Violence against women and girls is one of the greatest violations of human rights in the world. According to the World Health Organization, 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced physical violence, and 30 percent of women who have been in a relationship report that they have experienced some form of physical and/or sexual violence inflicted by their intimate partner. Yet more than one billion women lack legal protection from domestic violence.
Violence against women and girls is one of the greatest violations of human rights in the world. According to the World Health Organization, 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced physical violence, and 30 percent of women who have been in a relationship report that they have experienced some form of physical and/or sexual violence inflicted by their intimate partner. Yet more than one billion women lack legal protection from domestic violence.
In response to this pandemic of violence, more than 2,000 organizations and activists around the world have formed the coalition “Everywoman, Everywhere” that is advocating for an international treaty to end violence against women and girls worldwide. Activists from Minnesota-based NGO, Global Rights for Women, with the support of UMN students, have drafted a concept paper supporting the idea. But others question whether such a treaty is needed. And is it politically viable in the current global political context, in which we have seen a retreat from multilateralism?
This panel discussion, co-hosted by the Human Rights Center and the Center on Women, Gender, and Public Policy features the following guests:
- Francisco J. Rivera Juaristi, Member of Everywoman, Everywhere and associate clinical professor, Santa Clara University School of Law
- Helen Rubenstein, senior counsel, Global Rights for Women
- Marsha Freeman, senior fellow, Human Rights Center, University of Minnesota Law School
- Moderated by Christina Ewig, faculty director of the Center on Women, Gender and Public Policy