/ 16 Days against Violence against Women 2011
In its fourth year, the campaign «16 Days against Violence against Women» will focus on individual and collective strategies for ending violence. The events will raise awareness about violence and will show how women at home and abroad overcome violence and ways in which women can protect themselves against it, find ways out of the spiral of violence and counter the preconceived idea that violence is only the concern of others. But the campaign also makes it clear what conditions need to be created by society and political forces so that women can be successful in leaving violence behind.
Demands of the 2011 campaign
The campaign demands:
- Violence against women must be confronted at all levels of society. Those in responsible positions in politics, business and culture must do all in their power to overcome violence against women. Similarly, we wish to encourage everyone not to stand by when they encounter violence against women.
- The double discrimination against female migrants must end! Women need their own right of residency even if they enter Switzerland under family reunion from non-EU or non-EFTA countries. Women must not be deported merely on the grounds that they have left a marriage because of domestic violence. Women's personal safety must have priority!
- More, not less, counselling and information centres and institutions! The public sector must provide the means of guaranteeing the protection and counselling of women affected by violence.
- The Victim Assistance Act must guarantee women affected by violence comprehensive protection and adequate financial support. Any decline in these can have fatal consequences.
- Programs to deal with male tendencies toward violence and to support men in violence-free conflict resolution are part of a comprehensive strategy against violence against women. The State must therefore also support programs for men.
Some of items in the planned program illustrate this year's focus: cfd will present strong women, not only at a discussion evening on women in the Arab Spring and in a film festival, but also in street demonstrations. Other exciting events will feature the recipient of the Alternative Nobel Prize, Monika Hauser, who will report on the therapy centre for women rape victims in Bosnia-Herzegovina, there will be film and discussion events on how neighbours can deal with domestic violence and there will be a round table discussion on the white slave trade and a number of street demonstrations in the whole of German-speaking Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
For the full agenda with over 50 events (in German only), look up www.16tage.ch
