16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence
Background
Violence against women is a global human rights scandal that affects everyone, and is one of the most pervasive and ignored human rights violations in the world. Worldwide, at least one of every three women will experience some kind of violence - she may be beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime - whether at the hands of family members, government security forces, or armed rebels. In the community, women face many forms of violence - sexual assault at the hands of strangers, acquaintances or partners/spouses, other forms of domestic violence, violence in the name of so-called "honor" and other kinds of violence. Trafficking in persons disproportionately affects women, who are trafficked into domestic servitude or prostitution. In the home, many women face violence, including beatings, rape, and murder.
In a great many cases, violence is not random - women and girls are victims because they are female. Discrimination is a root cause of violence: once an unequal relationship is established, violence is more likely. Violence against women and girls occurs in every segment of society, regardless of class, ethnicity, culture, or country. Governments, religious groups, civil society and individuals all have a part to play in ending violence against women and addressing its devastating consequences.
The need for secure shelter for women/girls fleeing violence
Shelters represent a critical point of crisis intervention. They serve as a temporary safe space when women and children are fleeing violence. When the state and society are unable to ensure women's safety at home, shelters offer women a place of safety and allow them the time to make decisions about their lives and to access support. It is important to stress that shelters are only part of the solution, but they are critical in situations where women's safety, even their lives, are under threat.
Shelters and safe spaces for women/girls must embody the basic human rights standards for safe and adequate housing. While it is important for these spaces to be available to women and girls, they must not be seen as the final home for women fleeing violence. The need for emergency shelter highlights the ever important question of government responsibility for developing long-term permanent solutions for women fleeing violence. Amnesty International calls on all governments to provide places of safety for women fleeing violence. In particular, the human rights standards include the requirement that governments work in cooperation with women's organizations and provide support for establishing and running shelters. Supporting shelters is part of the government obligation to eradicate gender-based violence under human rights law and it is women's entitlement to have access to shelters
One of the 16 actions will be about the need for shelters that provide service for Indigenous women in the USA. Today there are few options for Native American and Alaska Native women fleeing violence. Native American and Alaska Native-run shelters are important as they can create culturally respectful spaces and advocacy for Indigenous women. Shelters operated by Native American and Alaska Native peoples provide safety to Indigenous survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking and provide cultural and traditional help to survivors.
