Day 10: Women’s safety and security and the right to development

Today is the 25th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, when the United Nations recognised “an inalienable human right by virtue of which every human person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development, in which all human rights and fundamental freedoms can be fully realised.”

Security is a core requirement of the realisation of the right to development for any individual or community. When security is not in place, progress cannot be a priority. Enabling women’s safety and security is integrally connected to wider political stability, democracy and rule of law. For this reason, safety and security is a key thematic priority of IWDA.

IWDA’s first formal thematic review was held earlier this year in Thailand, and focused on women’s right to safety and security. It involved staff from IWDA and partner organisations Banteay Srei (Cambodia) and the Women’s League of Burma, Palaung Women’s Organisation, Shan Women’s Action Network and the Karen Women’s Organisation from the Thai Burma border region.

The review looked at programs addressing violence against women, contributing to preventing conflict and promoting sustainable peace in the Asia region. The review documented effective practice, enabling and constraining factors and successes.

The review identified six aspects of our safety and security work that are essential to program effectiveness:

• Access to and services for legal, social and economic support have empowered women and increased protection.
• Safe houses are a crucial component of resourcing violence against women programs.
• Practical action has led to improved reporting and discussion on women’s rights and violence against women.
• Investment and mobilisation for advocacy, networking and exchange has led to new services and resources being made available to women to address violence and security.
• Increasing women’s civil and political participation directly strengthens conflict resolution and peace building processes at the local, provincial and national level and expands resources or services to end violence against women.
• Partnership is a key factor in strengthening women’s agency at both the individual and collective level.

Evidence across Cambodia and the Thai Burma border region shows that the adequacy of prevailing laws and policy frameworks and a commitment to either reform or implementation is vital for success in improving safety and security. This includes national plans of action for the prevention of violence against women, anti-trafficking measures, migration policy, security policy and constitutional arrangements.

As in this year’s 16 Days Campaign theme, From Peace in the Home to Peace in the World, the review demonstrates that individual security is integrally connected to community stability and the potential for development.

To read more about IWDA’s safety and security thematic review, download a summary of the review in PDF format or download the entire IWDA Annual Report 2011 (PDF).

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The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence is an international campaign originating from the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute sponsored by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership in 1991. For each of the 16 Days from 25 November to 10 December 2011, the IWDA website will be featuring a different piece to highlight the work of our partners and explore ways that IWDA supporters can take part in the effort to end gender-based violence.

This entry was posted on Sunday, December 4th, 2011 under 16_Days, Front page, Recent, Safety and Security.