Hansard

I welcome this debate to mark the international day for the elimination of violence against women and the next 16 days of activism against gender-based violence. I thank the Voluntary Action Fund and the Equality and Human Rights Commission for their briefings. As the debate has gone on, members have clearly emphasised that this is not a party-political issue but one on which there is broad consensus.

Christina McKelvie mentioned that this important international campaign originated from the first women’s global leadership institute, which was co-ordinated by the center for women’s global leadership in 1991. During the next 16 days, we have time to get together, to take action and raise awareness to end violence against women and girls around the world. This year is the 24th year of the campaign, which has involved thousands—almost 5,500 organisations have been involved, along with policymakers, Governments, UN agencies and countless individuals from more than 180 countries across the globe.

I am really pleased that we here in Parliament are helping to raise that awareness because the campaign has brought attention to issues of racism and sexism, and cultures of violence and homophobia; it has called for the implementation of human rights obligations, including the right to health and reproductive rights, and an end to militarism and gender-based violence.

I welcome the specific focus this year of the 16 days campaign on

“the relationship between militarism and the right to education in situations of violent conflict, in relative peace, and a variety of education settings, while continuing to make the links with militarism, as an encompassing patriarchal system of discrimination and inequality based on our relationships to power.”

It is absolutely clear that at the moment globally, militarism is having a significant impact, leading to a lack of education for millions.

In a previous debate in the chamber, I noted that Kofi Annan, the former UN secretary general, had said:

“Violence against women is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation, and it is perhaps the most pervasive ... As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace”.

When we hear from the Voluntary Action Fund, amongst others, that this year in Scotland, 59,882 incidents of domestic abuse were reported to the police, and that in 79 per cent of those situations, women were the victims and men the perpetrators, it is clear that this form of violence is very pervasive indeed.

In 1979, the UN general assembly adopted the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. It is often described as an international bill of rights for women and its aims have never been more pertinent. It calls for the realisation of equality between women and men through ensuring women’s equal access to and equal opportunities in political and public life, including the right to vote and the right to stand for election as well as access to education, health and employment.

On the right to education, there was global condemnation and revulsion after the attempted murder of Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted because, as Christina McKelvie mentioned, she was campaigning for a basic human right—the right to education—for girls in her home country of Pakistan. Such has been the impact of her bravery, her campaigning and her determination that she has raised awareness of inequality in access to education across the globe.

Clearly education benefits us all but sometimes it is taken for granted. However, its impacts can be transformative. When a girl in a developing country receives seven or more years of education, she marries four years later and has two fewer children. Each extra year of secondary education increases her wages by 15 to 20 per cent. It is clear that educating girls empowers girls. Education helps girls become active citizens and it helps break the cycle of poverty that traps so many women. Improving education for girls has to be central to any strategy that seeks to eliminate poverty.

We know that the right to education is a basic human right but it is not guaranteed. From the dreadful situation that refugees are facing at the moment, we can see that education is affected by political and economic upheaval, poverty, climate change and war. We know that, globally, 38 million people are displaced in their own countries and there are more than 16 million refugees. It is therefore not surprising that 31 million girls are not at school at primary level and are missing out on education, and 34 million girls are missing out on lower secondary level education. What a loss of potential, opportunity and talent. It really is incredible that that is the situation in the 21st century.

Here at home, too, women become trapped by violence. Mark McDonald pointed out the impact that financial circumstances can have on the options for women, who can feel trapped in an abusive situation with nowhere to escape to. It is widely recognised that United Kingdom Government cuts have had a disproportionately negative impact on women. House of Commons library research showed that 74 per cent of the £14.9 billion-worth of cuts to 2012 to benefits, tax credits, pay and pensions came from women’s income. It is no wonder that women feel insecure.

That insecurity makes women and girls particularly vulnerable. We will all have read the stories this weekend of the abuse of Muslim women following the appalling terrorist atrocities in Paris. Many of the incidents that have been reported show that women who wear the hijab are receiving increased abuse and threats. We need a zero-tolerance approach to that extremely serious situation.

We need to make sure that our refugees exist, are funded well and that housing is available for those who need it. We need to make sure that our women’s agencies are fully funded. I thank those who have been involved in working for gender equality in years past and I look forward to working with colleagues and those agencies in the years ahead.