Protection of sexual and reproductive health rights: Addressing violence against women (original) (raw)
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Violence against women’s health in international law
Violence against women’s health in international law
Originally associated with the Melland Schill Lectures at the Manchester International Law centre, this prestigious series brings together the very best scholarship, carefully curated by leading experts. Each volume tackles major issues and current developments in the field, and the series has moved beyond its earlier iterations to become a home for exceptional academic work from around the world. Many of the works previously published under the name 'Melland Schill monographs', have become standard references in the field, such as General AVP Rogers' exposition of law on the battlefield; Anthony Carty on the decay of international law; Professors Hilary Charlesworth and Christine Chinkin on feminism and international law; Professors Vaughan Lowe and Robin Churchill on the law of the sea; Nigel White on the law of international organisations; and Professor L.C. Green on the law of armed conflict. Under the stewardship of new editors and published in a variety of digital editions as well as in print, this venerable series has been given renewed vigour. v Contents Acknowledgements page vii Abbreviations ix Introduction: the narrative Premise and main argument: elaborating the new notion of violence against women's health Background Violence against women: the knowledge so far The reasons underlying the choice of the right to health and the right to reproductive health Why human rights and why women's rights? Perspective: the Hippocratic medical paradigm Structure of the book 1 The anamnesis: 'case history' on violence against women, and against women's rights to health and to reproductive health The anamnesis, a two-dimensional approach The horizontal, 'interpersonal' dimension The vertical, 'state policies' dimension Conclusions: paving the way for the diagnosis 2 The diagnosis: a conceptualisation of violence against women's health (VAWH) Unravelling the notion of violence against women's health Consent and autonomy in the concept of VAWH Access to contraception Conclusions 3 The treatment: reconceptualising states' obligations in countering VAWH Starting from the beginning: the nature of state obligations
Gender violence and reproductive health
International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics, 1998
The available literature reflects the growing interest in gender violence and reproductive health. Violence is generally studied by identifying pathologies, measuring their demands on services and evaluating their repercussions on fetal outcome. Institutional violence, however, has received little attention and is mainly concerned with the consequences of inappropriate use of technologies. Data from the Sexuality and Health Feminist Collective shows that among patients, 20.5% stated that they have never talked about their sexual life with their partners; 38.3% stated that they have had sexual intercourse against their will, including situations ranging from sexual harassment to rape which was referred by 12.3% of them. One of the most relevant issues arising from the anamnesis and interviews of these women was the violence to which they were submitted by health services. The high prevalence of violent situations indicates the urgency of incorporating an approach which deals with gender violence and promotes the empowerment of women into the routine of reproductive health services. ᮊ 1998 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Gender-based violence, human rights and the health sector: Lessons from Latin America
2002
In 1993, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly defined gender-based violence as "any act of . . . violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering for women, ineluding threats of such acts, coercion, or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life."1 A recent analysis of more than 50 population-based surveys found that between 10% and 50% (or more) of adult-women respondents around the world reported having been physically assaulted by an intimate male partner at some point in their lives. Psychological abuse almost always accompanied physical abuse, and sexual abuse was present in a third to more than half of the cases.2 By labeling such violence as gender-based, the UN highlighted the need to understand this violence within the con-Alessandra Guedes, MA, MSc, is a Senior Program Officer of Sexual and ® text of women's and girls' subordinate status in society. As Heise et al. have argued: "Many cultures have beliefs, norms and social institutions that legitimatize and therefore perpetuate violence against women."3 As a result, in many settings, family members, religious leaders, health workers, social-service agencies, police, the judiciary, the media, and other institutions minimize or even justify the suffering caused by physical, sexual, and emotional abuse of women. In other cases, the problem is recognized but no one will take responsibility for providing services or prosecuting offenders. Even when legislation exists, judges may refuse to sentence perpetrators, police may not investigate, social services may be underfunded and therefore inadequate, and health providers may not recognize sequelae of violence or may treat women with disrespect.
Worldwide violence against women legislation: An equity approach
Health policy, 2011
To describe the recommendations and interventions addressing violence against women (VAW) in vulnerable women (disabled, pregnant, ethnic minority, immigrant and older women) in key documents and laws enacted in different countries.Content analysis of key documents for the development of VAW policies and laws: The United Nations Handbook for Legislation on Violence Against Women Advance Version, the Model of Laws and Policies on Intrafamiliar Violence Against Women of the Pan-American Health Organization and Recommendation No. R(2002)5 of the Committee of Ministers of the European Council. The content of the 62 VAW laws was also analyzed.Key documents demonstrate the importance of eliminating any obstacle facing disabled, pregnant, immigrant, ethnic minority or older women when accessing VAW services. Only 12 laws mention one or more of these groups of vulnerable women. Pregnant, disabled and ethnic minority women are the groups most often mentioned. In these laws, references to punitive measures, action plans and specific strategies to guarantee access to VAW resources are the most common interventions.Decisive interventions addressing the specific needs of disabled, pregnant, immigrant, ethnic minority and older women are needed in order to achieve a broader equity approach in VAW legislation.
Encyclopedia of Violence, Peace, and Conflict" - 3rd Edition, 2022
Violence against women is a worldwide public health and human rights concern with serious consequences for women's health and well-being. The following article summarizes existing knowledge on the prevalence and health outcomes of different forms of violence against women: intimate partner violence, intimate partner violence during pregnancy, sexual violence in conflict setting and in displacement, trafficking of women, child sexual abuse and first forced sex and female genital mutilation. The article ends with an outline of responses to violence against women; highlighting the difference health professional can make for women who experience violence in its multiple forms.
Health and Human Rights, 2003
The World Health Organization (WHO), in response to the lack of data on the magnitude and nature of violence against women, initiated a multicountry study on women's health and domestic violence. The WHO study, implemented in eight countries, was the first global effort to gather reliable and comparable data on domestic violence and women's health across countries. The study also demonstrates how carefully developed and applied research can act as a useful intervention at many levels of society and government and for all participants, researchers as weil as respondents. The study further illustrates how partnering with researchers and women's organizations to collect evidence of the magnitude, consequences, and determinants of domestic violence can help strengthen national efforts to address violence against women and can act as a facilitating force for change. En raison de la p?nurie de donn?es sur l'ampleur et la nature de la violence contre les femmes, l'Organisation Mondiale de la Sant? (OMS) a organis? une ?tude sur la violence familiale et la sant? de la femme dans plusieurs pays. L'?tude de l'OMS, qui fut r?alis?e dans huit pays, a constitu? le premier effort mondial de collecte de donn?es fiables et comparables sur la violence familiale et la sant? de la femme dans plusieurs pays. L'?tude d?montre aussi comment des recherches d?velopp?es et appliqu?es de fa,on soign?e peuvent se traduire par des interventions utiles ? de nombreux niveaux de la soci?t? et du gouvernement, ainsi que pour tous les participants, chercheurs et r?pondants. L'?tude illustre ?galement la fa9on dont la collaboration entre des chercheurs et des organisations f?minines pour recueillir des preuves de l'importance, des cons?quences et des d?terminants de la violence familiale peut contribuer ? renforcer les efforts nationaux visant ? s'attaquer au probl?me de la violence contre les femmes et peut servir de force facilitant le changement.
2017
Publication covers international standards for protection of women against gender based violence and violence in family and assessment of compliance of Montenegrin legal and strategical framework with international documents and policies The Study in front of you gives an overview of international legal standards relevant to the field of violence against women and domestic violence, as well as the obligations of States Parties in their implementation. At the same time, a review of national legislation and policies provides a clear picture of the current situation in Montenegro, but also points on the level of compliance with international and EU standards, requirements and good practices. According to the key findings of the study, a set of recommendations for immediate intervention in the field of protection of women from violence and domestic violence is given, which the government is obliged to provide in accordance with international standards and national legislation.