Beyond the battlefield : restoring dignity and health to the victims of violence
Governments in sub-Saharan Africa need to face up to the lived realities of women and demonstrate real political will in to prevent and address the causes and consequences of violence against women during conflict, said Dr Neema Namadamu, in an expert presentation to the African Regional Conference on Population and Development today. Based on her research and experiences in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ms. Namadamu asserted that armed conflicts in the region have moved beyond traditional battlefields, to use rape and serious violence against women to undermine the social fabric of communities. Women’s central role as the ‘social insurers’ of sub-Saharan Africa, their role in familial and social networks is severely affected by violence against them and has a negative impact on the wider community. Restoring dignity to women who have already lost so much rested, not only on their inclusion and empowerment, however, but on our commitment to hold those responsible to account. "We need to fight impunity” she argued. “Women underpin the social fabric of our communities and understand what will work. We need to guarantee her participation and secure her autonomy so that she can walk with her head held high”.
| Format: | Press release biblioteca |
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| Language: | eng |
| Published: |
2013-10
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| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10855/31930 |
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