Amnesty International are taking a stand against the very real problem of violence against women.
Violence against women and girls is the most pervasive human rights challenge of our times. It cuts across cultural and religious boundaries, political, social and economic status.
Amnesty then go to great lengths to mention the various types of violence against women perpetrated throughout the world, including:
– Domestic violence
– The abduction, torture, rape and murder of women in Mexico
– The raping of women in places such as the USA and South Africa
– Genital mutilation
– Honor killings
– Dowry killings
– Stoning of women who have children out of wedlock or commit adultery
I agree that these are all very troubling and deserve to be the subject of a global campaign to eradicate violence against women. But I have a problem with what isn’t mentioned.
I am, of course, referring to the issue of women in Israel and other countries who are being killed in terror attacks – whether they be the women sitting in the cafes, restaurants or buses that are blown up, or the women who are shot at close range by terrorist gunmen. While I realize that Amnesty have not listed every single form of violence against women, I would have thought that this form of violence against women deserves a mention, considering its gravity and prevalence.
Even if I were to give Amnesty the benefit of the doubt on this, there is absolutely no excuse for their general silence in the face of terrorism against women (and indeed all innocent people). If Amnesty are ready to condemn Israel’s treatment of women in the territories, why no condemnation of terrorist attacks against women?
