Women's Views on News |
| Posted: 24 Jun 2014 07:45 AM PDT
This week at the Human Rights Council meeting (HRC26) saw the last of the consultations for the resolution on the Impact on Human Rights of the Civilian Possession and Use of Firearms. The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) reports from there that as always with arms at the Human Rights Council, some States were extremely sensitive to the kind of language included. Countries such as the USA and Canada are actively opposing the notion that civilian possession and use of firearms is negative in itself, rather preferring to focus the resolution solely on the illegal acquisition and use of firearms. The fact is, as the delegate of Uruguay has pointed out in several occasions, no matter how civilians get hold of weapons, their possession and use is a threat to human rights. Firearms can still be acquired legally and used illegally, both directly and indirectly by creating an atmosphere of insecurity and fear. The latest draft that was discussed appears to be very careful towards respecting the discretion of States in regulating the use of firearms as they see fit, according to their own social conceptions and national laws around weapons. Unfortunately this means that States with a high use and production of firearms will continue to have lenient policies at their discretion. WILPF will keep pressuring for stronger language on control of weapons as well as many other policies to limit their negative impact on women’s rights. WILPF’s Civilian Possession of Firearms and its Impact on Women's Human Rights briefing paper for the meeting explains how firearms control is particularly linked to women's rights violations: The Isla Vista recent mass killing is unfortunately not exceptional among cases in which firearms have been used in misogynist killings by a civilian. But firearms do not only affect women's right to life, they also affect many other civil, political and socioeconomic human rights of women. Guns and Femicide/Direct Killings Studies show that there is a direct correlation between femicides rates and the use of firearms. Firearms were used in a third of all femicides worldwide, reaching 60 per cent in some Latin American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. In Ciudad Juárez, firearms were used in more than 80 per cent of femicides. Furthermore, firearms may also be involved in femicides as a way of intimidating the victim. Sexual Violence at Gunpoint: The correlation between high rates of sexual violence and flow of firearms has been demonstrated in countless examples. In DRC, where sexual violence has spread to the whole country owing to impunity and flow of firearms, women survivors of sexual violence have consistently reported they were intimidated with a gun. The impact of the uncontrolled flow and widespread use of arms on women due to irresponsible and unregulated arms trade across borders resulted in the adoption of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with a particular reference that exporting states need to assess the risk of their arms being used to commit gender-based violence (Art.7(4)). This includes of course any firearm. Domestic Violence: Moreover, in the context of domestic violence, guns often play the role of a threat or an intimidation rather than being directly used, which can be the case in many instances as well. Where the ownership of guns by men is most often presented as a means to protect their family as part of their obligation to do so as men, Small Arms Survey find that "Firearms in the home similarly represent an increased risk to women as they are more likely to be used to threaten and inflict harm on family members rather than to protect the home from intruders." Furthermore, as the report by IRIN pointed out: "… the diffusion of small arms into communities, engenders a rise in intimate-partner violence. "Even in non-conflict settings, women are more likely to be attacked by a partner if a gun is available; in 2003 'The American Journal of Public Health' found that access to a gun increased the likelihood of a woman being killed by her husband fivefold". In a study carried out in a region of Pakistan characterised by a high level of possession of firearms, it was found that women felt in danger not only because of gun violence but also because of physical abuse. This was linked to the presence of a gun as much as to patriarchy and gender stereotypes imposed on them. Impact on Other Rights: Civil and Political Rights, Economic and Social Rights: With men almost always the bearers of guns, power imbalances between men and women are further distorted. The threat that firearms represent for women as described above both within the household and on the streets, to their lives, to their physical integrity and to their freedom is closely linked to the imposition of patriarchy. When the threat of firearms is used to perpetrate a femicide, a rape or domestic violence, these are manifestations of gender discrimination and perpetrated to punish behaviours that deviate from the traditional stereotype imposed on women. The implication is thus to restrict women's ability to move freely, participate in the public sphere, carry out economic activities or engage in the political arena: all of these human rights that are to be protected without any discrimination on the basis of gender. Guns and Negative Conceptions of Masculinity: Thus, while firearms themselves may not always be directly implicated in violence against women, they are correlated with an increase in gendered inequality and a generalised culture of violence against women. This is supported by Indian specific studies, which have found that patriarchy, gendered inequality (and segregation) and the socialisation of men and boys around displaying heterosexual prowess and exerting control over women are key determinants of violence. Recommendations in view of the upcoming HRC Resolution: Control of firearms through relevant legislation, licencing, marking and tracing of weapons, record-keeping, etc.; Acknowledgement of the varied gender impact of the use of firearms in all its aspects (in the house and outside, on the prevalence of sexual violence, on the participation of women and on their economical dependency); Recognition of the impact irresponsible and uncontrolled arms trade have on national proliferation and civilian firearm use and recommendation to ratify the ATT; Correlation and coordination between the granting of arms permits and records of GBV; Creation of monitoring mechanisms of arm advertising to eliminate all attempts to use misogyny or patriarchal conceptions as a means of merchandising weapons; and Education and awareness-raising among police, schools, and communities about the use of firearms in domestic violence and to commit acts of gender-based violence, including sexual violence.  |
| Posted: 24 Jun 2014 04:05 AM PDT
Earlier this year, Mumsnet held a survey into its users’ views on the UK’s political culture: what impact it has on their participation, and whether it influences the way they vote. Over 1,200 Mumsnetters responded. Over a third (35 per cent) described themselves as disillusioned with UK politics, and saw the political process as irrelevant to many in the UK. Nine out of 10 (90 per cent) believed the political culture in Westminster to be sexist; And nearly half (47 per cent) believed the British political system wasn't effective at achieving constructive change to improve British people's quality of life. The survey also found that: Two-thirds (66 per cent) believed success in politics was based on who you know and which school and university you attended; Three-quarters (76 per cent) felt Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs) was unprofessional and outdated, and half (50 per cent) believed it damaged Parliament's reputation; Over half (59 per cent) wanted a sin-bin for MPs who behaved badly at PMQs, as recommended by the Hansard Society in a recent report; Eight out of 10 (80 per cent) did not believe MPs conduct themselves well, or that PMQs was effective; Nearly two-thirds (63 per cent) thought that more women in top political jobs would mean politicians had a great understanding of their concerns; Over three-quarters (78 per cent) said they thought the party they supported should include measures in its manifesto to address the issues with political culture and increase the family-friendly nature of Parliament; When asked which characteristics would be advantageous to those looking to succeed in politics, 78 per cent said being male. On the question of which changes Mumsnet users would like to see to the UK's political culture: 84 per cent backed the Hansard Society's proposal to vary the format of PMQs, including introducing rapid-fire Q&As and more open questions; Half (49 per cent) said they were more likely to vote for a party with more female representatives; 64 per cent wanted to see more citizen engagement (for example through social media). Justine Roberts, CEO of Mumsnet, said: “For ages now it seems we've all accepted that Parliament is outdated, unrepresentative and sexist. "We'd love the political parties to … start taking concrete steps to get their house in order.”  |
| Discussing intersectionality at The Spark Posted: 24 Jun 2014 01:09 AM PDT
The Spark, a week-long event focusing on leftist issues, concluded on the theme of intersectionality and liberation. The session on 21 June opened with a discussion panel named ‘Ain’t I a Woman?: An introduction to intersectionality and why it’s key in the struggle for social justice’. The speakers were Lola Okolosie of Black Feminists, Amrit Wilson from Freedom without Fear, Eleanor Lisney from Sisters of Frida, and Ruth Pearce, blogger, activist, and frontwoman for queer feminist band Not Right. Lola spoke first, introducing the concept of intersectionality, a term first coined by Kimberley Crenshaw. She pointed out that it can be difficult to practice, as it requires constant interrogation of ones own situation compared to others. She also noted that some organisations feel that they are automatically intersectional by virtue of their shared multiple oppressions and so do not work as much as they should to be inclusive. Lola ended by calling for a focus not just on equal representation of different experiences but also on interrogating the systems of state and judiciary that lead to these experiences being marginalised in the first place. Next to speak was Ruth, who said that intersectionality can sometimes lead to unhelpful questions – such as attempts to discover who has the most or least privileges. Instead of that, she suggested that intersectionality is most useful in helping us relate to the power structure in society; namely that we are all differently oppressed, but through similar constructs. Ruth suggested that practically, it is not enough to interrogate one’s own privileges; you must also reach out and create dialogues with others. Amrit pointed out that the concept of intersectionality has been practiced since she was involved in feminist and anti-racist organising in the 1970s, although they didn’t use that word. And she emphasised that what brought black and ethnic minority women together was common experiences and the necessity to combat prejudice. They not only organised themselves, but reached out to impact on other movements in order to realise their demands for change. In her opinion, collectivity was the key, and Amrit ended with a call to similar collective action now against the increasingly damaging actions of the current government. Lastly, Eleanor spoke on her experiences as a disabled woman of colour, and how she sees multi-layered oppression in her own life and others’. She pointed out the damaging policies and attitudes that have become so popular, mentioning the hypocrisy of the recent Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict which must have cost millions of pounds, and yet took place in a climate where victims of sexual violence within the UK are silenced and gradually having support removed from them - for example the funding being withdrawn from rape crisis centres. She emphasised that we must consider the whole package of identities that everyone has, and take this into account. The conclusion of the discussion seemed to be that feminist (and general leftist) movements cannot have analysis without taking action, and that the action being taken must be done in concert with other groups to make the biggest impact.  |
The political culture in Westminster: sexist and ineffective.
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