Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevalent human rights violations in the world. It knows no social, economic or national boundaries. Worldwide, an estimated one in three women experiences physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime.
Gender-based violence undermines the health, dignity, security and autonomy of its victims, yet it remains shrouded in a culture of silence. Victims of violence can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including forced and unwanted pregnancies, unsafe abortions, sexually transmitted infections including HIV, and even death.
The UN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women states, “violence against women is a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women” and “violence against women is one of the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate position compared with men.”
Ahmedabad Women’s Action Group (AWAG) founded in 1981 aims to protest violence against women, raise the image of women in society and support their rights thereby providing them with a life of dignity, welfare, education and economic betterment.
AWAG adopts a holistic approach to women’s empowerment and addresses the issue of gender-based violence through:
- Raising Awareness
- Policy and Research
- Psychological counselling
- Campaigning and Advocacy
- Economic empowerment
AWAG’s programmes offer psychosocial assistance, medical treatment and promote the right of all women and girls to live free of violence and abuse.
In support of the global campaign ‘16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence’, a day-long awareness raising workshop on Gender Violence was held on 26 November 2017 at Patan for the 120 community leaders belonging to AWAG’s work area in 60 villages of Patan block of Patan district, Gujarat. The focal point of the workshop was to draw attention to and recognize various forms of exploitation and violence inflicted on women and mechanisms of seeking help to raise a voice against it.
The overall endeavour of AWAG is that women awaken and gain insights to the subtle and stark forms of violence be it in their homes, workplace or otherwise; and ultimately stand up to say “NO” to violence!