International Women's Day theme speaks to men

Acts that undermine women's well-being are mostly perpetrated by men. It therefore makes sense that this year's theme of International Women's Day seems to speak directly to men. It's a call for an end to violence against women.

The theme of 2013 International Women's Day celebrated on 8 March is - "A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women."

The UN General Assembly defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private." [Source]

International Women's Day - marked on March 8 every year - is a day dedicated to women around the world and the extraordinary challenges they face, including discrimination and gender-based violence. Violence against women include despicable acts like acid attacks, honor killing, rape and various forms of domestic violence and abuse.

Power to stop it

Men, including husbands, brothers and sons, are largely responsible for shameful acts of cowardice against women and girls. As perpetrators, they have the power to stop it.

In India, a young girl was brutally gang raped on a bus and died in hospital as result of injuries sustained during the senseless crime; in Afghanistan, a teen was shot to the head at close range for seeking education, and rape is used as a weapon of war in conflicts around the world. These are just a few of some of the most shocking acts of violence against women and girls. The acts of cruelty all have something in common - male perpetrators.

Many cases go unreported, but are equally heinous.

It's time for governments, groups, organizations, individuals and the international community to take concrete action to stop violence against women and girls. Victims should be protected and supported, and perpetrators should be prosecuted.

On 28 February 2013, United States Congress voted to renew the Violence Against Women Act aimed at improving access to justice and services to victims, including Native Americans, immigrants and LGBT victims. Other countries should enact and implement such laws.

Personally, I condemn all acts of violence against women and challenge all men to do the same. I don't have high regard for men who abuse women and I believe such men should be prosecuted. In my opinion, men have a major role to play in the fight to stop all forms of violence against women committed in private or in public. We can start by respecting women's rights and protecting our mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, daughters-in-law and all women around us from violence, discrimination and ill-treatment.

I urge all men to tell a friend, father, husband, brother, brother-in-law or son-in-law on International Women's Day and every other day, that violence against women is unacceptable. Tell them that real men don't hit, abuse or violate women.

*Photo: PegasusNews

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