Sixteen is a wonderful number for many girls. Some girls have “Sweet Sixteen” birthday parties to mark their “coming of age.” Sixteen represents new freedoms and gaining adult rights. It’s the minimum age required in many countries to get a beginners drivers license, a passport, an adult job, an alcoholic drink, or even a husband, without parental consent.
But sixteen has a less sweet significance for many girls: It’s the number of ways gender-based violence affects girls and women, according to UNFPA, the United Nations Population Fund. UNFPA is an international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity.
Sixteen is also the number of days the international community will be highlighting the problem of violence against girls and women – starting with November 25, which has been established by the United Nations as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. And violence against women is a huge, international problem: Although it is estimated that one in three women around the world will experience violence in her lifetime, many countries have no laws to prevent it. Another part of the problem is the low status of women in many countries. They don’t have the education or economic opportunities that would help empower them with respect and independence.
What are the 16 types of gender –based violence? Date rape, physical or emotional violence by an intimate partner, domestic violence and sexual harassment at work are four ways that immediately come to mind when thinking about how girls and women are abused. The others, according to UNFPA, are: sexual violence as a weapon of war; abductions of girls during combat; female genital mutilation; child marriage; bride burning or other forms of dowry-related violence; bride kidnapping; crimes committed in the name of passion or honor; trafficking in girls and women; exploitation of domestic workers; pre-natal sex selection; femicide (the systematic killing of females, especially baby girls); forced sterilization or other coercive reproductive practices.
Part of the solution is forcing people to recognize the problem and do something about it – something Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has embraced with a passion.
What do you think are the reasons women so often are victimized and how can this be stopped?
Find out more about women and violence on America.gov’s Democracy & Human Rights Web site.
After practicing law for a number of years, Michael Jay Friedman returned to school and earned a doctorate in U.S. political and diplomatic history. 
Michelle Austein Brooks is a U.S. government and politics writer who has covered three national elections for America.gov. 
Peggy B. Hu defied Asian-American stereotypes in college by studying comparative literature and international relations rather than math and science. 
Stephen Kaufman is an experienced writer who has covered the White House and the State Department, and continues to report on international and democracy issues, including press freedom. 
Tanya Brothen is a blogging enthusiast who began writing for the web on a whim. Now it’s her job.
Comments (2)
Larry
Location: www.youhuge.com
November 27, 2009 at 16:58 EST
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I think part of the problem is the result of thousands of years of women being viewed mainly as objects, and not as people. Objects to be used for sex, for services such as housekeeping and childrearing. Other then the women’s rights movement of the 70’s, there has been very little done to substantially move women out of that realm and into the realm of men. In many parts of the world, women a still only property of their husbands and families, with no rights of their own.
Until women have enough of a power base in these societies to prevent some of these crimes, then I don’t know how there will be significan progress.
Forex Autopilot
Location: Benin
December 20, 2009 at 14:18 EST
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I somehow dont agree with a few things, but its great anyways.