National and international efforts against gender-based violence<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nEfforts have been made nationally and internationally to tackle the issue of violence against women and gender inequality, such as the amendment of national laws. In 2020, Germany has started discussing its first national strategy<\/a> in order to advocate for gender equality, reduce the pay gap, and promote the inclusion of women in leadership positions.<\/strong> Additionally, in Germany and globally, feminist movements such as the MeToo movement<\/em> help advocate for women\u2019s rights and equality and have had a major impact. For example, in the wake of the MeToo movement<\/em>, thousands of women shared their experiences with sexual harassment at the workplace, which led to the drafting of The 2019 International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention on Violence and Harassment at Work<\/em> to help tackle the issue<\/a> and to hold states responsible in both providing protection and remedies to the victims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.menschenrechte.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/emancipation-155792_640.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nInternational efforts have been made in international human rights law to increase the level of protection for women. One of the most significant conventions, when it comes to women\u2019s rights, is the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)<\/em>. The Convention discusses all gender-related issues, which women can face, and encourages the amendment of laws that are harmful to women.<\/strong> Additionally, the twin covenants, which are the International Covenant on the Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)<\/em> and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)<\/em>, highlight that all rights shall be equal among men and women<\/strong>. For example, article 3 of the ICCPR<\/em><\/a> <\/em>states that \u201cStates Parties to the present Covenant undertake to ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and political rights set forth in the present Covenant\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOf course, the effect of national and international protection differs from one country to another. <\/strong>For example, while Egypt is a party to the CEDAW convention, the state has made reservations on three articles. One of them is article 16, which highlights the equality between men and women in family law. The reservations are made on the basis that each person has a certain obligation in the marriage and they complete each other rather than \u2018equal\u2019 each other. Furthermore, thus far, domestic violence is not considered a crime and is in fact tolerated under certain circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDomestic violence during COVID-19: A shadow pandemic<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nUnfortunately, despite the mentioned laws and efforts, violence against women remains to be an issue all over the world<\/strong> and the level of risk and vulnerability differ depending on certain communities and the level of protection they have from the state. For example, women who live in conservative countries or communities are generally at a higher risk of facing gender-based violence. One of the main issues that received a lot of attention during the pandemic was the issue of domestic violence.<\/strong> Due to the strict global lockdowns, the rate of domestic violence has increased in an alarming manner.<\/strong> One of the most vulnerable communities were women who lived in refugee communities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nDuring the pandemic, national and global measures such as closing country borders and imposing full lockdowns had to be carried out to take control over the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, this has come with severe consequences. Lockdowns meant that women who are at risk or are already victims of domestic violence were stuck in the house with their perpetrators.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nRefugee women under higher risk<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nNot only were the levels of risks heightened because the victims were locked with their perpetrators, but also, the likelihood that domestic violence would even occur increased<\/strong>. Usually, the leading causes of domestic violence include work problems, financial issues, substance abuse, and mental health issues. Therefore, because of the lockdowns, many people not only had to stay home but also lost their jobs which contributed to the increase of risk of domestic violence, even if there was not a risk prior to the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhen it comes to refugees who live in Refugee Centers, there are even further issues to worry about. For example, due to living in close proximity to each other, the spread of the virus is much more difficult to contain.<\/strong> For instance, in a refugee center in Ellwangen, the rate of infected persons has increased dramatically<\/a> from seven to 251 cases in only a span of five days.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHence, even though there was a global increase in domestic violence, due to additional stress factors and smaller living proximities, refugee women were especially under a higher risk and danger.<\/strong> Germany was among the countries which reported a high increase in domestic violence, 3% of women faced physical violence.<\/a> However, other countries have reported a high increase in calls for domestic violence hotlines<\/a>, such as Colombia which reported a 153 percent increase and 56 percent in Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n\n\n\nOne of the largest refugee camps in the world, Cox\u2019s Bazar, is located in Bangladesh and is a host for Rohingyas who fled the genocide in Myanmar. According to UNHCR<\/a>, 41% of the women in the camp reported an increase in gender-based violence, specifically domestic violence.<\/strong> Given that the victims are currently living in Bangladesh, the state has an obligation to protect them as they fall under the country\u2019s jurisdiction. Unfortunately, this level of increase in gender-based violence, which is faced by both refugee and non-refugee women, contradicts Bangladesh\u2019s National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Children<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nIt is often the case that domestic violence is not only accepted and tolerated, but it is also considered a family issue.<\/strong> This puts women under more danger in their ability to take the initiative of reporting an incident and also to even know that they have the right to do so. Therefore, laws on their own are not enough to protect women<\/strong>. Emergency responses must be made available for women to be able to get the help they need without being subjected to more danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\nEmergency response and possible solutions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nIn 2019, the <\/em>International Organization for Migration drafted the Institutional Framework for Addressing Gender-based Violence in Crisis<\/a><\/em> which was used along with other methods such as case management, home visits and made emergency shelters available as methods to help support the victims in Cox\u2019s Bazar. Of course, the situation persists, and women remain victims of domestic violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nInternational efforts have been made in international human rights law to increase the level of protection for women. One of the most significant conventions, when it comes to women\u2019s rights, is the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)<\/em>. The Convention discusses all gender-related issues, which women can face, and encourages the amendment of laws that are harmful to women.<\/strong> Additionally, the twin covenants, which are the International Covenant on the Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR)<\/em> and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)<\/em>, highlight that all rights shall be equal among men and women<\/strong>. For example, article 3 of the ICCPR<\/em><\/a> <\/em>states that \u201cStates Parties to the present Covenant undertake to ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and political rights set forth in the present Covenant\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, the effect of national and international protection differs from one country to another. <\/strong>For example, while Egypt is a party to the CEDAW convention, the state has made reservations on three articles. One of them is article 16, which highlights the equality between men and women in family law. The reservations are made on the basis that each person has a certain obligation in the marriage and they complete each other rather than \u2018equal\u2019 each other. Furthermore, thus far, domestic violence is not considered a crime and is in fact tolerated under certain circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, despite the mentioned laws and efforts, violence against women remains to be an issue all over the world<\/strong> and the level of risk and vulnerability differ depending on certain communities and the level of protection they have from the state. For example, women who live in conservative countries or communities are generally at a higher risk of facing gender-based violence. One of the main issues that received a lot of attention during the pandemic was the issue of domestic violence.<\/strong> Due to the strict global lockdowns, the rate of domestic violence has increased in an alarming manner.<\/strong> One of the most vulnerable communities were women who lived in refugee communities.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n During the pandemic, national and global measures such as closing country borders and imposing full lockdowns had to be carried out to take control over the spread of COVID-19. Unfortunately, this has come with severe consequences. Lockdowns meant that women who are at risk or are already victims of domestic violence were stuck in the house with their perpetrators.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only were the levels of risks heightened because the victims were locked with their perpetrators, but also, the likelihood that domestic violence would even occur increased<\/strong>. Usually, the leading causes of domestic violence include work problems, financial issues, substance abuse, and mental health issues. Therefore, because of the lockdowns, many people not only had to stay home but also lost their jobs which contributed to the increase of risk of domestic violence, even if there was not a risk prior to the pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When it comes to refugees who live in Refugee Centers, there are even further issues to worry about. For example, due to living in close proximity to each other, the spread of the virus is much more difficult to contain.<\/strong> For instance, in a refugee center in Ellwangen, the rate of infected persons has increased dramatically<\/a> from seven to 251 cases in only a span of five days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hence, even though there was a global increase in domestic violence, due to additional stress factors and smaller living proximities, refugee women were especially under a higher risk and danger.<\/strong> Germany was among the countries which reported a high increase in domestic violence, 3% of women faced physical violence.<\/a> However, other countries have reported a high increase in calls for domestic violence hotlines<\/a>, such as Colombia which reported a 153 percent increase and 56 percent in Zimbabwe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the largest refugee camps in the world, Cox\u2019s Bazar, is located in Bangladesh and is a host for Rohingyas who fled the genocide in Myanmar. According to UNHCR<\/a>, 41% of the women in the camp reported an increase in gender-based violence, specifically domestic violence.<\/strong> Given that the victims are currently living in Bangladesh, the state has an obligation to protect them as they fall under the country\u2019s jurisdiction. Unfortunately, this level of increase in gender-based violence, which is faced by both refugee and non-refugee women, contradicts Bangladesh\u2019s National Action Plan to Prevent Violence Against Women and Children<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is often the case that domestic violence is not only accepted and tolerated, but it is also considered a family issue.<\/strong> This puts women under more danger in their ability to take the initiative of reporting an incident and also to even know that they have the right to do so. Therefore, laws on their own are not enough to protect women<\/strong>. Emergency responses must be made available for women to be able to get the help they need without being subjected to more danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In 2019, the <\/em>International Organization for Migration drafted the Institutional Framework for Addressing Gender-based Violence in Crisis<\/a><\/em> which was used along with other methods such as case management, home visits and made emergency shelters available as methods to help support the victims in Cox\u2019s Bazar. Of course, the situation persists, and women remain victims of domestic violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\nDomestic violence during COVID-19: A shadow pandemic<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Refugee women under higher risk<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Emergency response and possible solutions<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.menschenrechte.org\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/protest-4242636_640.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n