OneWorld.net (U.S.)

NEW DELHI, Apr 26 (OneWorld) - The Indian government has promised to address issues related to gender-based violence in its upcoming planning document – the eleventh five-year plan – to be implemented in year 2007. The government has already included gender related sensitivities in the draft document.

Member of the Indian Planning Commission, Syeda S Hameed, said the government is serious about providing equal rights to women. She said that at least five of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) relate to women, and men have to accept women as equal partners. Hameed was speaking at a function organized by UK-based non-governmental organization (NGO) Oxfam to spotlight the urgent need to bring an end to domestic violence against women in south Asia.

Oxfam had launched the 'We Can' campaign – to end all violence against women in south Asia – in November 2004 to address the root causes of discrimination against girls and women and end all kinds of violence against them. It is a six-year long, six-country initiative (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Pakistan) that includes over 400 civil society groups, organizations and individuals.

A major thrust of the campaign is to change the perceptions and practices on violence against women by involving both men and women, particularly the youth. The campaign plans to mobilize over five million people – change makers – who will reach out and influence 50 million more people to oppose violence against women.

Violence against women is recognized as a human rights violation and its definition includes physical, sexual or psychological harm. In south Asia it takes different forms as domestic violence is the area of focus in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka; trafficking of women and girls in the issue in Nepal and honor killings are the concern area in Pakistan.

A survey in India by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) shows that 52 per cent of women suffer at least once incident of physical or psychological violence in their married life. The National Family Health Survey (NFHS-II) says that one in five married women in India experiences domestic violence from the age of 15 years.

In Pakistan, 80 per cent of women experience violence within their homes, while in Sri Lanka, 60 per cent women suffer domestic violence.

Violence against women takes a different form In Nepal. Published figures in Nepal suggest that between 5,000 to 7,000 Nepali women and girls are trafficked for sex every year. In Bangladesh, 47 per cent women experience physical violence at the hands of their partners.

Oxfam International says: "There are 50 million fewer women in south Asia today than there should be – girl babies are killed before birth through sex-selective abortions, or die prematurely through violence and neglect. This situation will not just be change by state laws and international agreements."

South Asia Regional Director of Oxfam GB Allison Aldred said: "We hope to change the behavior and attitude of the people that discrimination and violence against women is not a normal thing. Youth will change the minds of more people and help spread the word."

The United Nations Development Program's (UNDP) Human Development Report 2003 pointed out that women in south Asia remain deeply vulnerable and disadvantaged and their indicators for literacy, health, economic activities, work burden, empowerment and political participation are among the lowest in the world.

Campaigns in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Pakistan have already taken off during the last six months. The campaign is using social mobilization to take its message to the people. It is using traditional means of communication like folk media, theatre, music and dance to reach out to the people.

Regional Program Director UNIFEM Chandni Joshi narrated the UNIFEM's work in the field of gender empowerment. She said: "We had planned a campaign on the issue in 1998 which revolved around social mobilization and were able to center-stage domestic violence. The women's movement is vibrant in India and the change makers in the We Can campaign will make a difference to the status of women in India." Noted poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar, who had composed a lyric specially for the campaign, said that violence against women is a problem for the society. He said: "Ending violence against women is not a romantic idea, it is a very rational thought as women are getting empowered, particularly through the use of technology."