Hinterland’s Post

December 6 is the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Thirty five years ago today, 14 young women lost their lives at École Polytechnique de Montréal, and 10 others were injured in a misogynistic mass shooting. We honour the lives lost and forever impacted by this tragedy. Gender-based violence (GBV) has long-lasting negative health, social, and economic effects on it’s victims. It causes cycles of violence and abuse from families and caregivers, partners, and employers among others, that affect future generations. Nearly one in three women and girls worldwide will experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. Statistics show GBV disproportionately affects Black, Indigenous, and racialized women and girls, 2 Spirit, trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse people, sex workers, disabled people, newcomers and refugees, and those living in rural and remote communities. Feminism exists to challenge sexism, patriarchy, transphobia, racism, ableism, classism, and other forms of inequality. Feminism aims for all of us to be safe and equal — women, men, non-binary and gender-diverse people. Addressing GBV starts with believing survivors, and working together to fix systems that allow such violence to happen in the first place. [Image description: A red rose against a black background with text reading: December 6 - National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. Honour their memory. Demand change. Photos of the 14 women who lost their lives in the École Polytechnique de Montréal massacre, 1989.]

Our new report on #femicides, jointly developed with UNODC, reveals a tragic reality: In 2023, 85,000 women and girls were killed intentionally. 60 percent of them died at the hands of their partners, ex-partners, or family members. Violence against women and girls remains pervasive but it is preventable. At UN Women, we are committed to galvanizing global action for greater accountability, more funding, and renewed commitment to a future where every woman and girls can live safely without fear. Together, we can build a future where violence against women and girls is relegated to a memory of the past.

Today, on the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence against Women, we pause to #RememberThe14 women killed at L'École Polytechnique in #Montreal in 1989 and all the women who have lost their lives to violence. This day is dedicated to remembering those who have experienced gender-based violence and those who we have lost to it. We remain committed to fighting gender-based violence and recognize that women, girls, 2SLGBTQI+ and gender-diverse individuals face unacceptable violence and discrimination. We can help to address gender-based violence by listening to survivors, speaking up against harmful behaviours and pledging to learn from our past. Learn more at york.ca/InclusiveYR #InclusiveYR

Men speaking up about violence against women More men are speaking up when they hear victim-blaming comments, talking to their sons about healthy relationships, and joining campaigns to end domestic and sexual violence. There are common pathways to men’s commitments to ending men’s violence. See https://lnkd.in/gwdNYZfS There has been a surge in interest in engaging men and boys in violence prevention in the last few years. There is: -- A proliferation of programs -- Widespread community support -- Growing evidence that well-designed interventions can make positive change -- Policy and funding support However, there is much to be done. -- Scale up the work -- Orient the work more towards changing structures and systems -- Increase practitioners’ capacity to work effectively with men and boys -- Adopt explicit standards for effective practice -- Make far more use of online tools and spaces Etc. Men and boys have a vital role to play, with women and girls and others, in ending men’s violence against women. To shift the patriarchal masculine norms and cultures that are at the root of domestic and sexual violence. These notes summarise some of an article by Professor Flood, here: https://lnkd.in/gwdNYZfS Also see: Resources on men’s roles in ending violence against women: https://lnkd.in/g-z46uq

Men speaking up about violence against women More men are speaking up when they hear victim-blaming comments, talking to their sons about healthy relationships, and joining campaigns to end domestic and sexual violence. There are common pathways to men’s commitments to ending men’s violence. See https://lnkd.in/gwdNYZfS There has been a surge in interest in engaging men and boys in violence prevention in the last few years. There is: -- A proliferation of programs -- Widespread community support -- Growing evidence that well-designed interventions can make positive change -- Policy and funding support However, there is much to be done. -- Scale up the work -- Orient the work more towards changing structures and systems -- Increase practitioners’ capacity to work effectively with men and boys -- Adopt explicit standards for effective practice -- Make far more use of online tools and spaces Etc. Men and boys have a vital role to play, with women and girls and others, in ending men’s violence against women. To shift the patriarchal masculine norms and cultures that are at the root of domestic and sexual violence. These notes summarise some of an article by Professor Flood, here: https://lnkd.in/gwdNYZfS Also see: Resources on men’s roles in ending violence against women: https://lnkd.in/g-z46uq

This is so important. We must name the issue. Name why it happens. And when appropriate, name the perpetrators. Far too much discussion about violence against women and marginalised genders presents it like it just happens. Like it's the weather: out of our control, baffling, natural, virtually impossible to change. But male violence against women and girls is not like the weather. It happens for reasons that we can analyse (and it has everything to do with power, and absolutely nothing to do with women's behaviours or whether we were the "right" kind of surivor). Name the actual issues. Be specific. (Of course, there are many cases where you need to use softer language: like when you're speaking with someone after a traumatic experience. But speaking sensitively to someone who's survived something terrible is not the same as *generally* talking so evasively that we never name the actual issues). Name where they come from. Be accurate. Name what we can all do to dismantle male violence against women and girls (and, you know what, while we're at it: the patriarchy). Invite action. And side note, like Lisa Ward and many others, I am so so so done with people pretending that International Day of the Cupcake (ok not that one) is enough to tackle complex issues. Honestly, it's lazy. Sure, having a named day or week helps you to schedule a few events (that are probably overly whitewashed, catering to male comfort, and nowhere near radical enough to uproot sexism). But it doesn't reflect reality. Every day of the year, activists and organisers are risking everything to tackle issues like gender-based violence. The least we can do is acknowledge that. And soft, evasive language just won't cut it.

It's that time of year where I find myself biting my tongue a lot, because I find the language of 'white ribbon day' somewhat (read very!) frustrating. Here's a little graphic on the different between The International Day to End Violence Against Women and Girls, and White Ribbon Day. More than anything, I detest that White Ribbon Day allows us to avoid using the language to explain what we're talking about, sanitising the issues of violence and abuse. I understand that talking about rape and violence is painful, but imagine surviving it and never having anyone use the terms but instead cover it up in euphemisms. Likewise, I find it frustrating that a male led campaign has become the rhetoric we use, when women started this work many years before, and that it's almost always women I see busy delivering the white ribbon day events. Likewise often both White Ribbon Day and International Day to End Violence Against Women and Girls are used as a day to talk about violence against everyone, rather than having a focus on women and girls, who are disproportionately impacted by violence and abuse. If you want to raise messaging for all survivors why not use October (Domestic Abuse awareness month) or sexual violence awareness week (early feb)? Anyway, for the next 16 days I'm off doing activism, which you'll also find me doing for the other 349 days of the year too. 1 day or 16 days isn't really enough and I'm not really down with keeping quite about what I see as the performative nature of 16 days any more. Every day is a day to stand up against violence and abuse, and to recognise the disproportionate impact that has on women and girls. That can be done without negatively impacting male survivors when it's part of your every day... /endrant

Violence has no place in the year 2024 and beyond. "Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed. #NoExcuse, UNiTE to End Violence against Women" - UN The following phenomena are considered violence against women According to the United Nations; Violence against women and girls (VAWG) remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it. It can manifest in physical, sexual, and psychological forms, encompassing: • Intimate partner violence (battering, psychological abuse, marital rape, femicide); • Sexual violence and harassment (rape, forced sexual acts, unwanted sexual advances, child sexual abuse, forced marriage, street harassment, stalking, cyber-harassment); • Human trafficking (slavery, sexual exploitation); • Female genital mutilation; and • Child marriage. We have access to a wealth of information that should guide us in handling violence or threats against women and girls. We must put on our 'bravery hat' to encourage us to stand against injustice towards the female gender. Below are what we can do when we find ourselves on the defending end in this context. 1. Speak up when you get the opportunity to shine light on gender-based violence, known threats against women and acts that threaten justice for women 2. Increase funding to end violence against women and girls 3. Champion women’s economic empowerment 4. Give women funds 5. Include women and girls in decision-making 6. Keep girls in school 7. Involve men in the fight to end violence against women 8. Be actively involved in campaigns that speak against violence towards women, be it online or offline or in a creative environment. 9. Use your voice or actions to expose perpetrators by reporting to authorities, media, community elders etc. Connect with us: Phone: +234 913 6779 798 | +234 704 5643 715 Email: kiitanfoundation@gmail.com | info@kiitanfoundation.org Volunteer: https://lnkd.in/dz8-2QY - - #violenceagainstwomen #genderbasedviolence #protectwomen #protectgirls #Internationaldayagainstviolence #girlchild #boychild #men #speakup

“Every 10 minutes, partners and family members killed a woman intentionally in 2023.” Intentionally. Whatever the excuses..there is no excuse. Femicide is an extreme form of gender-based violence that continues to happen. The fact that it is usually by persons well known to the victim is disheartening. It is rising around the world, and humanitarian crises exacerbate the issue. Like for other cases of GBV, when it happens, there is often an attempt to explain why, usually something the woman did. Whatever excuse, like other forms of GBV, femicide is about unequal power relations and seeking control by a close family member or partner, discrimination gender inequality and harmful social norms. According to the report by UN Women released at the commencement of the 16 days of activism: Fact: Women and girls are most likely to be killed by those closest to them, either an intimate partner, family member or close associate. Fact:  Femicide is a universal problem across different social spheres and geographical contexts. Fact: The accurate scale of femicide is likely much higher as many GBV cases are likely to go unreported or undocumented. Fact: Some groups of women and girls face greater risk, such as women in the public sphere and human rights defenders. Fact: Femicide can and should be prevented, and different actors have a key role to play. As we commemorate the 16 days of activism, it is a time to reflect more on these crimes, take measures to prevent their recurrence, punish perpetrators through laws and policies and continue to work on programs aimed at preventing social transformation. Read the report here https://lnkd.in/df4AZDR8

🌍 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence: Empowering Communities, Protecting Rights! 🌍 From November 25 to December 10, we join the global campaign to raise awareness, encourage action, and work towards ending violence against women and girls. This period is a crucial opportunity to reflect on the impact of gender-based violence, advocate for change, and support survivors. The Week 3 Project by Practical Action in Kenya , supported by ENERGIA - International Network on Gender and Sustainable Energy and Hivos , is committed to empowering communities by promoting gender equality and safeguarding human rights. Through this initiative, we continue to support women and youth, providing them with tools, resources, and platforms to foster economic independence and resilience. Our focus during these 16 Days: 1. Supporting women entrepreneurs to achieve financial independence. 2. Collaborating with local partners and WEEs who are gender champions in Embu,to create safer and more equitable environments. 3. Promoting sustainable and inclusive energy solutions that uplift women and girls. 4. Encouraging community dialogue and education in gatherings and share knowledge on the importance of gender equality. Join us in taking a stand against all forms of violence. Let's create a world where everyone can thrive without fear. #16DaysOfActivism #EndViolence #GenderEquality #EmpowerCommunities #SupportSurvivors #Week3Project #Energia #Hivos #kenya