Ending violence against women and girls: Local action for global change
The headlines read very starkly in recent weeks: Four women murdered within four weeks. Multiple women raped and sexually assaulted. In the last four years, 24 women murdered. These are, moreover, only the most violent types of crime reported. Many women are experiencing domestic abuse, stalking, sexual and other types of harassment every day, to the point that young women feel violence is normalised, particularly in their online lives.
Unfortunately, Northern Ireland is not unique in this. UN data show that almost one in three women worldwide will experience sexual violence or domestic abuse in their lifetime, while many more are subject to sexual harassment in public spaces. Women from lower income backgrounds, disabled women, LGTBTQIA+ women and women with insecure immigration status are at particular risk, while women on the move are at high risk of exploitation. Many countries continue to have limited protections and support services in place. However, international law and mechanisms require governments to act against violence and ensure access to justice for victims, and can be used to advocate for better legislation, policy and services.
In Northern Ireland, the recently launched Ending Violence against Women and Girls is based in international standards, including the global Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Violence against Women (CEDAW) and the Istanbul Convention against violence against women and girls, which comes under the European Convention on Human Rights. This is important, as it provides a new mandate for rights based action, and a new basis for women and women’s organisations to advocate for meaningful services. It also means that action can be assessed against both Conventions, which are binding on the UK; the UN monitors progress on CEDAW and the Council of Europe on the Istanbul Convention.
Strong advocacy from women and women’s groups is also essential to make sure the focus on international standards supports rights and evidence based change. International mechanisms are above all advocacy tools, and are stronger when they remain high on the agenda. As an example, progress on the Sustainable Development Goals has been greater where civil society has had a strong voice, and governments have engaged with the sector. The SDGs also include a focus on addressing violence against women and girls, and importantly, include indicators and targets that can be used to support effective action.
At UN level, there is ongoing demand from women’s networks for a separate Convention on violence against women and girls. Action on violence is part of CEDAW and also the International Covenant on Social, Economic and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), but the argument for a separate Convention is that existing provisions aren’t explicit and specific enough, and also that CEDAW is in part out of date, and modern protections need an up to date context. It is also part of work to maintain a focus on women’s rights and gender equality, against the global backlash on rights, which for example can be seen in that 2025 marks 30 years since the last World Conference on Women, but no plans exist to organise a similar event. The Beijing Platform for Action agreed in 1995 was groundbreaking in its time, and for example introduced a focus on girls into law and policy, and accelerated action on violence against women and girls in the late 1990s. Civil society will highlight the need for similar bold action as part of the anniversary celebrations.
In September, the UN and member states agreed the Pact for the Future, which is set to replace the SDGs in 2030. Gender equality is a cross cutting theme within the Pact, which also highlights action on violence against women and girls as a priority. The Pact for the Future will be developed over the next five years, and it is a focus for international women’s networks to secure strong action binding on UN member states. Work at local level can support this aim, as it highlights to decision makers that there is a clear momentum and movement for change. In this way, the Northern Ireland strategy and demanding strong delivery can for its part support action internationally, while also making Northern Ireland safer for women and girls.
Women’s Platform works to build capacity of the women’s sector to use international law to support policy change in Northern Ireland, and offers training on CEDAW and how to use human rights standards in advocacy. It is a tool and a standard everyone should be able to expect as a minimum, and a key aim of Women’s Platform work is to make sure more women and groups can use these mechanisms to support their own work. Ultimately change is local, and it is time local decision makers both listen to women in Northern Ireland, and engage with international frameworks.
Author Bio:
Jonna is Director of Women’s Platform, responsible for developing the organisation and delivering the organisation’s strategic action plan. She coordinates the development of the Northern Ireland shadow report to CEDAW and provides the secretariat for the Northern Ireland Assembly All Party Group on UNSCR 1325, Women, Peace and Security. Jonna has over 20 years’ experience of advocating for rights and tackling inequalities at policy and grassroots level in the community and voluntary sector.
