25th of November: International Day against Gender Violence

On the occasion of the International day to eliminate violence against women, the European Coordination Via Campesina reasserts her commitment to this struggle and undertakes to do her bit from the rural environment.

In Europe, there has been a considerable progress made in legislative matters so far; however, we have not managed to bring this curse to an end yet, which causes thousands of women and young girls to suffer from male violence each year. There is still a long row to hoe.

he data reflecting the number of male violence cases of women who end up being murdered and the number of barring orders, however spine-chilling, is still far from the actual situation because there are many cases of domestic abuse that are not reported. Even so, those cases prove that our societies still have a lot of work to do.

At the same time, many women suffer from other forms of violence that are more subtle and difficult to fight such as psychological violence, financial dependence and the pressure of having to keep up with a certain physical image or to play a traditional role. Many decision-taking processes lack an equitable involvement of women.

Those factors prevent women from the freedom of developing and expressing themselves as a person and as a woman.

We demand:

• A greater development in the legislations regarding the promotion of equality between men and women and a real transformation of those laws.
• Public support for women who are victims of male violence.
• A greater recognition of psychic violence and of the oppression of traditional roles.
• Wide social changes that allow the necessary conditions for the development of women.
• Legal recognition of every right of female peasants; as well as their role as food producers and guardians of knowledge and sustainable agricultural practices.
• The elimination of legal and social barriers to enable female peasants and farmers to have the same rights in the farms (co-ownership, wages, social security,…)

On the 25th of November, we call out our organisations to take part in the demonstrations organised by the World March of Women in their own countries for the elimination of violence against women.

Contacts:
Lidia Senra: 0034609845861
Maria Vögt: 004322455153

Related posts:

Publication | “Women Peasant are Women: Understanding violence against rural women in Eastern and Southern Africa” Mozambique: Study on violence against women farmers in Africa to be launched at the UEM International Day for Elimination of Violence against women: Implement Policies that Protect Women and Girls against GBV