Opinion pieces address violence against women

Several opinion pieces have been published in recognition of One Billion Rising, a global campaign calling for an end to violence against women and gender equality. The following summarize some of those pieces.

• Ana Lukatela, Guardian's "Global Development Professionals Network": Lukatela, U.N. Women's peace and security section program specialist, highlights recent attacks against female polio vaccination workers across Pakistan and Nigeria. She writes, "The extremist forces in Pakistan and northern Nigeria that are targeting women health workers are sending an unambiguous message that women are not welcome in public spaces and that they fear the social change that comes with women's mobility, empowerment and access to stable public sector employment," adding, "The state must find the killers of these young women and bring them to justice." She says to increase the number of women service providers, governments and humanitarian groups should improve "human resource practices" and "access to education for women," and "provide them with secure working environments" (2/13).
• Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), Politico:  "One in three women across the planet will be raped, beaten, or otherwise sexually assaulted in her lifetime," Schakowsky writes. "Whether it happens in India or Indiana, rape, sexual assault, and gender-based violence are unacceptable," she states, adding, "I'm rising today because women's rights are human rights, and our rights are threatened every day." She continues, "The United States must be a leader in ending violence against women" by reauthorizing Violence Against Women Act, and "[w]e also need to pass my legislation, the International Violence Against Women Act, which would require a comprehensive U.S. strategy to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls internationally" (2/14).