Gender Based Violence

Particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, gender based violence is a common occurrence, derived from both social and infrastructural factors, which vastly impact the lives of women on a daily basis. In my introductory blog I touched on how inadequate facilities and water sources have resulted in the vulnerability of women and girls. This is largely due to the fact that informal settlements, where much of the gender based crime takes place, are not taken into account amongst projects aiming to upgrade or introduce WaSH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) facilities. This means that although it may seem as though action is being taken by local government to eradicate issues relating to water and gender, in practice the heart of the problem is not actually being addressed. 

This image was taken from a protest in South Africa in 2019, where gender-based violent crime was increasing at a rate of 4.6% per annum. The writing on the poster clearly exemplifies how historic social structures in society and the resulting inequality between genders has led to inevitable protests led by women to try and restructure social norms. 

When looking further into the topic of gender based violence in Africa, it becomes clear that attacks are not random spontaneous acts, rather they are planned events, which take advantage of women and girls in their most vulnerable state. For example, men learn the routes women may take to collect water, as these are often very long and arduous, leaving the women isolated and alone. Moreover, this practice has been taking place for so long now that it has even been described by Ugandan locals as an accepted practice in the community for women to be raped. 

However, it begs the questions as to why this is even accepted, and what has led men to behave in such a manner. It leads back to the prevalent societal 'shaming' of women, which has become a staple characteristic of many sub-Saharan African communities. In practice this means that although it is seen as socially acceptable for men to go to the toilet more or less wherever they choose, for women it is seen as somewhat shameful and is frowned upon. This means that women are incentivised to walk further distances to use proper facilities (if available), in order to avoid public shaming, which in turn results in them making themselves vulnerable to gender based violence in another separate instance. Therefore a negative cycle of shaming, vulnerability and ultimately violence is created, which is what is stopping progression taking place as it should have already.  

In response to these issues, it's important to look at what can be done to make change. Toilets, where women can go together, are encouraged, however they are not open throughout the night, meaning women would have to forgo potential business profit during the day to make time for a trip to the facilities (Amnesty International, 2010).    Ultimately, local governments need to recognise all informal settlements as areas needing adequate WaSH facilities, reducing the number of 'ignored' societies and resulting attacks, and where new facilities are implemented, improved safety features such as locks and lighting will also help to improve safety. Without taking these measures, women's safety will continue to be marginalised and the development of society will be undermined.