US promises support against gender-based violence

Islamabad:As the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, an international campaign organised by the United Nations, began on Monday, the United States pledged its support to Pakistan in addressing human rights violations related to gender identity.

"We are committed to supporting Pakistan in addressing gender-based violence through programmes that empower survivors and engage communities. Let's work together to create a safer world for all," Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in Islamabad Natalie A Baker said in a message.

Ms Baker said that over the next 16 days, the US Embassy would showcase various efforts to demonstrate the country's commitment to ending gender-based violence.

“We're investing in the safety of women and girls around the world, from encouraging women’s participation in sports to establishing anti-rape crisis cells,” she said. As the day was also marked as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Delegation of the European Union to Pakistan urged women to “break the silence to end violence.”

The EU Delegation regretted in a message that many women and girls didn't report violence or seek help due to stigma, fear, lack of support, and victim-blaming. It urged women to learn about gender-based violence, speak about it, and break the silence, and said that the society should stand by violence survivors.

The EU Delegation said that the violence against women was one of the most frequent human rights violations, with victims experiencing physical and sexual violence in their lifetime, mostly from intimate partners.

"Girls and women alive today (650 million) have been subjected to sexual violence as children globally. Among boys and men, one in seven experienced sexual violence in childhood." The EU Delegation said that gender-based violence had a long-lasting physical, emotional, social and economic effects on survivors and their families, and was a key barrier for women and girls to access lifesaving services in crises, conflicts and disasters.

It added that gendered disinformation disproportionately targeted women and girls, using false gender-based narratives to silence their voices and deter them from public life. “Stigma, fear, lack of support and victim-blaming continue to prevent many women and girls from reporting violence and seeking help.”

The EU Delegation advocated for the empowerment of women and girls politically, economically and socially as key to breaking the cycle of violence and achieving gender equality. “Prevention efforts, including education and awareness, are crucial to address the root causes of violence,” it said.