Friday, November 29, 2013

Orange the World in 16 Days!

From the UN Women site:
http://saynotoviolence.org/16days2013
16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence is an international campaign that began in 1991. From 25 November, the International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women, to 10 December, International Human Rights Day, the campaign calls on individuals and groups around the world to act to end all forms of violence against women and girls.

Orange the World in 16 Days!

The UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign has proclaimed 25th of every month as “Orange Day” – a day to take action to raise awareness and prevent violence against women and girls. Activists from around the world, governments and UN partners have organized Orange Day actions calling for safety from violence at homes, schools, work places and public spaces.
From 25 November to 10 December, we want your help to make these actions bigger, bolder, and global. We want to Orange the World in 16 Days.
This year, 16 Days of Activism is even more special for Say NO – UNiTE as it marks our next step to build our biggest momentum yet, exclusively on social media. We are counting on you to raise a tsunami of actions on the online platforms you like best. You can count on us to amplify them on social media.

ORANGE YOUR WORLD EVENT

Kigali march
Raise awareness about violence against women and girls. Engage your community, local or national government, members of law enforcement or judiciary, young people and the media. Did you know that governments of 60 countries have announced national commitments to end violence against women and girls? Is your government among them, and have the commitments translated into action? What needs to be done to stop violence against women and girls in your community? Here are some event ideas from us. Share your actions with us by posting images and messages on our Facebook wall and your Twitter using the hashtag #orangeurworld.
  • Organize a panel event in your university, or a talk show with your broadcaster or community radio station.
  • Orange your streets with a flash mob, or walk against violence! Wear orange and carry posters and banners to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence.
  • Organize an Orange Concert with your local musicians and encourage them to promote messages to end violence against women and girls through their music. Invite local women’s organizations to speak about the issue and distribute information about existing laws and services.
  • Organize a film screening or host a “Orange the World” party at your home! Check UN Women’s video libraryor Say NO – UNiTE YouTube channel for films.

ORANGE YOUR WORLD ON FACEBOOK

Viet Nam program

#ORANGEURWORLD ON TWITTER

Mexico Youth Conference
  • Share your stories and messages on Twitter on how you #orangeurworld during the 16 Days of Activism!
  • Wear orange, take a picture of yourself and share with us why you are taking a stand by tweeting #Iwearorange because… #orangeurworld
  • Join UN Women's #AskPhumzile Twitter chat with Executive Director @phumzileunwomen (date tbd)
  • Tweetup with @SayNO_UNiTE and our friends at the end of the 16 Days of Activism on 10 December! (Details coming soon)

Friday, August 2, 2013

01/08/2013 - 16h35

Dilma oficializa sanção a lei que dá garantias à vítima do estupro


JOHANNA NUBLAT

TAI NALON
DE BRASÍLIA

Apesar das críticas de evangélicos e católicos, a presidente Dilma Rousseff (PT) sancionou, sem vetos, a lei que estabelece garantias à mulher vítima de violência sexual, incluindo a oferta da pílula de emergência e de informação sobre seus direitos ao aborto em caso de gravidez.
A informação, antecipada pela Folha, foi confirmada pelos ministros Alexandre Padilha (Saúde), Eleonora Menicucci (Mulheres) e Gilberto Carvalho (Secretaria-Geral da Presidência) em entrevista coletiva nesta quinta-feira (1º). A presidente vai enviar nesta sexta-feira (2) projeto de lei cujo objetivo é uniformizar as redações de instruções do Ministério da Saúde e do código penal. A sanção também será publicada no "Diário Oficial da União".
Como aprovado pelo Congresso Nacional, a lei estabelece garantias para que a mulher seja prontamente atendida na rede pública de saúde nos casos de violência sexual. Determina, por exemplo, a oferta da pílula de emergência (chamada no texto de "profilaxia da gravidez") à vítima e de informações sobre os direitos previstos nestes casos --uma referência à necessidade de informar à mulher o direito ao aborto legal em caso de gravidez decorrente do estupro.
Esses pontos foram objeto de muitas críticas feitas por evangélicos e católicos, que veem na lei uma possibilidade de abertura ao aborto, para além dos casos que ocorrem hoje. Os grupos rejeitam, por exemplo, a utilização do termo "profilaxia da gravidez", argumentando que a gestação não é uma doença que deva ser evitada.
No entanto, esses mesmos pontos da lei já constam de norma técnica do Ministério da Saúde, atualizada em 2012, e de protocolos dos hospitais que atendem às mulheres vítimas de violência sexual.
O Palácio do Planalto recebeu nas últimas semanas representantes de igrejas católicas e evangélicas, que pediram veto integral ou parcial ao projeto. "Essa sanção foi precedida de uma série de diálogos e conversas e consultas a setores, tanto aqueles que pediam a sanção como aqueles que pediam o veto ou total ou parcial, sobretudo desse item que dizia da questão da profilaxia da gravidez, entendendo que aí se abriria para a prática de aborto", disse o ministro Carvalho.
"É exatamente um projeto que além de prestar o apoio humanitária essencial à mulher que foi vítima de uma tortura, porque todo estupro é uma forma de tortura, ela permite que ela não passe por um segundo sofrimento: a prática do aborto legal", completou o ministro.
Como antecipado pela Folha, em matéria publicada nesta quinta, a área técnica do governo defendeu a sanção integral da lei, apesar de não estar satisfeita com alguns trechos dela. Isso porque entende como importante o reforço, na lei, de práticas já adotadas que têm impacto na redução do número de mortes maternas (por aborto clandestino) e do aborto legal em si (nos casos em que a mulher não tem acesso à pílula de emergência e engravida após a violência).
Segundo Padilha, a ideia é oferecer "tratamento humanizado, respeitoso a qualquer vítima de estupro". A lei também prevê tratamento psicológico ao cidadão de ambos os sexos e de qualquer idade, além de tratamento por qualquer lesão física e medidas e indicações de profilaxia de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis, como hepatites virais e HIV.

NOVO TEXTO
A saída encontrada para manter a lei e evitar conflitos foi o envio de um novo projeto de lei ao Congresso, para esclarecer pontos duvidosos ou eventualmente equivocados. Serão alterados trechos da lei 12.845, que dispõe sobre o atendimento obrigatório e integral de pessoas em situação de violência sexual.
O novo texto pretende uniformizar a recomendação do Ministério da Saúde e o que está disposto no código penal na lei. Dessa forma, a lei passaria a ter a seguinte redação: "Considera-se violência sexual todas as formas de estupro, sem prejuízo de outras condutas previstas em legislação específica". Também será esclarecida no texto a seguinte redação sobre a profilaxia para a gravidez pós-estupro: estará assegurada à vítima "medicação com eficiência precoce para prevenir gravidez resultante de estupro".
"É muito importante a correção dessa imprecisão: além de estar no código penal, é o que é recomendado pelo Ministério da Saúde", completou Padilha.
A justificativa do governo, enviada ao Congresso Nacional, é que o texto aprovado pela Casa "contém algumas imprecisões técnicas que podem levar a uma interpretação equivocada de seu conteúdo e causar insegurança a respeito da aplicação das medidas previstas na lei".
"O texto aprovado inicialmente é vago e deixa dúvidas quanto à extensão dos casos que seriam abrangidos pela lei", continua. "A expressão 'profilaxia da gravidez' não é a mais adequada tecnicamente e não expressa com clareza que se trata de uma diretriz para a administração de medicamentos voltados às vítimas de estupro."

Do Folha de S. Paulo:

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

UN's historic agreement to stop violence against women, girls

UN's historic agreement to stop violence against women, girls
The United Nations agreed on a declaration to prevent and condemn violence against women and girls regardless of "any custom, tradition or religious consideration" as part of the annual meeting of the Commission on the Status of Women. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon lauded the members for taking "action to prevent violence and provide justice and services to survivors." While Egypt voted for the declaration, the ruling Muslim Brotherhood party said the UN's action would lead to the "complete disintegration of society." Google/Agence France-Presse (3/16), The Guardian (London) (3/15), Devex.com (3/18)

Monday, December 12, 2011

UN Women Announces 16 Steps Policy Agenda | Say NO - UNiTE

UN Women Announces 16 Steps Policy Agenda | Say NO - UNiTE


In her first message for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, since UN Women became operational earlier this year, Executive Director of UN Women, Michelle Bachelet outlines a comprehensive policy agenda to end violence against women globally. Focusing on the three critical pillars of prevention, protection and provision of services, Ms. Bachelet’s call for action, urges world leaders to mobilize political will and investment to ensure that women can live a life without violence.

16 Steps Policy Agenda to End Violence against Women

1. Ratify international and regional treaties …
that protect the rights of women and girls, and ensure that national laws and services meet international human rights standards.
2. Adopt and enforce laws…
to end impunity, bring perpetrators of violence against women and girls to justice and provide women with reparations and remedy for the violations perpetrated against them.
3. Develop national and local action plans…
for ending violence against women and girls in every country that bring the government, women’s and other civil society organizations, the mass media and the private sector into a coordinated, collective front against such human rights violations.
4. Make justice accessible to women and girls …
by providing free legal and specialized services, and increasing women in law enforcement and frontline services.
5. End impunity towards conflict-related sexual violence …
by prosecuting perpetrators in conflict and post-conflict contexts and fulfilling survivors’ right to comprehensive reparations programmes that are non-stigmatizing and have a transformative impact on women and girls’ lives.
6. Ensure universal access to critical services…
at a minimum, women’s and girls’ emergency and immediate needs should be met through free 24-hour hotlines, prompt intervention for their safety and protection, safe housing and shelter for them and their children, counseling and psycho-social support, post-rape care, and free legal aid to understand their rights and options.
7. Train providers of frontline services…
especially the police, lawyers and judges, social workers and health personnel to ensure that they follow quality standards and protocols. Services should be confidential, sensitive and convenient to women survivors.
8. Provide adequate public resources…
to implement existing laws and policies, recognizing the devastating costs and consequences of violence against women not only for the lives directly affected, but to society and the economy at large, and to public budgets.
9. Collect, analyze and disseminate national data…
on prevalence, causes and consequences of violence against women and girls, profiles of survivors and perpetrators, and progress and gaps in the implementation of national policies, plans and laws.
  • Gender-based violence study in Morocco reveals that approximately 60 percent of Moroccan women have experienced some form of violence recently, and violence against women is three times more likely in urban areas than in rural ones.
  • Together for Girls, a global effort to prevent sexual violence against girls, of which UN Women is a partner, makes an urgent call for national surveys. The alarming finding in Swaziland—one-third of girls have experienced sexual violence—spurred a national education campaign, strengthening of the capacity of police to respond to sexual violence, and the establishment of a child-friendly court. For more information about Together for Girls, click here.
  • Access data on prevalence, laws and more at Progress of the World’s Women and Violence against Women Prevalence Data: Surveys by Country.
10. Invest in gender equality and women’s empowerment…
to tackle the root causes of violence against women and girls. Strategic areas are girls’ secondary education, advancing women’s reproductive health and rights, addressing the inter-linkages of violence with HIV and AIDS, and increasing women’s political and economic participation and leadership. Gender equality and ending violence against women must be placed squarely at the heart of achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
  • Up to three quarters of women and girls worldwide experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. The MDGs and Gender Series cautions, unless violence against women is curbed, meeting all of the eight Millennium Development Goals will be impossible.
11. Enhance women’s economic empowerment…
by ensuring women’s rights to own land and property, to inheritance, equal pay for equal work, and safe and decent employment. Women’s unequal economic and employment opportunities are a major factor in perpetuating their entrapment in situations of violence, exploitation and abuse.
  • In a land torn apart by years of bitter conflict, the daily struggle to survive is an ongoing battle. Feeding the family is a constant challenge. Bread Winner, Bread Maker tells the story of some inspirational women who are bringing hope to thousands in the occupied Palestinian territory.
  • Millions of women work overseas each year and endure abuse and exploitation. On the Move: Nepal’s Women Migrant Workersfight for their rights.
12. Increase public awareness and social mobilization…
to stop violence against women and girls, and to enable women and girls subjected to violence to break the silence and seek justice and support.
  • With over 2 million actions and 600 partners, Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence against Women offers a global platform for information, action and social mobilization. Visit www.saynotoviolence.org and post your action today!
13. Engage the mass media…
 in shaping public opinion and challenging the harmful gender norms that perpetuate violence against women and girls.
14. Work for and with young people as champions of change…
 to end violence against women, and ensure that educational systems empower girls and boys to transform and build gender relations based on harmony, mutual respect and non-violence.
15. Mobilize men and boys…
 of all ages and walks of life to take a stand against violence against women and girls, and foster equality and gender solidarity.
16. Donate to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women..
 the only grant-making fund in the world exclusively dedicated to channeling expertise and financial support to national, local and grassroots efforts.
  • It’s the 15th anniversary of the UN Trust Fund—since its establishment, the UN Trust Fund has supported 339 programmes in 127 countries and territories, relying on voluntary contributions. Please help us make the world a safer place for women and girls by sending a donation today!

Related links: Download the 16 Steps to End Violence against Women.