The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) recognizes gender equality as a key component of democracy.
In its 1997 Universal Declaration on democracy, the IPU highlighted the direct link between democracy and the balanced participation of men and women in politics, and in particular in parliament.
IPU has consistently championed the need for democracy to include half of the world’s population and respond to the needs of both men and women.
Only then can democracy be considered truly representative and sustainable. In October 2014 delegates gathered at the 131st International Parliament Union (IPU) Assembly on the theme: Achieving gender equality, ending violence against women.
Gender equality, also known as sex equality, gender egalitarianism, sexual equality or equality of the genders, refers to the view men and women should receive equal treatment, and should not be discriminated against based on gender, unless there is a sound biological reason for different treatment.
Gender equality is achieved when women and men enjoy the same rights and opportunities across all sectors of society, including economic participation and decision-making, and when the different behaviours, aspirations and needs of women and men are equally valued and favoured.
An early advocate for gender equality was Christine de Pizan, who in her 1405 book ‘The Book of the City of Ladies’ wrote that the oppression of women is founded on irrational prejudice, pointing out numerous advances in society probably created by women. Gender equality is measured by looking at the representation of men and of women in a range of roles. If we are committed to achieving peace and security in the world, ending poverty and achieving sustainable development, we must tackle this issue head on. No single country today can claim to have achieved gender equality.
Women account for half the world’s population, yet they make up only 21.8 per cent of parliamentarians worldwide, and they continue to earn systematically less than men for the same work, and over 31 million girls are prevented from attending primary school.
Gender inequality holds all our countries back, and the struggle to overcome it must therefore be a priority for each and every one of us, both men and women.
Today, the scourge of violence against women is a key issue in every country and internationally.
No nation is spared; the latest global and regional estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO) show that one out of every three women worldwide has experienced intimate partner violence or sexual violence by someone other than a partner. Whether in the public or the private sphere, violence against women and girls in all its forms and manifestations robs them of their dignity, violates their fundamental rights, damages their health, reduces their productivity and prevents them from achieving their full potential.
It also has significant consequences for peace and security and a negative impact on development.
We strongly condemn all forms of violence against women and girls. Gender inequality and violence against women feed on each other.
On the one hand, it is impossible to achieve equality between men and women without putting an end to violence against women; on the other, women’s vulnerability to violence is heightened by unbalanced power relations between men and women.
In order to address this problem, we must take into account the broader context of women’s lives and the need to secure respect for all their fundamental rights.
In 2006-2007, UNICEF undertook a major evaluation of the implementation of its 1994 policy on gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The policy addresses UNICEF’s contributions to the development and equal rights of girls and boys through its cooperation both in regular situations and through humanitarian preparedness, response and recovery.
Addressing violence against women is a complex issue that requires profound change.
It means looking at power relations; confronting patriarchy, which permeates all aspects of our societies; changing mentalities; and challenging the social roles and stereotypes that we have internalized, including those related to men.
It also means enabling women to take ownership of their lives, their bodies and their destinies since women who are empowered, including economically, are less vulnerable to abuse. The commitment to achieving gender equality and eradicating violence against women must first translate into the development of strong, comprehensive legislation that is non-discriminatory, supports women’s empowerment and addresses all forms of discrimination.
This means a legal framework with no loopholes, one that provides for the implementation of temporary special measures to level the playing field and facilitates gender mainstreaming.
It also means a framework that is consistent with States’ commitments under the international instruments on human rights and gender equality to which they are parties, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
We need comprehensive legislation that criminalizes all forms of violence against women and includes provisions on prevention, protection and support for the survivors and prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators.
It must also take into account and meet the needs of different groups of women, especially the most vulnerable, including girls, migrant women and refugee women.
This is an area in which progress has been achieved; for example, two thirds of the world’s countries now have laws criminalizing domestic violence.
Putting laws into practice remains the key challenge. Appropriate mechanisms must be envisaged in domestic law and budgets must be scrutinized to ensure adequate financial and human resources are allocated to the effective implementation of legislation.
In order for laws to meet the needs of the survivors of gender-based violence, easily accessible services are fundamental. Several States have established women’s shelters, hotlines and “one-stop crisis centers” that provide survivors of gender-based violence with legal, medical and counselling services.
Investment in a justice system based on the protection of women survivors and their rights is vital; specialized courts on domestic violence and sexual offences are invaluable in that regard.
In addition, law enforcement agencies must be trained to focus on the protection and dignity of the survivors and to secure criminal evidence so that more women will feel that it is safe for them to report violence and seek justice.
Enhanced implementation requires a coordinated community-based response to violence in which all stakeholders – including governments, parliaments, police, prosecutors, judges, health-care providers, social workers, women’s organizations and religious and community leaders – have a role to play. Awareness of the laws is also crucial.
Legislation must be disseminated and made easy for people to obtain and understand, including through education, translation into local languages and public debates. For policies to be successful, sustained and effective awareness-raising campaigns are vital.
All citizens, whether men or women, boys or girls, must understand that there is nothing private about violence and that it cannot be truly eliminated without an understanding that its tolerance in any form is unacceptable.
The support, cooperation and understanding of traditional leaders will be key to the success of any awareness-raising campaign.
The oversight role of parliamentarians is key and must be strengthened, including by building partnerships across parties and with civil society movements. Information is also essential to the drafting and enactment of effective laws and the assessment of their impact.
To that end we, as legislators, need to build our national statistical capacities and gather sex-disaggregated data and to focus particularly on the number of reported cases of violence against women and on the implementation of household surveys.
Regarding the current situation in Namibia, our government has made various efforts in terms of strengthening women’s rights, first of all by according gender equality the status of a constitutionally guaranteed fundamental right and by subsequently passing progressive gender-based laws in order to ensure the improvement of women, men and children, and the equality between men and women as prerequisites for full participation in political, legal, social, cultural and economic development.
Achieving gender equality and ending violence against women is the responsibility of both men and women. The potential is there, and men are part and parcel of the solution; they should take an active part in the debate and stand up for women’s rights.
The silent majority of non-violent men must speak out now and assume their responsibilities alongside women.