HANAN HARITE

Morocco- Every day, women are subjected to oppression, all forms of violence and killed all around the world due to the patriarchal policies. On August 9, 2024, a 31-year-old female trainee doctor was raped and killed in a seminar room on campus at R. G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. The incident sparked protests across the country. On August 16, thousands of women flocked to the streets to protest the incident holding banners reading, “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi”.

There is an alarming increase in oppression and all forms of violence against women and femicide all around the world, stressed Laila Majdouli, a Moroccan human rights activist. “The cases of gender-based violence are on the rise, causing femicide. Moroccan civil society condemns violence against women in Morocco and in the whole world. Femicide is a global phenomenon and all people should unite to combat this phenomenon and break the barrier of silence. Gender-based violence causes more crimes committed against women and girls. Women should not remain silent against violence; they should report it in order to break the barrier of silence.”

‘Women’s movements should unite’

The global feminist network plays an important role in eliminating gender-based violence and ending injustice and discrimination, Laila Majdouli stressed, adding: “Women’s movements all around the world should unite to protect women. Women’s solidarity across continents is one of the mechanisms to combat gender-based violence. International forms should be organized to be the voices of victims of violence against women and put pressure on governments to strengthen laws against gender-based violence.”

‘Protective laws should be enacted’

Laila Majdouli thinks that the activities of civil society organizations against gender-based violence are valuable, “However, governments fail to protect women against violence. Protective laws should be enacted by governments to combat gender-based violence. More awareness-raising activities should be carried out to eliminate the culture of violence created by the patriarchal mindset. We hope more protective laws will be enacted to protect women from all forms of gender-based violence.”