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UN Women’s Susanne Mikhail Eldhagen On The Importance Of Laws To Protect Women From Violence
Susanne Mikhail Eldhagen, UN Women
Regional Director for the Arab States, and Harper’s Bazaar Arabia columnist, shares why implementing laws created to fight violence against women is the next critical step to making real change
A last strain of orange pierced the sky. Neither yellow nor red. Determined to stay another hour or so. Eventually it had to bow, pulled down by the weary sun. And that orange ray, the last beam of light, will float slowly throughout our countries, every night. From Abu Dhabi to Marrakesh, from Cairo to Riyadh. Bidding farewell to the exhausted mother putting her child to sleep in Tunis, to the affectionate couple nearby. From the dancing queen in Rabat to the struggling family in Beirut.
And with those last drops of orange; neither yellow nor red, the sounds gently succumb. The sounds of small talk, good-night stories and tired giggles. The sounds of whispers, and of concluding. The sounds of heavy breaths and dreams. Yet certain sounds wont easily be put to rest. The sounds of pain and of agony.
And that is when yellow turns red.
Every night, millions of women end their day in pain, having been subjected to some form of violence. Men are of course subjected to violence too. But the starkest difference between the two, is where women are subjected to danger – in their own homes. Globally, an estimated 736 million women – almost one in three – have been subjected to intimate partner violence. And fewer than 40 per cent of the women who experience violence seek help of any sort.
The subject has gained increased attention following the surge of domestic violence in the aftermath of COVID-19, partly due to social isolation that lockdowns brought on many. While the subject of violence against women has long been a concern, a new generation of lawmakers around the world and in Arab countries are now determined to bring a change. From 2018 till today a number of laws have been revised throughout the Arab states. In UAE and Saudi Arabia, the laws are clear; as anyone found guilty of domestic violence could be sentenced to up to six months and one year respectively in prison and/or a fine.
Similarly, Bahrain’s provisions of Article 351 of the country’s penal code state that individuals can be punished by imprisonment for a period up to three months, or by a fine for harassing a female. And while most Arab countries have some form of law prohibiting violence against women, some of the strongest penalties come from Tunisia and Algeria, where penalties include imprisonment for up to 20 years for some cases of physical violence. Only in the past 25 years, more than 127 countries around the world have issued laws criminalising violence against women. But while passing laws is an excellent first step, it has proven to be far from enough.
Real change of course cannot be realised unless laws are implemented by the responsible authorities, and lived by people. Between 25 November until 10 December, advocates, civil society and the private sector unite in a call for action to end violence against women. The colour of this global campaign is orange; symbolising a bright future free of violence. And throughout the Arab States region, bold statements are made by lighting some of the most iconic sites orange; such as Dubai’s own Burj Khalifa, the Great Pyramid of Giza, and the Kuwait Towers. And when these lights go down, a thin shimmer makes its way through the night, once again. Neither yellow nor red. Carrying back the sun.
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s December 2021 Issue.