In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2009, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Libya hosted a high-profile discussion on the theme ‘men and women unite to end violence against women and girls’ at the Tripoli Preparatory College for Teachers on 11th March 2009. The discussion came as the culmination of a week of events organized by different government agencies and Libyan non-governmental organizations that included the Gaddafi Foundation and the Waatesemu Association.

This year’s theme calls upon both men and women to take responsibility for ending the global endemic of gender-based violence.  Eng. Safia Ben Amer, from the GPC for Social Affairs, Dr Fatima Wafa, from the GPC for Planning, Dr Faiza Albasha, a criminal law professor at Al Fatah University, and Mr. Brian Gleeson, UNDP Libya Resident Representative, discussed the issue before an audience of students, who were encouraged to ask questions on the subject.

The theme for the event forms part of the United Nations Secretary General’s campaign, which aims to put an end to gender-based violence by 2015. According to World Bank Data, women around the world between the ages of 15 and 44 are more at risk from rape and domestic violence than from cancer, war, motor accidents and malaria. In some countries as many as one in three women are beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in their lifetime. This habitual and socially engrained violence is present throughout the globe and runs in complete contradiction to the UN’s unwavering commitment to securing women’s full human rights and empowerment.

At an earlier press conference to mark the occasion, Brian Gleeson emphasized that ‘the issue of violence can take many forms, but in all of its manifestations it represents a gross failure to grant women the respect and equal treatment they deserve. There should be a zero tolerance to violence of any kind towards women and girls.’ UNDP Libya’s event was aimed at breaking the silence on the issue, to make women aware of their legal rights and to bring men and women together to put an end to this violence.

The expert panel discussed the root causes of the phenomenon and looked to establish whether there were any specific factors that placed Libyan women at risk of abuse. They also explored existing and planned provisions for protecting women in Libya, highlighting the proposed “1515” hotline to report cases of abuse.  A special focus was also accorded to determining the role that men should play in ensuring a safe environment for women at home, in the work place and in public.

Involving men in issues of gender-based violence represents a top priority for UNDP Libya and was a recommendation shared by all of the panellists. UNDP Libya believes that only the concerted efforts of both men and women can create a society in which women and girls are fully protected from violence and abuse. Moreover, stamping out gender based violence is of benefit for men and women alike. Children of both sexes deserve to grow up in safe homes and a culture of non-violence. On top of the grave humanitarian damage inflicted by gender based violence, it also lowers economic production, drains resources from public services and employers and reduces human capital formation. The economic impact is significant; a 2004 study in the UK estimated the total direct and indirect costs of domestic violence, including pain and suffering, to be $33.5 billion per year, or $640 per person.

Two concrete recommendations emerged from the debate which will inform further UNDP Libya initiatives in the area. Firstly, efforts must be made to ensure that the Libyan legal system, which accords equal legal treatment to both sexes, needs to be fully and thoroughly implemented. Women need to be fully aware of their legal rights and must be able to assert them safe in the knowledge that the law will offer them protection. Secondly, Libya suffers from a shortage of data on domestic violence and abuse of women. This information is essential for policy makers to create targeted and effective programs to address the issue.

This year’s UNDP International Women’s Day event charted new territory and UNDP Libya was encouraged by the involvement and participation of the audience.  The event also enjoyed a large media turnout, and members of the audience were frank and outspoken in television interviews held after the discussion. Hosting such a public discussion on a traditionally taboo issue represented a major breakthrough for UNDP Libya and fomented its resolve to push for greater gender equality, to make women’s voices heard and to put a definitive end to domestic violence and abuse.