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Campaign
to Stop Violence Against Women
Amnesty
International
An Open Letter To The Women’s Movement
March 2004
We are pleased
to launch a global campaign to stop violence against women. We are
excited to be joining your long standing efforts to stop violence
against women.
The women’s
movement has long been a powerful force against the tide of violence.
Amnesty International, too, has added its voice to the struggle to
protect and promote women’s rights. Now we want to concentrate
more attention and resources on this issue because we know that violence
against women is everyone’s problem. Amnesty members and
staff offer our voices to the struggle for a world free of violence
against women.
To the struggle,
Amnesty International brings the energy, determination and activism
of members and supporters from all over the world.
To the struggle,
we bring the power and persuasion of the human rights framework which
points to the obligations of states and other actors.
To the struggle,
we bring reports and documents that can help create the power of evidence
and documentation to the force of denunciation and illustrate how
violence deprives women of all human rights.
To the struggle,
we bring the resounding message that violence against women is fundamentally
about unequal power relations between men and women.
A
human rights crisis
We all know the
facts about violence against women and that statistics that don’t
capture the true extent of the crisis. Very few states systemically
collect and publish statistics on violence against women. As well,
violence against women is generally under-reported because women are
made to feel ashamed that they have been victimized or they fear disbelief,
hostility or further violence if they come forward.
This campaign
is designed to sound the alarm about violence against women as a human
rights crisis, educate the broader public about the issues, mobilize
both women and men to work to counter violence and to use the power
and persuasion of the human rights framework in the efforts to stop
violence against women.
Our
long-term commitment
It may be unexpected
that Amnesty International, an organization that typically works on
behalf of prisoners of conscience and on civil and political human
rights, would venture into the area of violence against women. But
in many ways, this is not far from our traditional work. This campaign
will incorporate our long-standing concerns such as a persistent disregard
for international standards, impunity and failings in the administration
of justice.
Working with women’s
activists, advocates and rights defenders, Amnesty International
launches today a two year public awareness and action campaign to
stop violence against women. As a worldwide initiative of Amnesty
International, this a priority campaign for over 1.8 million Amnesty
supporters in more than 150 countries and territories across the planet.
Campaign planning
at the international level began with consultations with some international
organizations that work on women’s human rights. In Canada, we
consulted with some frontline groups and national organizations to
help us develop our campaign strategy, goals and how to best work
as allies. This campaign is a product of those consultations.
This campaign
provides Amnesty with a tremendous opportunity to develop a stronger
analysis of violence against women as it connects to broader issues
of women’s rights. We will develop a long-term program of action
to address the root causes of violence against women.
We want to support
you and invite your support.
We know that violence
of all kinds is experienced by women and girls in a variety of ways
every day in every part of the world. But it doesn’t have to
be this way.
Members of Amnesty
International may be in contact with you to explore possibilities
for collaboration as this campaign takes shape in communities across
Canada. At the national level, we look forward to fostering relationships
with women’s groups to ensure this campaign makes a meaningful
contribution to your work.
We look forward
to working with you. Please visit www.amnesty.ca/stoptheviolence
or call us at 1.800.AMNESTY.
In solidarity,
Cheryl Hotchkiss
Campaigner, Women’s Human Rights
Amnesty International Canada (English)
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by Barbara Anello
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