Vienna +10: Speak Out
E-Consultation Survey Results

Violence Against Women: Do you use the concept of human rights in your work on violence against women? Comment.

Definitions

• Access to family planning and abortion is a fundamental human right
• all violations of women human rights are violence, but the physical violence is on the top : fgm,
• Christianity is founded on Jesus' treatment and the biblical view that all human beings are created equal.
• Domestic violence, State violence
• Equality of Human Beings. We focus on Discrimination and causes of Discrimination
• Human rights as applicable to both individual and collective and community rights, peace and justice
• It is a human right to define what kind of sexuality I live and how I live my sexuality. the unilateral definition of hetero sexual relationships is a violation of this human right.
• its an integral issue - in the most basic sense
• Justice and accountability for crimes against women is based on the notion of violation of basic human rights
• Our slogan is "African Women's Association, for Women's rights in development"
• violence against women under Israeli occupation; violence against women as part of daily life
• We use the words "Human Rights, ""Rights", "Rights of the Sexuality Minorities" etc.,
• women leadership, gender equality
• Yes we agree that violence against women is a violation of human rights to dignity of the human person.
• Absolutely. Every type of crime we address is a serious crime against humanity. We are concerned that more people are not aware of these types of crime.

Themes

• each individual deserves to be treated as a human being irrespective of gender, age and religious affiliation
• In our network there is a need to increase gender aspects of HR concepts. Often direct violations of women's rights are not seen as violence
• My workshops are not devoted specifically to domestic violence so the concept is touched upon as one of many human rights concepts
• Of course! VAW is violation of human rights. Recent days, among men and boys increasing number of sexual abuse, sexual harassment and rape. Even in a peaceful society, women are exposed to sexual harassment and gender discrimination. These are all violation of human rights.
• We support an end to all forms of violence against women because it is a woman's right to live a life free from violence.

Uses

• It is integrated in the modules and curriculum of skills training. Structured learning exercises and processes do reflect human rights perspectives
• CHANGE has from its inception in 1979; however, newer staff do need educating - it is not out there as part of 'normal' life.
• In additional to teaching courses that examine Human Rights, I discuss forms of violence against women, I address forms not ordinarily categorized under violence, but violence against women takes many forms, many unrecognized. I also present public lectures on Women's Rights as Human Rights.
• In fact I'm using the concept of crime against humanity in some cases, when children are brutally and viciously taken away from their mothers
• In lobbying we use International Instruments to make our point and justify our case
• In training service providers (health and legal sectors) who deal with survivors of violence
• Main goals of our organization: To prevent violence against women and children in Armenia, to protect women and children from violation of their right to be free from violence, to support the mechanisms directed to prosecute violence against women and children
• Nevertheless we do not have lawyers in the office, we follow all the international documents on WHR and when needed - make consultations. We use parts of these documents in our seminars/advocacy work.
• Our approach is explicitly rights-based; part of our work is to foster and strengthen the link between sexual / reproductive health and human rights.
• Starting to look at this area for traction
• The concepts of human rights and gender equality are the bases of our advocacy work.
• The groups most directly concerned with VAW are among the most active in the women's human rights project. For example, the 16 is a pivotal part of this work.
• Throughout our written materials, press kits and other outreach programs
• WE ATTEMPT THROUGH OUR WORK AND PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION
• We base our work on the international human rights documents (CEDAW, Beijing Platform, etc.)
• We don't at the agency, but this is one of the main contexts for the VAW committee
• We recently received a grant from State Department on Human Rights and Domestic Violence in South Africa
• We use human rights base approach in all aspect of our work in addressing vaw in war and armed conflict
• We use the concept in terms of advocacy, mobilization and trainings but in legal assistance cases it underlies our thrust and strategy rather being the main thrust of the arguments.
• Yes !!! this is the first step of the promotional work
• Yes we take a rights based approach to all our work.
• Yes, and no. The Indigenous peoples of the world are still not considered humans so how can I use that in Indian countries in the USA and yes. I do work outside of tribal boundaries and I use the human rights especially to relate it to children's rights
• Yes, we are working to build an integrated understanding of HR that addresses ESCR as well as bodily integrity, and to challenge economic policies (as IMF, WB, WTO) from a rights perspective.

Limitations

• Human rights and trade especially in relation to ESC rights (the contradiction between states HR commitments and Trade Agreement commitments) is a fast growing area of contestation
• Women's human rights cannot be translated into reality so long as the prevailing culture of violence against women continues. It is essential to recognize the intersectionality of violence against women and denial of human rights to women

Perspectives

• We are a coalition. Some of our members have a rights-based approach, though most don't.
• We consider the right to have information about HIV for women is a human right, the same as the right to ask the condom in a sexual encounter but very often, women who depend emotionally and economically in their husbands can not ask for condom uses, some of the are beaten when mentioning the word "condom"
• WE do use the human rights framework but also question its limits
• Women who tend to keep returning to violent relationships either the same one or successive ones I try to point out their right to life and they are courting death by staying in abusive relationships. I also try to engage groups in the issues of CEDAW.
• Absolutely -- it is fundamental.
• Absolutely: human dignity and worth being of primary importance in order for my work to be effective
• All the time! But sometimes very quietly, depending on context...