1. Violence Against Women
Case Study: India
Mita Ramani

2. Definition
“any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life”

4. Statistics and Reporting

5. Statistics and Reporting
out of date statistics
large increase in the number of reported cases left out of statistics
last major report done in 2012

6. Statistics and Reporting
the fear factor
women are afraid to speak up
societal ostracization
government corruption
story of Lyla

7. Mandates on Violence Against Women
international community's efforts to protect women
various conventions and documents
two major documents

8. CEDAW
Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women
adopted in 1979 by the United Nations General Assembly
signed and ratified by 189 countries

9. CEDAW “all human beings are born free and equal”
“states parties shall grant women equal rights with men”
“gender based violence inhibits women's ability to enjoy rights and freedoms on a basis of equality with men”

10. CEDAW need for more accountability little to no data collection
lack of specific steps for governments
no leadership example

11. BPfA+20 Beijing Platform for Action
20 years after the first Beijing Declaration
over 17,000 participants from over 150 nations
final document over 132 pages

12. BPfA+20 historically manifested unequal power between men and women
set of integrated measures to prevent and eliminate violence against women
idealistic set of actions for governments

13. BPfA+20 vs CEDAW BPfA+20 more detailed and idealistic
BPfA+20 is less enforceable
CEDAW is older and more respected
both aim to advance the global status of women politically, socially, and economically

14. The Media media portrayal has varied through the years
more media coverage today than 20 years ago
but women are still largely left out of media coverage on every level

15. India women seen as second class citizens in Indian culture
long standing problem with violence against women
has more recently come to the public’s attention with media coverage

16. Dowry Abuse dowry as an ingrained practice in Indian culture
22 women killed per day from dowry conflict
Dowry Prohibition Act
Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act

17. India by Geography

18. 2012 Delhi Gang Rape 23 year old attacked on a bus
rape and fatal assault
all 5 perpetrators were arrested and charged
set off a movement to combat violence

19. निर्भय Nirbhaya Effect aftermath effect of the 2012 case
Nirbhaya meaning fearless
name coined by press and spread on social media
encouragement for women to speak out about abuse

20. TODAY

21. “Of all the evils for which man has made himself responsible, none is so degrading, so shocking or so brutal as his abuse of the better half of humanity; the female sex.”
-Mahatma Gandhi