UN recently observed with concern the rape of 67 women by soldiers in South Kivu, DR Congo. The incident is reported to have occurred on the New Year eve. What a terrible beginning for the victims, who otherwise possibly would have looked forward to a new year in which their lives could have been better.
Crimes against women are perpetrated with impunity across the world, since most legal systems demand exacting standards of evidence and the trauma apart, the victim is made to relive the horror a dozen times during the trial. That is to say in normal societies. In societies torn by internecine wars - mooted for political, racial and other such concerns, the state of victims is worse. For years the international mechanism will debate, legal intervention will come forth only when 'powerful' sympathizers will call for action (moving the security Council to intervene is not at the will of a hapless victim gang-raped in the wilderness of Africa, or is it?) Then the perpetrators will abscond and an international search will be done to apprehend. The trials will commence, and every fair opportunity will be given to the accused to defend himself. At the end of it all, he (or they) will be incarcerated.
Yes, it is a long process and could be exasperating. It is a challenge to international community and the conscience of humanity. But we need to do this. A little more, if possible, to hasten this process and find foolproof mechanisms to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice quickly.
We need to, as people of the world, set aside our parochial concerns and come together for common cause. This is not about moral obligation to fellow beings, it is about our duty to ourselves; about giving our children a world where they can live without fear; about creating a comity of nations committed to human values sans politics!
Let us put our voices, thoughts and pens together for a world that is free of crimes against women and world that is accountable for its actions!
Crimes against women are perpetrated with impunity across the world, since most legal systems demand exacting standards of evidence and the trauma apart, the victim is made to relive the horror a dozen times during the trial. That is to say in normal societies. In societies torn by internecine wars - mooted for political, racial and other such concerns, the state of victims is worse. For years the international mechanism will debate, legal intervention will come forth only when 'powerful' sympathizers will call for action (moving the security Council to intervene is not at the will of a hapless victim gang-raped in the wilderness of Africa, or is it?) Then the perpetrators will abscond and an international search will be done to apprehend. The trials will commence, and every fair opportunity will be given to the accused to defend himself. At the end of it all, he (or they) will be incarcerated.
Yes, it is a long process and could be exasperating. It is a challenge to international community and the conscience of humanity. But we need to do this. A little more, if possible, to hasten this process and find foolproof mechanisms to ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice quickly.
We need to, as people of the world, set aside our parochial concerns and come together for common cause. This is not about moral obligation to fellow beings, it is about our duty to ourselves; about giving our children a world where they can live without fear; about creating a comity of nations committed to human values sans politics!
Let us put our voices, thoughts and pens together for a world that is free of crimes against women and world that is accountable for its actions!
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