Ei-iE

On 25 November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, EI calls upon education unions to raise awareness of the scope of the phenomenon of violence against girls and women and organise prevention measures to eradicate it.

There has been a lot of progress towards the elimination of gender-based violence in the last decade. According to the UN Women, today 125 countries have specific laws that penalize domestic violence. Additionally, significant advances in international law have made it possible to prosecute sexual violence crimes during and after conflict, recognising them as a deliberate tactic of war.

However, a lot more has to be done, as violence against women remains one of the most widespread human rights violations yet one of the least prosecuted crimes.

Education unions have a crucial role in building commitment to non-violence and peace in the minds of teachers and education workers through gender-sensitive trade union and human rights education, as well as non-violent approaches to conflicts resolution.

In parallel to trade unions’ work, EI also calls on governments to guarantee the provision of quality universal public services: free quality education, adequate facilities including safe transportation and sanitation, qualified teachers and gender-sensitive relevant curricula.

It is through these measures that girls and women will have the chance to achieve, not only literacy, but empowerment and the right to lead their lives free of the fear of violence and discrimination.

Towards these fundamental objectives, EI actively advocates for the implementation of the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW.

The Article 10 of the CEDAW specifically calls for all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the field of education, as well as stereotyped concepts of roles of men and women at all levels and in all forms of education.

On the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, EI General Secretary, Fred van Leeuwen, stated: “Gender-based violence is not only a women’s issue, but an issue that concerns all of mankind. Therefore, non-discriminatory education benefits both girls and boys, and ultimately contributes to more equal relationships between women and men.”

Please go here to read the whole EI statement on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women