Any initiative in a developing country must consider women's safety/security
12:16, 28 January 2010
.. Posted in Development, Relief and Advocacy Efforts.. Link
International organizations -- whether development agencies or corporations looking to invest in a developing country -- are still waking up to the importance of considering the lives of and cultural practices regarding women in any effort in a developing country:
- You shouldn't build a well for a village without thinking about how women and girls will access it safely and easily.
- You shouldn't build a community technology center to provide Internet access and education to the general population without thinking about the circumstances in the culture that may keep women and girls from visiting the Internet access center.
- You shouldn't open a manufacturing plant and expect to have men and women working side-by-side in certain regions.
- You shouldn't create a pickup point for aid materials without thinking about the women and girls that will need to come to that pickup point.
- You shouldn't build a community transit system without thinking about the safety of women and girls that will need to use the system
In short, the safety of women and girls in a region isn't a concern for just initiatives focused on safety and security; it's an issue that any development agency or business has to think about before engaging in an activity in a developing country.
Three resources I've found recently that I think are particularly helpful in mainstreaming this issue into any aid or development activity:
Women's Safety Audit: What Works and Where? (PDF document)
Offered by UN-HABITAT, this tool enables a critical evaluation of the urban environment. In many cities women and girls face violence not only in their homes and in relationships, but also in public spaces due to poor urban design and poor management of public spaces. Whether it is due to threats, intimidation, harassment, sexual attacks or rape, all aggression seriously inhibits women from moving around the city. Women and girls are often targets of violence due to their vulnerability, and this vulnerability perpetuates their position in society. One of the ways in which women can feel safer and fully benefit from the services and resources cities can offer is to actively seek changes in their physical environment by working together with municipal authorities and other community institutions and groups.
The Global Assessment on Women's Safety (PDF document)
Another resource from UN-HABITAT. Women are at risk of violence both in public and private spheres, in and around the home, in neighbourhoods and at city level. Risk is influenced by urban design choices and the organisation of public services including transport and energy, amongst other things. Women experience a higher degree of insecurity which can restrict their access and use of the city. UN-HABITAT supports sustainability and inclusiveness in our cities. But women and girls still experience a higher degree of insecurity as compared to men and boys, which limits their access to city services. To create inclusive cities that respect the rights of everyone, we need to create conditions and physical environments where women, men, girls and boys can live, work, go to school, move around, and socialise without fear of harm. We also need to change attitudes and policies that perpetuate violence against women.
"Not Worth a Penny"
From Human Rights Watch. This 45-page report details abuses based on gender identity and expression, including rape, beatings, extortion, and arbitrary detentions by law enforcement officials. It also documents police inaction and recurrent failure to investigate violence against transgender people.
