-Tackling-FGM-in-the-West-Midlands.pdf Shelf Number: 136294 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Middelburg, M.J. Title: Implementation of the international and regional human rights framework for the elimination of female genital mutilation Summary: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is the practice of partially or totally removing the external female genitalia or otherwise injuring the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is often believed to be a requirement for marriage and necessary to control women's sexuality. FGM is a reproductive health and human rights concern that has devastating short-term and long-term impacts on the lives of women and girls. The procedure is risky and life-threatening for the girl both during the procedure and throughout the course of her life. FGM is considered a harmful practice and a form of violence against women Before the 1990s, the international community did not view violence against women in general and more specifically FGM as a major issue. If violence against women was recognized as an issue at all, it was seen as under the purview of national governments, not a subject of international law. Violence against women was widely viewed as a private act or a domestic matter carried out by private individuals. For this reason FGM was initially placed beyond the scope of international human rights law. This changed in the 1990s with the global movement against violence against women. Landmark events were the adoption of General Recommendation No. 14 on female circumcision (1990) and General Recommendation No. 192 on violence against women (1992) by the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women. The Committee explicitly included violence against women as a matter falling under the scope of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and thus under international human rights law. The World Conference on Human Rights (1993) was another landmark event. The concluding document, the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, expanded the international human rights agenda to include gender-based violence. It advocated the importance of "working towards the elimination of violence against women in public and private life, and the eradication of any conflicts which may arise between the rights of women and the harmful effects of certain traditional or customary practices." A few months after the conference, the General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. This was another key step, as it recognized FGM as a form of violence against women for the first time. In article 2, the declaration expressly stated that "Violence against women shall be understood to encompass, but not be limited to, the following: female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women." Although not legally binding, this declaration strengthened the growing international consensus that gender-based violence is a human rights violation. Details: New York: UNFRA, 2014. 89p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 31, 2015 at: https://pure.uvt.nl/portal/files/5332551/Paper_UNFPA_New_York.pdf Year: 2014 Country: International URL: https://pure.uvt.nl/portal/files/5332551/Paper_UNFPA_New_York.pdf Shelf Number: 136620 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationGender-Based ViolenceHuman Rights AbusesViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Great Britain. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary Title: The Depths of Dishonour: Hidden Voices and Shameful Crimes. An inspection of the police response to honour-based violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation Summary: This is the first time that Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) has inspected and reported upon the police service's response to crimes of honour-based violence, forced marriage and female genital mutilation. Further, it is the first time that any inspectorate within England and Wales has examined the service provided to victims2 of these crimes, actual and potential, supported by the most powerful of insights, from victims themselves. It is one of the most important reports ever produced by HMIC. Crimes committed in the name of so-called honour are despicable and damaging; they may be life-changing or life-threatening; in some cases, they end in death. Forced marriage is a specific crime that is equally serious, equally damaging. Female genital mutilation is not a requirement for any religion but it is a practice that reaches across numerous cultures to ruin the lives of many women and girls. This report provides information and analysis for the public about how police forces respond to, investigate, and protect victims of these appalling and damaging crimes. It provides a baseline on which police and other public sector agencies can build to establish effective responses to victims. It should also focus the minds of those organisations to work together to prevent others from becoming victims in future. Details: London: HMIC, 2015. 191p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed February 8, 2016 at: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmic/wp-content/uploads/the-depths-of-dishonour.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmic/wp-content/uploads/the-depths-of-dishonour.pdf Shelf Number: 137804 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationForced MarriageGender-Based ViolenceHonor-Based ViolencePolice Policies and ProceduresPolice-Community PartnershipsViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Macfarlane, Alison Title: Prevalence of Female Genital Mutilation in England and Wales: national and local estimates Summary: This report contains estimates of the numbers of women with female genital mutilation (FGM) living in England and Wales, the numbers of women with FGM giving birth and the numbers of girls born to women with FGM. Headline figures for England and Wales as a whole were published in an interim report. This full report contains estimates at a local authority level. To enable interpretation of these data, it also contains data about the extent to which FGM is practised in the women's countries of origin and about the populations of women born in these countries and living in England and Wales in 2011. Sources of data To derive these estimates, data about the prevalence of FGM were derived from reports of household interview surveys in the countries in which it is practised. Demographic data about women born in these countries and girls born to them were derived from the 2011 census and from birth registration. In the census analysis, women who had been born in countries where FGM is practised, but were members of South Asian and other populations which do not practise FGM were, as far as possible, excluded from the analyses. For analyses of birth data, it was not possible to do this directly, so multiplying factors derived from the census analyses were used to estimate the relevant numbers. Migration to England and Wales from countries where FGM is practiced The overall numbers of women aged 15-49 who were permanently resident in England and Wales but born in FGM practising countries increased from 182,000 in 2001 to 283,000 in 2011. Numbers of women born in the countries in the Horn of Africa, where FGM is almost universal and where the most severe Type III form, infibulation, is commonly practised, increased by 34,000 from 22,000 in 2001 to 56,000 in 2011. The numbers of women from countries in East and West Africa, where FGM Types I and II, clitoridectomy with or without excision of the labia minora, are very common, also increased by 10,000 over the same period. Estimated numbers of women and girls with FGM An estimated 103,000 women aged 15-49 with FGM born in countries in which it is practised were living in England and Wales in 2011, compared with the estimated 66,000 in 2001. This represented an estimated prevalence rate of 7.7 per 1,000 women. In addition there were an estimated 24,000 women aged 50 and over with FGM born in FGM practising countries and nearly 10,000 girls aged 0-14 born in FGM practising countries who have undergone or are likely to undergo FGM. These groups had lower prevalence rates of 2.3 and 2.0 per 1,000 population respectively. Combining the figures for the three age groups, an estimated 137,000 women and girls with FGM, born in countries where FGM is practised, were permanently resident in England and Wales in 2011. This represented a prevalence rate of 4.8 per 1,000 population. Estimated prevalence rates for all regions and local authority areas in England and Wales showed wide variations. Details: London: City University of London, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed March 16, 2016 at: http://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/FGM-statistics-final-report-21-07-15-released-text.pdf Year: 2015 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/FGM-statistics-final-report-21-07-15-released-text.pdf Shelf Number: 138255 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: U.S. Government Accountability Office Title: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting: U.S. Assistance to Combat This Harmful Practice Abroad Is Limited Summary: More than 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone FGM/C in the 30 countries where available data show this harmful practice is concentrated. More than 3 million girls are estimated to be at risk for FGM/C annually in Africa. FGM/C comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia, or other injury to the female genital organs. It is rooted in the cultural traditions of many communities but has several adverse health consequences and the UN identifies it as a violation of human rights. In 2015, the UN General Assembly adopted a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 that included the elimination of FGM/C among its targets. UNFPA and UNICEF implement the Joint Program on FGM/C in 17 countries-the largest current international assistance effort to address FGM/C. State and USAID include FGM/C as part of their global strategy to respond to gender-based violence. GAO was asked to review State's and USAID's efforts to address FGM/C abroad. This report (1) summarizes findings from recent U.S. and UN studies about factors contributing to FGM/C and approaches to addressing this practice and (2) examines State's and USAID's current efforts to address FGM/C abroad. GAO reviewed recent UN and USAID studies on assistance efforts to address FGM/C, analyzed related strategies and policies, and interviewed State and USAID officials. GAO also analyzed information on FGM/C-related projects and activities from USAID's overseas missions, and State and USAID bureaus. GAO is making no recommendations in this report. Details: Washington, DC: GAO, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: GAO-16-485: Accessed May 25, 2016 at: http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/676833.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://www.gao.gov/assets/680/676833.pdf Shelf Number: 139151 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Macfarlane, Alison Title: Female Genital Mutilation in England and Wales: Updated statistical estimates of the numbers of affected women living in England and Wales and girls at risk Interim report on provisional estimates Summary: This report contains provisional estimates of the numbers of women with female genital mutilation (FGM) living in England and Wales, the numbers of women with FGM giving birth and the numbers of girls born to women with FGM. These are headline figures for England and Wales as a whole. Further work is under way to provide estimates at a local authority level and to refine these national analyses. These will be published later in the full project report. Details: London: City University London, 2014. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed June 29, 2016 at: http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/3865/1/Female%20Genital%20Mutilation%20in%20England%20and%20Wales.pdf Year: 2014 Country: United Kingdom URL: http://openaccess.city.ac.uk/3865/1/Female%20Genital%20Mutilation%20in%20England%20and%20Wales.pdf Shelf Number: 139536 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: European Institute for Gender Equality Title: Estimation of girls at risk of female genital mutilation in the European Union Summary: Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a violent form of subordination of women and girls that stands in gross contradiction to principles of gender equality. Following a request from the European Commission, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) collected and processed first EU-wide data and information on the prevalence of female genital mutilation and then examined national FGM prevention approaches and finally published all the data in the report in 2013. This follow-up study proposing a methodology for the estimation of the number of girls at risk of female genital mutilation in the EU Member States was carried out in 2014. The countries chosen for pilot-testing the methodology were Ireland, Portugal and Sweden. This report analyses current legal and policy frameworks in the EU Member States, existing approaches to national FGM risk estimations in the EU and their methodological background. It presents quantitative and qualitative data analysis, including that of various focus groups, and carries out a comparative analysis of the selected Member States. The research highlights that strategies preventing female genital mutilation in the EU are effective and their success depends on cooperation between governments and the communities involved. The findings show that the female genital mutilation risk varies between the Member States according to the total number of first generation migrants originating from a country with high FGM prevalence. Methodology and indicators developed within the present study on FGM risk measurements give a better understanding of this harmful practice. Despite the difficulty to estimate exact numbers of girls at risk of female genital mutilation, the effectiveness of continuous prevention efforts and cooperation between concerned communities and regulatory bodies have been identified as influential factors. The report presents recommendations to the Member States on FGM risk assessment and policy development, including the adoption of the Istanbul Convention and effective implementation of the Victim's Rights Directive in national legal frameworks. Details: Vilnius, Lithuania: European Institute for Gender Equality, 2015. 113p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed July 23, 2016 at: http://eige.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/MH0215093ENN_Web.pdf Year: 2015 Country: Europe URL: http://eige.europa.eu/sites/default/files/documents/MH0215093ENN_Web.pdf Shelf Number: 139801 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationGender-Based ViolenceViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Norman, Kate Title: "Between Two Cultures": A Rapid PEER Study Exploring Migrant Communities' Views on Female Genital Mutilation in Essex and Norfolk, UK Summary: This report shares the findings from a rapid PEER study, carried out by migrant women and men living in Norfolk and Essex, UK. Eighteen Peer Researchers, (15 women and 3 men) were recruited through local community organisations and trained and supported by FORWARD and Barnardo's to design and carry out conversational interviews with their peers focusing on life in the UK, and Female Genital Mutilation. The study focused on low prevalence areas as identified in the UK Prevalence study on FGM. The aims of this research were to: - Shed light on the lived realities of migrants from these countries and gain insights into their communities' views on FGM in the UK as well as back in their country of origin. - For the first time, research attitudes and support for FGM in predominantly white British areas that are considered "low prevalence" for the practice. - Use the findings to inform and strengthen FGM prevention programmes. - Empower those involved in the research, strengthening their voice and ensuring that they are at the centre of research and programmes that concern them. Details: London: National FMG Center, Barnado's: 2016. 55p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 30, 2016 at: https://barnardosfgm.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/12/0/filename/Peer+Research+National+FGM+Centre.pdf Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://barnardosfgm.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/12/0/filename/Peer+Research+National+FGM+Centre.pdf Shelf Number: 140105 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationMigrantsViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Great Britain. House of Commons. Home Affairs Committee Title: Female genital mutilation: abuse unchecked Summary: Background to this report 1. Our predecessor Committee published two reports on female genital mutilation (FGM) towards the end of the last Parliament. Its over-riding conclusion in July 2014 was that “FGM is a severe form of gender-based violence, and where it is carried out on a girl, it is an extreme form of child abuse. Everyone who has a responsibility for safeguarding children must view FGM in this way. While welcoming action taken by the Government and the impressive work undertaken by campaigners, the follow-up report, published in March 2015, concluded that insufficient progress had been made in tackling this pernicious problem, particularly in relation to prosecutions. We therefore decided it was right to revisit this issue to assess whether further positive developments had taken place. 2. In July 2016 we hosted a roundtable discussion on FGM that brought together survivors, grassroots organisations, clinicians, representatives from the criminal justice system and educationalists. In recent years the profile of FGM has risen significantly across Parliament, the media and the public, largely as a result of the tireless efforts by campaigners and public servants including those who attended the roundtable.2 We would like to thank all those who contributed to the discussion as well as those who attended the event as invited guests in the audience. The roundtable informed an evidence session with Karen Bradley MP, the then Minister for Preventing Abuse, Exploitation and Crime, on 12 July 2016. The nature, scale and geographical spread of FGM 3. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines female genital mutilation as “all procedures involving the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons”. There are four main types: • Type 1 (clitoridectomy), which involves partial or total removal of the clitoris and, in rare cases, only the prepuce; • Type 2 (excision), which involves partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora; • Type 3 (infibulation), which involves narrowing of the vaginal opening through the creation of a covering seal, which is formed by cutting and repositioning the inner or outer labia, with or without removal of the clitoris; and • Type 4 (other), which comprises all other harmful procedures to the female genitalia for non-medical purposes, such as pricking, piercing or incision of the clitoris and/or the labia; stretching of the clitoris and/or labia; and cauterisation or burning of the clitoris and surrounding tissues. International bodies such as the United Nations and the WHO are unanimous that FGM has no health benefits and leads to short- and long-term physical and psychological harm. In the short term, FGM can result in severe pain, excessive bleeding, fever, urinary problems and even death. Longer-term effects include menstrual problems, difficulties in childbirth, sexual problems and psychological trauma. 4. FGM is practised in more than 29 African countries and by certain ethnic groups in the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula and along the Persian Gulf. It is concentrated in the Horn of Africa but it is also highly prevalent in other countries in North, East and West Africa. The WHO has also reported FGM in India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kurdistan, Israel, Malaysia and the United Arab Emirates. It has been estimated that more than 200 million women worldwide have been subjected to FGM and three million girls are believed to be at risk each year. The map below shows the percentage of women and girls aged 15 to 49 years who have been subjected to FGM in countries where it is most prevalent. Details: London: House of Commons, 2016. 34p. Government Response, 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Ninth Report of Session 2016-17: Accessed December 9, 2016 at: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmhaff/390/390.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201617/cmselect/cmhaff/390/390.pdf Shelf Number: 140372 Keywords: Female CuttlingFemale Genital MutilationGender-Based ViolenceViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: International NGO Council on Violence Against Children Title: 10 Years On: Global Progress & Delay in Ending Violence Against Children - The Rhetoric & the Reality Summary: The International NGO Council on Violence Against Children formed in 2007, to support strong and effective follow-up to the UN Study on Violence against Children. Now, as the Sustainable Development Goals adopt the call to end all violence against children and the Global Partnership to End Violence Against Children take up the mantle of pursuing this goal, the NGO Council publishes its fourth and final report: a warts and all account of the progress made and the work that lies ahead to end violence against children. In the ten years since the Study was published, we have made great strides in learning about the violence that affects children around the world and we have seen great advances in combating some of those forms of violence. Yet for many children, violence is an ever present fact of life. Where progress has been made, it remains tainted by its limitations: the rates at which children are subjected to female genital mutilation are falling rapidly, but because of population increases, the number of women and girls who have experienced this form of violence are actually increasing. The number of countries that have legally prohibited all forms of corporal punishment of children has tripled since the Study was published, yet an estimated one billion children still experience physical violence in the home on a regular basis. Children in detention are among the most vulnerable to violence, and while detention rates in many of the world's juvenile justice systems have fallen sharply over the last decade, we are seeing the detention of children in immigration systems increasing and taking on new forms. Perhaps worse still, many of the most severe forms of violence children experience remain legal, whether in the 14 States that still allow the death penalty for children, the 22 countries that still legally permit certain forms of female genital mutilation, or the 93 that allow girls to marry before the age of 18. The Violence Study set 2009 as a deadline to legally prohibit all of these practices, but we are still far from this goal. The persistence of violence against children is a challenge to us all: why have we not been able to achieve change quickly enough? The contributions from key global experts on violence against children point to some hard truths about our failings, but also to the way ahead. We have failed to effectively challenge the social acceptance of so many forms of violence and struggled to achieve the legal prohibition of all forms of violence that is a necessary basis for eliminating these practices. If we are to realise goal 16.2 of the SDGs to end all forms of violence against children by 2030, we must learn these lessons of our efforts so far. Details: s.l.: The Council, 2016. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed December 22, 2016 at: http://www.wvi.org/sites/default/files/Int_NGO_Council_VAC_Report2016.pdf Year: 2016 Country: International URL: http://www.wvi.org/sites/default/files/Int_NGO_Council_VAC_Report2016.pdf Shelf Number: 147788 Keywords: Child Abuse and Neglect Child MaltreatmentChild Protection Female Genital MutilationViolence Against ChildrenViolence Prevention |
Author: UN Women Title: Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting and Violence Against Women and Girls: Strengthening the policy linkages between different forms of violence Summary: Violence against women and girls (VAWG) manifests in different forms. These include intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, sexual exploitation and trafficking, and harmful practices such as female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) and child, early and forced marriage, among others. Programmes to end harmful practices and programmes to end intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence are often planned and implemented separately, despite all being rooted in gender inequality and gender-based discrimination against women and girls. While this is intended so that programmes can be tailored accordingly, it can result in isolation of initiatives that would otherwise benefit from sharing of knowledge and good practices and from strategic, coordinated efforts. This policy note explores policy and programming interlinkages and considers entry points in the areas of (i) national legislation, (ii) prevention strategies, (iii) response for survivors, and (iv) data and evidence, for increased coordination and collaboration to advance the objectives of ending FGM/C and other forms of VAWG, in particular intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence. The note builds on the background paper "Finding convergence in policy frameworks: A background paper on the policy links between gender, violence against women and girls, and female genital mutilation/cutting". This policy note is intended for multiple audiences, including those directly involved in policy development, planning and implementing initiatives, those providing technical support, and advocates for ending all forms of VAWG, including FGM/C. This work is the result of a collaboration of UN Women with the UNFPA–UNICEF Joint Programme on FGM/C. Details: New York: UN Women, 2017. 20p. Source: Internet Resource: Policy Note: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2017/policy-note-female-genital-mutilation-cutting-and-violence-against-women-and-girls-en.pdf?vs=905 Year: 2017 Country: International URL: http://www.unwomen.org/-/media/headquarters/attachments/sections/library/publications/2017/policy-note-female-genital-mutilation-cutting-and-violence-against-women-and-girls-en.pdf?vs=905 Shelf Number: 145745 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationGenital MutilationViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Andro, Armelle Title: Female genital mutilation around the world Summary: Where in the world is female genital cutting still practiced? Has female genital mutilation (FGM) become less common with continuing efforts to eradicate the practice, or has it persisted? Drawing on the most recent surveys, Armelle Andro and Marie Lesclingand offer an overview of the situation and trends in FGM around the world, and recall the consequences of genital mutilation for women's sexual and reproductive health. Details: Paris: French Institute for Demographic Studies (INED), 2017. 4p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 3, 2017 at: https://www.ined.fr/fichier/s_rubrique/26419/543.population.societies.2017.april.en.pdf Year: 2017 Country: International URL: https://www.ined.fr/fichier/s_rubrique/26419/543.population.societies.2017.april.en.pdf Shelf Number: 145255 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital Mutilation Genital Mutilation Violence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Greater London Authority Title: Tackling Female Genital Mutilation in London Summary: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) refers to procedures that intentionally alter or cause injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. 500,000 girls and women living in Europe have undergone FGM, and it is estimated that 170,000 women and girls are living with FGM in the UK today and that a further 65,000 girls under the age of 13 are at risk of the procedure. The first FGM figures in England, released last year, show that between April 2015 and March 2016 there were almost 6,000 new cases of FGM reported.2 FGM is a violation of the rights of girls and women. 50 per cent of all cases of FGM recorded in England are in London. The practice of FGM has been illegal in the UK since 1985. The law was strengthened in 2003 to prevent girls travelling from the UK and undergoing FGM abroad. In October 2015 a mandatory reporting duty, which requires regulated health and social care professionals and teachers in England and Wales to report 'known' cases of FGM in under 18s to the police, came into force. While laws are in place to stop FGM, we know legislation is only part of the solution. Prevention and education are important - training is key to empowering professionals and communities to speak up about what is going on in London, and schools need to take the right steps to protect vulnerable girls from FGM. The Mayor has said that tackling FGM will be an important part of his mayoralty. The campaign against the practice of FGM has gained significant momentum in the last few years. Positive steps have been taken to tackle FGM, and we have moved in the right direction. However, FGM is a hidden crime, is still taking place, and many girls remain at risk. It is apparent that there is still much more to be done to end this practice. In January 2017, the London Assembly held a conference that brought together frontline professionals with responsibility for tackling FGM from across the capital. It provided an opportunity for professionals to share best practice and talk frankly and openly about the challenges and barriers to tackling FGM. Details: London: London Assembly, 2017. 26p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed October 4, 2017 at: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/london_assembly_report_-_tackling_fgm_in_london.pdf Year: 2017 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/london_assembly_report_-_tackling_fgm_in_london.pdf Shelf Number: 147544 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: American University. Washington College of Law. Center for Human Rights and Humanitarian Law Title: Gender Perspectives on Torture: Law and Practice Summary: I once asked a Guatemalan public defender how she knew when a woman's murder was the result of gender-based violence and not a simple homicide. She showed me several pictures of women's half or fully naked bodies exhibiting obvious signs of torture, mutilation, and violent sexual assault prior to their deaths. She said that was how women's bodies were usually found. That was the difference between gender-based violence and simple homicide. Women's bodies are often used as instruments to send messages of terror, or as instruments of pleasure, or as instruments of experimentation. In all of these cases, gender-based violence is recognizable because of its profound denial of personhood. The common thread running through the collection of articles presented in this publication is that women's bodies are still looked at and treated as instruments, or means to achieving a goal, rather than as autonomous individuals. Killing a body to end a life is different than killing a body to send a signal. In both cases, the person is refused her or his basic right to life, but in the latter, the person is a mark, a sign for others to see and use. The first chapter of this volume elaborates on the notion of gender-based violence, the need to incorporate a gender perspective in legal systems in general, and the responsibilities of States with regard to those at the margins of legal protections. Although gender-based violence has existed since the beginning of time, it has only entered the realm of human rights as a specific issue within the last decades. International human rights law, traditionally, has not protected women from the harms they have suffered as a result of being women. As with the rest of legal and political institutions, women have had to struggle for their experiences to be recognized. The invisibility of women's harms has also included a lack of reparations with a gender perspective; if the suffering women have endured is not understood, its consequences cannot be adequately addressed. Owing to the inclusion of a gender perspective, human rights treaty bodies have started to include reparations that put women, and not only their families or communities, at the center of their analyses. The new trends in international human rights are welcome by the international community, but they have not necessarily translated into substantive protection of women's and girl's rights, and States must work to ensure that they carry through with their obligations to investigate incidents of gender-based violence and provide redress for victims. Chapter two examines specific forms of violence that women and girls experience throughout the world, including honor killings, female genital mutilation, pregnancy and virginity testing, and the use of forced contraception and addresses the need to advance the humanization of women's rights. States have been reluctant to introduce laws opposing these forms of violence on grounds that certain practices are based on culture or religion. Although international human rights law protects the right to freedom of religion, sexual-based violence cannot be excused on religious grounds, and it has taken too long for laws to begin to act against practices that constitute torture or ill-treatment. The chapter invites readers to view women as the protagonists of human rights standards rather than continually framing men as the central figures of such rights; the standard of protection cannot always be viewed through the lens of male actors. The chapter then moves beyond the gender perspective as a tool to protect women and analyzes the need for the specific recognition of harms suffered by trans and intersex individuals. Perhaps one of the most important challenges that legal systems face is the deconstruction of the male-female binary, and international human rights is not shielded from this challenge. The chapter reinforces the need for human rights to go beyond the binary with regard to the protection of individuals by analyzing how torture and ill-treatment has played an intricate role in the lives of a whole category of individuals. For many trans and intersex persons, torture and ill-treatment are a constant in their lives and this chapter invites us to better understand what torture and ill-treatment means from the perspective of these individuals. The third chapter focuses specifically on deprivation of liberty, and the torture and ill-treatment that often take place under custodial settings. Vulnerability increases in detention facilities, even when the detention is considered lawful. In the cases of LGBTI individuals, who are at greater risk of being in contact with the criminal justice system, once in custodial settings they are subject to brutality and abuse by prison authorities and fellow inmates. This violence is usually underreported and tends to be ignored by State officials because of the underlying assumption that people of diverse sexualities "deserve punishment" for not conforming to traditional gender roles. For custodial settings to cease being places of torture and ill-treatment for LGBTI individuals, violence must be understood from a gender and sexuality perspective. For prison officials, this means not placing trans individuals, whose legal names may not correspond to the gender with which they identify, in solitary confinement because they are unsure of where to house them-it simply replaces one form of violence with another form. The chapter also addresses how criminal justice systems are structured around the idea of a male detainee. Incarcerated women-and their visitors-often endure invasive and humiliating searches, where the women are forced to undress in front of unqualified male officers who may also perform unnecessary body cavity searches. These techniques are not used with the legitimate purpose of ensuring safety within the detention facility, but rather to dehumanize and assert power over the already powerless. This is even more serious when it affects young girls. Criminal justice systems are also not structured with families in mind; "ideal perpetrators" are not only male but also single and with no dependents. Women detainees tend to be mothers with children and usually in a position of vulnerability with nobody to care for their children. In these conditions, it is not uncommon to find detention facilities and jails where children live with their mothers for some time, increasing the incarcerated population to include children, who at a young age, develop their first connections with the world through the prism of a detention facility. A gender perspective requires legal frameworks that look at detained persons not as isolated beings, but as individuals with dependents and family connections. Chapter four considers torture and ill-treatment within the context of women's health care and reproductive rights. Women face mistreatment when seeking maternal health care, undergo forced sterilizations, can face criminal repercussions for self-inducing abortions, and are often denied safe and legal abortion services. It is not uncommon for women in custodial settings to deliver their babies while in shackles, and this chapter explores how the lack of adequate maternal health care can amount to ill-treatment or torture. Depriving women of their right to reproductive self-determination is an additional example of how States have long-ignored the needs of women as citizens. A traditional concept of torture does not allow for an understanding of the common experiences of women, and this chapter expands on the idea that torture and ill-treatment not only occur in situations where government actors themselves are the perpetrators of harm, but when the government allows harms to occur out of a complete disregard for women's bodies. To understand how the lack of adequate maternal care or reproductive rights can be so severe that it amounts to ill-treatment and even torture, one simply has to compare the experiences of women-be it forced sterilization, lack of access to painkillers during childbirth, or lack of abortion regulations-with international human rights standards, and it becomes clear that often ill-treatment, torture, and the experiences of women are all the same. In that sense, this volume expands on the important and influential report by the former Special Rapporteur on Torture on the issue of women and torture. Restrictions on reproduction have long been used to control women's bodies and entire populations, and legal systems, including the norms, standards, and rules of international law, have denied women from seeing their harms recognized as such. Rape was not considered torture until recently; it was not worth the time of special war crime tribunals or worth the time of international treaty bodies. But this is changing, and this publication is a testament to that change. Seeing torture as a gendered practice requires a specific gaze that for most people is a learned process. Only recently have our legal systems started viewing and treating women as individuals. Only recently have legal systems understood and given a name to women's specific harms. In the case of LGBTI persons, those strides are still in their infancy. Despite how widespread and deep-rooted violence against women has been for centuries, torture and ill-treatment were primarily viewed and analyzed through a "male as the main victim" lens. This publication takes a formidable step toward debunking the myth of heterosexual cisgender men as exclusive victims and reinforces the need to integrate women's rights and sexuality perspectives into the mainstream of international human rights. Details: Washington, DC: The Center, 2018. 344p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed April 2, 2018 at: https://www.wcl.american.edu/impact/initiatives-programs/center/documents/gender-perspectives-on-torture/ Year: 2018 Country: International URL: https://www.wcl.american.edu/impact/initiatives-programs/center/documents/gender-perspectives-on-torture/ Shelf Number: 149650 Keywords: Female Genital MutilationGender-Based ViolenceHonor-Based ViolenceHuman Rights AbusesTortureViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Khalifa, S. Title: Communities Tackling Female Genital Mutilation in the UK: Best Practice Guide Summary: Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) is recognised as a severe form of violence against women and girls and a human rights violation that affects at least 200 million women and girls (UNICEF, 2016) around the world. FGM is a practice that involves changing, altering or removing part of a girl or a woman's external female genitalia without a medical or health reason. The World Health Organization has classified FGM into four major types ranging from pricking the clitoris to narrowing the vaginal opening. Despite FGM being a deeply embedded social norm with complex and various sociocultural justifications, it is a harmful and dangerous practice which can result in severe physical and mental health complications. FGM is illegal in the UK and is a form of child abuse. The FGM Act 2003 and the Prohibition of FGM (Scotland) Act 2005 made it a criminal offence to perform FGM. The Serious Crime Act 2015 has also tightened legislation on FGM and added measures to protect girls and women from undergoing the procedure. More information about FGM legislation is available in the Multi-Agency Statutory Guidance on FGM (2016). Details: London: Tackling Female Genital Mutilation Initiative and Options Consultancy Services Limited, 2016. 77p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 7, 2018 at: https://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/publications/communities-tackling-female-genital-mutilation-uk-best-practice-guide/ Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://www.trustforlondon.org.uk/publications/communities-tackling-female-genital-mutilation-uk-best-practice-guide/ Shelf Number: 151046 Keywords: Female CuttingFemale Genital MutilationHuman Rights AbusesViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: O'Neil, S. Title: Summary: Definition of the problem More than 200 million girls and women alive today in 30 countries in Africa and the Middle East have undergone some form of FGM (UNICEF 2016). Thirty million more are at risk over the next ten years. The WHO and experts around the world agree that FGM can have serious consequences on women and girls' physical and mental health. All EU member states have signed up to international treaties such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) that seek to safeguard these rights and therefore make it mandatory for states to protect women and girls affected by, or at risk of FGM. Different organisations around Europe have developed strategies against FGM and legislative measures have been taken to protect victims. However, despite increasing commitment to combat FGM, there are still significant gaps in the approach to tackle the practice (EIGE 2013). Since FGM was brought up as an important health issue by the WHO in 1975, it has often been taken for granted that men's domination and control of women has an important role to play in the perpetuation of the practice (Almroth et al. 2001; ONeill 2013). The UNICEF report (2013), however, showed that in 16 African countries the percentage of men who want to stop FGM is higher than the rate of women who want to stop FGM, apart from in Sudan and Nigeria (UNICEF 2013:70). This suggests that the role of men in the perpetuation of the practice either seems to have changed or has been misunderstood. The UNICEF report further shows that in 8 countries the rate of women who think that men want FGM to end is significantly lower than the reality. In Guinea Conakry, for example, 12% of women think that men want to stop whereas in reality 42% of men want the practice to end (2013:72). This seems to point to a lack of communication between men and women, which the report confirms (2013:72). It has also often been claimed that in African countries where FGM is practised, men have a sexual preference for women who have undergone FGM (Hosken 1993). The recent UNICEF (2013) report however shows that in 12 countries only between 1-7% of men feel that the practice increases their sexual pleasure (UNICEF 2013:76). Regarding health consequences, a study in the Gambia showed that 72% of respondents did not know that FGM had a negative impact on the health and wellbeing of girls (Kaplan et al. 2013). In a behavior change study by Shell-Duncan et al. (Shell-Duncan et al. 2011) it was found that if men were involved in the decision on whether their daughters should undergo FGM, they were more likely to remain uncut. Little is actually known about African men's views on the practice in Africa and in Europe. A mixed methods study (qualitative and quantitative research) was conducted in Belgium, the UK and the Netherlands to increase knowledge of men's role in the perpetuation of the practice. This research is part of a European Daphne project "Men Speak Out" coordinated by GAMS Belgique with three main work streams: research, training and an awareness campaign aiming at engaging men in the prevention of FGM. Objectives of research The objectives of the qualitative research was to increase knowledge on the men's role in the perpetuation of the practice by addressing 4 key issues: 1. Men's understanding of FGM as a health risks and human rights violation, 2. Communication between women and men about the practice of FGM, 3. Men's opinions about FGM, 4. Male involvement in the decision making process to end the practice. The objective of the quantitative study was to estimate the proportion of men who are in favour of the continuation of FGM in Europe as compared to in their country of origin. The aim was therefore to find out whether migration and residence in Europe affects men's attitudes towards FGM. Study sites The study sites were Belgium, The Netherlands and the UK in collaboration with the community based organisations FORWARD UK, GAMS Belgium and HIMILIO foundation (The Netherlands) who have extensive experience campaigning against and conducting research on the practice. Details: Brussels, Belgium: Men Speak Out Project, 2015. 32p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed January 12, 2019 at: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/321214035_Men_have_a_role_to_play_but_they_don't_play_it_A_mixed_methods_study_exploring_men's_involvement_in_Female_Genital_Mutilation_in_Belgium_the_Netherlands_and_the_United_Kingdom_Men_Speak_Out Year: 2017 Country: Europe URL: https://www.srhr-ask-us.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/FGM_MaleResponsibility.pdf Shelf Number: 154087 Keywords: Female CircumcisionFemale CuttingFemale Genital MutilationGender-Related ViolencePublic HealthViolence Against Women, Girls |
Author: Great Britain. HM Government Title: Ending Violence against Women and Girls: Strategy 2016-2020 Summary: This document provides an overview of the range of actions the government intends to take towards its strategy of ending violence against women and girls between 2016 and 2020. Specifically, the report focuses on four areas of action: preventing violence and abuse from happening in the first place; provision of services, including rape support centres, refuges and FGM and Forced Marriage Units, with a focus on early intervention and prevention; partnership and multi-agency working; and pursuing perpetrators. The document sets out the Government vision that by 2020 there is a significant reduction in the number of VAWG victims, achieved by challenging the deep-rooted social norms, attitudes and behaviours that discriminate against and limit women and girls, and by educating, informing and challenging young people about healthy relationships, abuse and consent. Details: London: Home Office, 2016. 59p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed march 6, 2019 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/522166/VAWG_Strategy_FINAL_PUBLICATION_MASTER_vRB.PDF Year: 2016 Country: United Kingdom URL: Shelf Number: 154825 Keywords: Domestic Violence Family Violence Female Genital MutilationForced Marriage Gender-Based Violence Rape Sexual Violence Violence against Women and Girls |
Author: Great Britain. HM Government Title: Ending Violence against Women and Girls: 2016-2020. Strategy Refresh Summary: In March 2016 we published our new VAWG Strategy, which sets out an ambitious programme of reform, and was supported by increased funding of L80m. In March 2017, the Chancellor announced additional funding of 20m pounds to support victims and survivors of domestic abuse, bringing the total committed to L100m, over twice what was committed during the previous Parliament. Our long-term vision remains the same, and so this Strategy is set out according to our existing strategic pillars: prevention, provision of services, partnership working, and pursuing perpetrators. The crimes addressed through this strategy are the crimes that disproportionately affect women and girls, which are domestic abuse, sexual violence, stalking, and so-called 'honour-based' violence including forced marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). We will continue to measure our success by seeking reductions in overall prevalence of these crimes as measured by the Crime Survey of England and Wales, and seek increased prosecutions and convictions, where appropriate. It is important to bring together our work in the UK with efforts to tackle these issues internationally, and so the 2016 Strategy, and this refresh, represents a 'One Government' approach. This Strategy Refresh also sits alongside other, closely linked pieces of work from across government such as the Victims' Strategy. We are clear that all victims of crime should be supported, but that particular hidden crimes merit their own, focused, response. We will also continue to ensure that our response to vulnerable people, and programmes of work to tackle modern slavery and child sexual abuse and exploitation, remain joined up and mutually supportive of this agenda. This refresh does not provide full details of all that has been achieved since 2016, and nor does it set out our full strategic vision for VAWG, which remains with the 2016 Ending VAWG Strategy. This document does not overtake the 2016 Strategy, and both should be considered together. Instead, this refresh provides a brief update on delivery achieved so far, captures additional programmes of work that have contributed to this agenda, and sets out new, additional actions that government will take forward that goes beyond those set out in the 2016 Strategy While we know that these crimes disproportionately affect women and girls, we also recognise that men and boys are victims too. The vision set out in this Strategy applies to male as well as female victims, but we have published a Male Victims Position Statement alongside this document, which clarifies and strengthens our response to male victims of these crimes, while still recognising the disproportionate impact on women. Details: London: Author, 2019. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed May 2, 2019 at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/783596/VAWG_Strategy_Refresh_Web_Accessible.pdf Year: 2019 Country: United Kingdom URL: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/783596/VAWG_Strategy_Refresh_Web_Accessible.pdf Shelf Number: 155606 Keywords: Domestic Violence Family Violence Female Genital MutilationForced Marriage Gender-Based Violence Honor Based ViolenceModern Slavery Rape Sexual Violence StalkingViolence against Women and Girls |
Author: Sida Title: Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence: Expressions and Strategies Summary: Ending gender-based violence (GBV) and ensuring women's security is a priority for the Swedish government, a priority reflected in central objectives of Swedish policy for development cooperation. Sida defines GBV as any harm or suffering that is perpetrated against a woman or girl, man or boy and that has negative impact on the physical, sexual or psychological health, development or identity of the person. The cause of this violence is founded in gender-based inequalities and discrimination. GBV is the most extreme expression of these unequal gender relations in society, and a violation of human rights, as well as a main hindrance of the achievement of gender equality. In Sida's work an important point of departure is that GBV is preventable, which entails a focus on the root causes of violence and on possibilities for change. Women and girls are mostly affected by GBV, and globally at least one third of all women have been exposed to violence in an intimate relationship, but also men and boys can be subjected to GBV. Regardless, the violence is linked to gender inequalities and norms for gender. Most commonly GBV occurs in the family, but it also takes place at other arenas in society, private and public. GBV is an umbrella definition including a wide range of expressions of violence such as intimate partner violence, sexual violence by non-partners, Female Genital mutilation (FGM), honour violence, early marriage, violence against LGBTI and trafficking in human beings. In situations of war and conflict, GBV is particularly present. Entry points in addressing GBV is that gender-based violence is a violation of human rights, and that tackling GBV is crucial for poverty reduction and economic development. GBV is furthermore a key to protect sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), and reverse the spread of HIV. It is also a security concern and a prerequisite for sustainable peace. When defining effective strategies to end a priority is to make efforts to prevent GBV. Given that GBV is linked to gender-based power inequalities, key in GBV prevention are efforts to increase gender equality and transformation of gender norms. Prevention strategies entail a shift from "victims" to "survivors" with a focus on women and girl's empowerment and agency, efforts to increase women's political and economic empowerment and sexual and reproductive rights, and to incorporate men and boys in the work. The strengthening of legal and policy framework is also of outmost importance, as are efforts to bridge the gap between law and practice and to end the impunity for GBV. Response to survivors, which meets their rights to protection and access to services, including shelters and health sector services, is also core. Details: Stockholm, Sweden: Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, 2015. 24p. Source: Internet Resource: Accessed August 15, 2019 at: https://www.sida.se/contentassets/3a820dbd152f4fca98bacde8a8101e15/preventing-and-responding-to-gender-based-violence.pdf Year: 2015 Country: International URL: https://www.sida.se/English/publications/159477/preventing-and-responding-to-gender-based-violence-expressions-and-strategies/ Shelf Number: 156918 Keywords: Female Genital MutilationForced MarriageGender Based ViolenceIntimate Partner ViolenceTrafficking in PersonsViolence Against Women |