Introduction
Across the world, women share a common need: to feel safe. It is such a basic right that is ruled by their freedom of living freely, without the constant fear of being subjected to violence. When women feel safe, they are not only empowered to express themselves — but grow to their full potential and achieve great heights. Gender-based discrimination is an evil that pervades political participation, economic decisions, and legislative decisions at large.
Laws that govern the safety of women are set in place in order to provide representation to women. They act as a bridge between the problem and solution to render meaningful growth. Reducing barriers to access education, positions of leadership, healthcare – forms the foundation of efficient legislation. Yet, the effectiveness of these laws raise important questions about their formation, enforcement and long-term execution.
Current Scenario
Women continually face threats that jeopardise their physical and psychological well-being. According to the Annual WIN World Survey, 46% of women across the world feel unsafe to walk alone after dark. Law enforcement has varying results across different regions, depending on the record of experiences and how safety is perceived by the public.
Child Marriage
It is imperative to remember that the safety laws for women centre around their needs, challenges and perspectives. Understanding the scope of these laws plays an important role in determining change in action or retainment of certain favourable actions. Child marriage has prevailed for many centuries, where women typically step into traditional roles in their growing years.
There are countless risks associated with respect to intimacy and early childbearing, hindering the space of opportunities for them. Setting the legal age for marriage at 18 is only one part of a bigger legislative action. Stricter punishment measures need to be in place to decentralise the practices at each step. Research shows that 51 out of 190 economies enact laws, making child marriage unpunishable.
Gender-based Violence
Cases where females are the targeted gender for killing are undoubtedly classified as severely punishable crimes. Their motivations are entrenched in misogyny, patriarchal systems and power dynamics. Women are not safe in their own homes and their concerns are usually generalised in most legal systems out of convenience. Data shows that only 15% of the economies take legal action against femicide.
The laws that address the concerns of ****** harassment and domestic violence have certain support services and additional measures. They are characterised by mental, physical, economic and ****** harm. Frameworks that take these specific nuances into consideration need to be adopted by more countries. New Zealand is one such country that follows such a comprehensive framework. Some South Asian regions have greater legal redressal mechanisms in comparison to some other regions.
Image via Freepik: Woman Subjected to Violence
Women in Workplaces
Gender equality at workplaces is perceived differently by men and women. Participation of women in corporate spaces that have been increasingly male-dominated in the past, need to be enabled. ILO convention 190 has been unable to inspire the multitude of countries to adopt practices that bear the safety of women in mind.
However, there have been some positive developments in recent years. Workplace ****** harassment laws have been established in African regions. Relatedly, some countries have taken measures to uplift women and their right to work; other specific regions have also taken steps to provide equal economic opportunities.
Gaps in Implementation: Where Safety Laws Fall Short
“Equality in law is crucial to gender equality, as women and girls look to the laws of their State to protect, fulfill and enforce their rights. Laws that discriminate and deny them equal rights with men and boys betray their trust in society and signal that gender discrimination is acceptable, normal and expected.”
Over the years, the landscape of social, political, and economic reforms has been transformed by women who have relentlessly fought to claim their rights. Despite the improvements, alarming gaps continue to exist that hamper the welfare of women.
Ineffective Representation of Women
The reality of women’s safety laws becomes apparent through the disparity in implementation carried out by low, middle and high income groups. Gender based violence is not taken as seriously across all regions. Legal protection falls short with only 14% of women being accounted for strong measures.
Additionally, the laws do not consider the percentage of female populations that do not feel comfortable seeking support. Among the reports that are received by the police, inefficient bureaucratic systems fail to escalate and represent some concerns. One of the most excruciating gaps are seen in **** laws where the victims are poorly dismissed and the perpetrators are excused in many countries.
Public Spaces: Commute Safety
Public spaces are rampant with numerous risks of harassment that afflict girls and women alike. This encompasses all public environments including public transport. Needless to say, commutes form a significant part of the daily lives of all humans; the measures to ensure safety for women can be universally implemented. Having support systems and teams in transit can be facilitated to reduce human-trafficking.
The presence of CCTV cameras and increased police forces have seen a positive impact on some countries. However, this is insufficient; integration of multiple systems is a crucial requirement to enact legislation for women’s safety. Public awareness programmes in culmination of penalties is the need of the hour.
Impact of Technology
The internet world is riddled with the freedom of speech on one hand and cybercrimes on the other. Women experience violence in the era of technology which provides open access to all — increasing vulnerabilities and raising safety concerns. They are often on the receiving end of unwarranted ******** explicit messaging and victims.
The exposure to online harassment can lead to irreversible psychological damage. While some laws are established to address cyber-harassment that attack women; the data shows that this is only true for 30% of the economies. These laws fail to take women with special needs into consideration. The redressal of laws is also a major point of concern for many countries, with only a few imposing punishment.
Image via Freepik: Cyber Harassment
Takeaways
Procedures for legislation universally calls for systemic change – questioning the ingrained philosophy of women’s position in the society. Women need to stop being viewed as a problem as that is a significant distinction in addressing their safety concerns. The principle of consent stands on effective representation of women instead of placing weight on definitions adopted by different countries.
Sustainable legal frameworks are grounded in innovations and reliable research standards. Ongoing feminist movements and public campaigns are helpful in challenging rigid gender norms. A comprehensive review of legislations implemented across countries can restructure approaches for the betterment of women’s safety worldwide.
