Gender-related violence: its scope and relevance.

Abstract

Policy issues for gender-related violence are reviewed with attention directed to personal violence, violence within the household, public violence, development policies and programs that abuses women, barriers to sustainable development from violence against women, violence against women as women's rights issue, and women in war and other crises. Gender violence touches all social classes and types of people in almost every country of the world. Violence against women causes human suffering, impediments to personal development, and a reduction in the contributions women can make to the lives of others. The issues is complex and reaches the highest international level in the debates about sustainable development, good government, and quality of life. Strategies must be directed to equalizing the well being and status of men and women in all sectors, and to reducing women's political and economic vulnerability. Women must have their social status raised, and their ability to gain control over their own lives must be strengthened. Recommendations for bilateral development cooperation policy included promoting the Draft Declaration on Violence Against Women, making certain that gender violence is on all human rights agendas, and promoting the adoption of gender-related violence and persecution as grounds for asylum in refugee conventions. Governments need assistance as part of bilateral aid in coping with issues of rape and domestic violence by training professionals in police and social services, and by providing safe havens. Governments must be influenced to formulate population policies and to provide family planning respectful of women's reproductive rights. Development projects should be continually monitored for gender violence violations, and research must be directed to assessing the gender impact of relief and rehabilitation projects. Women's centers and groups need support and resources for building self-help, training, networking, and building databases and circulating information. Gender violence includes any of the following acts: rape, marital rape, domestic violence, child abuse, female infanticide, denial of health care or nutrition to girls, sexual and emotional harassment, genital mutilation, prostitution, pornography, population control, war and state violence, exploitation of refugees, political violence, and reduction in state services which increases the stress and workload for women.