Responding to Violence Against Women

CEDAW and FAFIA

Over the past year, the Canadian Feminist Alliance For International Action (FAFIA) has been using the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) to mobilize governments in Canada to improve their efforts to address violence against women in Canada. A signatory to this agreement in 1981, Canada must regularly report to the UN on its progress.

This is the most comprehensive human rights treaty for women the world over. Though the text does not specifically mention violence against women, Articles 2 and 3 guarantee women’s equality in all aspects of their lives. In addition, the UN CEDAW Committee has stated explicitly that, “Gender-based violence may breach specific provisions of the Convention, regardless of whether those provisions expressly mention violence.” (Gen. Rec. 19, 11th session 1992, para. 6). Further, CEDAW obligates governments to prevent and remedy VAW perpetrated by both private individuals and public authorities.

In FAFIA’s January 2003 submission to the UN CEDAW Committee, we reported that government laws and policies are failing women in Canada in a number of different ways. These include: cutbacks to funds for women’s shelters and transition housing, the absence of women’s shelters for women living in remote communities, and inadequate social assistance rates. We argued that Canada has failed to address racism in the criminal-justice system, which affects how violent crimes against Aboriginal women and women of colour are treated. And we reported that the Canadian government’s law-and-order approach has failed to address the root causes of VAW and is too little, too late for the many women who have been injured or murdered by the time the criminal-justice system becomes involved.

The Committee responded with a list of recommendations to governments in Canada, noting its “concern that violence against women and girls persists” and adding that it is “particularly concerned about the inadequate funding for women’s crisis services and shelters.” (para.369). The Committee also urged Canada “to step up its efforts to combat violence against women and girls and increase its funding for women’s crisis centres and shelters in order to address the needs of women victims of violence under all governments.” (para.370)

FAFIA is actively working towards the implementation of these recommendations.  For more information, call 613-232-9505, x222 or email npeckford@fafia-afai.org.

 

National Network on Partner Violence Against Immigrant and Visible Minority Women

Established by the Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) to provide a forum for those who advocate on behalf of immigrant and visible minority women experiencing partner violence, this network is expected to enhance capacity for response to the needs of this clientele, and promote efficient, effective use for quality service delivery.

This network grew out of the CCSD study, Nowhere to Turn, major findings of which were that immigrant and visible minority women experiencing partner abuse were the least likely to report incidents to police and to use available social services. Key recommendations from the study included development of a service/agency network to facilitate ongoing collaborations, which could: link service providers, provide a way to share knowledge with frontline workers, ensure support for victims, coordinate a more comprehensive response, and promote best practices.

Major network activities will include:  

• promoting relevant and appropriate policies and practices.

• engaging in public education aimed at empowering women and preventing partner violence.

• developing an information and resource base with easy access for effective response to the clientele.

• developing a constituency base for political action.

• engaging in peer education and mentoring for frontline workers.

• creating partnerships for relevant coordination of services.

For more information, please visit http://www.ccsd.ca/subsites/cd/forum.htm.

 

The World March of Women

Initiated by women in Quebec, the World March of Women is an international feminist action network of grassroots groups working to eliminate poverty and violence against women. Its values centre on the globalization of solidarity, diversity, women’s leadership, and the strength of alliances between women’s and other social movements.

The March is composed of 5500 participating groups in 163 countries and territories.

In 2000, the March organized events throughout the world and held meetings at the UN, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Bank, where they introduced 11 concrete demands targeting the elimination of violence against women. The demands were diverse, including: ratification of international agreements addressing women’s rights; adoption of laws criminalizing domestic violence; appointment of female staff on police forces and in prisons; and information campaigns to increase awareness of VAW as a multifaceted social problem with far-reaching ramifications.

The 2005 World March of Women is mobilizing around a Women’s Global Charter for Humanity, which will focus on five values: equity, freedom, solidarity, justice, and peace. The Charter will cross the world, from Brazil to North America, then to Europe, Asia, and Africa to promote the world we want to build together.

For more information, please visit  http://www.marchemondiale.org/en/index.html.

 

Coalition Against Same-Sex Partner Abuse

Due to societal homophobia and heterosexism, lesbian relationships continue to be devalued, denigrated, and/or invisible. There continues to be a strong need for anti-homophobia and anti-oppression work, including queer-positive policies and practices in shelters, hostels, counselling agencies, the criminal-justice system, and police. Community responses and services need to be developed that reflect the unique needs of women in same-sex relationships, the ways that lesbians are marginalized and internalize oppression(s), and that also reflect our strength and pride.

In Toronto, the Coalition Against Same Sex Partner Abuse organized a series of workshops and invited participants from l/g/b/t/q communities to create art that was developed into information cards and posters in Spanish and English. Support groups, workshops, and community initiatives are happening across Canada, the United States, Mexico and Australia. There also needs to be support, understanding, and community responses to address violence in gay male relationships and for children exposed to abuse between the same-sex adults in their lives.

To find out more about community resources and the Coalition Against Same Sex Partner Abuse, visit www.womanabuseprevention.com and see same sex partner abuse, or visit www.fsatoronto.com.