Press Statement
“Violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace. Violence against women both violates and impairs or nullifies the enjoyment by women of their human rights and fundamental freedoms”.
TWA observes ‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women’
November 25, 2005: The word violence connotes suppression, depression and oppression and denotes discrimination, torture, and pain. Violence is a crime and violence against women is the worst crime as it breaches the rule of humanity and disturbs the essence of social existence. Violence against women and girls includes physical, sexual, psychological, and economic abuse and is identified as “gender-based” violence because it evolves in part from women’s subordinate status in society.
The aftermath of Violence against women directly affects the victims, their children, families, friends, employers and co-workers and ushers in far-reaching financial, social, health and psychological consequences and costs heavily to the community. It has been proven that the effects of violence can be devastating to a woman’s reproductive health as well as to other aspects of her physical and mental well being.
Combating violence against women calls for information, advocacy and change. Hence it is imperative to educate and enlighten ‘men’ who need to be taught at a young age that using violence against women is wrong and will not be tolerated. Societal response is indispensable, as ending physical and sexual violence requires long-term commitment and strategies involving all parts of society. Health care and Government support system are an important attribute that strengthens women in fighting all odds.
Tibetan Women are faced with the worst from of Violence. They are compelled to fall as easy prey to social suppression, economic encroachment, and political paradoxes employed by the Chinese government. Tibetan Women face violence in all aspects of their life, be it the social atrocities of birth control policies, abject economic poverty, political subjugation, religious repression, or environmental threats to women’s health on account of toxic materials that eventually causes health hazards. Documented accounts of torture, sexual abuse and inadequate medical facilities for women prisoners that includes young Tibetan girls as political prisoners, and educational disparity for Tibetan girls are a common thing in Tibet. Following the impact of population transfer from China and military exploitation, rampant flesh trade that renders prostitution as an occupation among Tibetan women and brothels are becoming a common feature of social and economic sustenance in Tibet.
Such atrocities and violence impedes the in-prints of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW}, especially Article 1 and 2 which China ratified in September 1980. It contradicts the Declaration of the Fourth World Conference on Women held in Beijing in 1995, which reiterated the right of women to determine freely matters relating to their choice of reproduction. This reveals China’s lack of commitment to internationally recognized standards of women’s human right
Violence against women in general follows a different graph with violence against the Tibetan women in Tibet. While the former advocates for existing rights to enhance one` s life and stand on par with men the latter’s is a quest for the survival of the soul, for the resurrection of one’s life.
TWA representing the Women around the world and particularly the Women in Tibet requests the world to
- Enlighten the Chinese officials about the right to motherhood and respect women’s reproductive rights.
- Render your assistance in helping the Tibetan women break free from religious repression, economic stagnation, political subjugation and social suppression.
- Encourage women around the globe to excel in life.
- Respect the needs and aspirations of women and bestow them with equal opportunities as men.
- Make consistent effort towards elimination of all forms of violence against women.
- Adhere to the plight of women around the world especially the grave victims like the Tibetan Women and
- Render perennial support, empathy for them.
Today on the occasion of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, let us all vow to strive and make strides towards achieving a violence free world. Each of us can make a difference, for “ Women’s Right is Human’s Right”
