The Dignity of Womanhood
An Initiative of the Women‘s Federation
for World Peace
European Chapter
2002 Hannover, Germany – A Beginning
Women and Human Dignity
Where do we stand today?
What has been achieved?
Right of education
Equality in Politics and Industry
Voting rights
Valued as human being with human rights
Respected as woman and mother
The fact that it is widely accepted
that feminine values can bring a
cosmic balance
Women in high positions: heads of state
But there still are:
Prostitution
Trafficking of women
Rape as a
weapon of war
Domestic violence
Child and enforced
prostitution
FGM: female genital
mutilation
Pornography
Sex problems at work
RAPE – PART OF WAR
STRATEGY
• In Darfur and in other war torn areas like the
Democratic Republic of Congo or in Burundi
rapes are part of war strategy. Sexual violence
is deliberately used as a tool to destabilize and
intimidate targeted groups of civil society.
• According to UNICEF thousands of young women
were raped in Darfur last year. Some of the victims
were as young as 7 or 8 years old.
• From autumn 2003 until spring 2004 alone over
8000 women sought help from UNICEF after
having been raped in the east of the DRC.
• In connection with the war in Kosovo mainly
women are the victims of violence and rape.
Trafficking of women
• Nothing has changed, as
prostitution and human
trafficking for sexual
exploitation constitute violence
against women. Therefore,
they are absolutely
irreconcilable with the dignity
and value of the human being,
the maintenance of which is
guaranteed by the
International Declaration of
Human Rights.
Domestic violence
In history, especially during the last century, many women have
fought for equal rights
Women's shelters are a sign of the continual suppression women
bear in the family
In Germany, every 4th woman has experienced domestic violence
.
More than 40,000 women flee to women's shelters each year.
The known cases are only 20%: The unreported (dark figures) cases
are much higher. Shame, guilt, fear or mistrust prevent
the person from reporting the incident
Children who experience violence at home, suffer from internal
psychological problems
Prostitution
•
Many European countries, over the last few years,
have elevated the status of prostitution
to a recognized profession by making it legal.
In Germany, prostitution is categorised as service
provision – this means that women's
sexuality is a service provided for men and as
such, women's bodies are merchandise available for
purchase.
•
The prostitute does receive her right to claim her
wages. Does she also have the right to live
like any other woman? Is hers the right to be free
from the daily degradation to a mere
object, one towards which the random partner freely
practices his uncontrolled needs?
Is she given the right of protection within our
society in her capacities as woman, wife, mother and
colleague?
•
When considering the wonderful human potential,
latent in each woman on the basis of her natural
undisturbed development, this state of affairs is
unforgivable
• Where ever there is advertising, on
television, on the internet, in magazines
and on bill boards, everywhere the female
body is abused and used for commercial
gain.
• This manner of advertising has become so
common, that it is used for numerous
products.
• In this way the image of women has been
distorted and has been degraded to an
object for sexual gratification.
• This has nothing to do with gender equality
in our society.
• This kind of misuse has been opening the
doors to violence against women and is
harmful to their dignity.
Pornography
• We are engulfed in a tidal
wave of violence in literature
and film with realistic
depiction of sexual
relationships, rapes and
murders.
• The wilderness of
pornography in books,
magazines, films and
television is unprecedented in
history.
Cause
•
•
•
Everywhere the female
body is abused as
enticement for
commercial profit.
A billion dollar industry
is spreading the
message that brutality
torture, enslavement,
disregard and
humiliation of the
feminine gender brings
sexual entertainment.
As such the image of
women has been
distorted and has been
degraded to an object
for sexual gratification.
and
Effect?
•According
to
the
estimate of a national
criminal agency, 200,000300,000
children
are
sexually abused every
year.
•Every year 13,000 rapes
get reported.
•The unofficial figure is
estimated to be much
higher.
Human Rights for women too
According to the Human Rights Charter of 1948, all people have a
right to life, freedom, and work, without being discriminated by race,
skin colour or sex.
The reality that women, minorities, and children are disadvantaged
is obvious.
 In some regions, to be born as a girl means less food, less health
care, as well as diminished right to education and perspectives for
job training .
 Even a basic right to life and existence is questioned.
 The UN World Population report 2005: 500,000 Maternal Birth
deaths !
Poverty and missing of equal opportunities is given as the reason
Equality for both sexes in public and private
spheres is essential for development
Declaration of Human Rights
– Excerpts of the Preamble
• Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity
and of the equal inalienable rights of all
members of the human family is the
foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the
world,...
• Whereas the peoples of the United Nations
have in the Charter reaffirmed their faith in
fundamental human rights, in the dignity and
worth of the human person and in the equal
rights of men and women and have
determined to promote social progress and
better standards of life in larger freedom, ...
Resolution 217A (III) of Dec. 10th, 1948,
General Assembly of the United Nations
• Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and
rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should
act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.
• Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set
forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as
race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion,
national or social origin, property, birth or other status.
Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the
political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or
territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent,
trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of
sovereignty.
• Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of
person
• Article 7. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any
discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to
equal protection against any discrimination in violation of the
Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination.
Katharina von Siena
Eternal God,
you created me and knew
while you created me
in your image and light.
With all your love
you created me,
In your likeness
you created me
The original beauty of
woman
Let us bring back the original value,
the original beauty of woman
to the home of the human family
HOW CAN WE START?
Good to know!
• According to a survey of the Institute for Rational
Psychology
(GRP) half of Germany’s population dislikes the
display of sex on TV and in advertisements.
• Every second man and two thirds of the women
feel pressured or intimidated by the continuous
presence of sexual images in advertisements and
TV.
• The discrimination of women in advertisement
media is continuously the main complaint to the
German Advertisement Agency.
Making our opinion public!
• With the consciousness that as women we have very
special values, abilities and special gifts, that our
society needs, we will contribute to its positive
development.
• Therefore we will no longer allow that, by passively
accepting sexist advertising, films and magazines that
reduce woman to a sex object, the dignity of woman is
violated and degraded
• Therefore we ask you to participate with the “Dignity of
Womanhood” campaign. It will give us the opportunity
to invest in the designing and shaping of our society,
for the benefit of future generations.
Distributing
Information
Magazines
Presentations
PRESENTATIONS
regarding the theme
“Dignity of Womanhood”!
• An Historical Opportunity for Women to make an Active
Contribution in building a Culture of Peace.
• The power of femininity within me
• The Culture of Peace
• Feminine qualities of leadership
• The dignity of womanhood throughout the ages
• Living our dignity
• Is peace possible?
• Bridge of peace, a new way to heal the wounds of abuse,
misunderstanding, intolerance, prejudice and war
• Thought of Women's Federation for World Peace
• Becoming a pillar in the Bridge of Peace
• Unseen spiritual power of women
• Empowering Women From Within
• Reconciliation as a basis for creating a sustainable culture of
peace
Write letters of Protest
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Ladies and Gentlemen,
On…………,
I
noticed
at/in………………………your
advertisement
for……………………………
As a woman, I am writing to express my indignation about this advertisement.
Are you aware of the fact that violence towards women constitutes by far the most
frequent violation of human rights? An issue many times ignored – but, since decades
homes exist for battered women and children, taking refuge from the dangers of
violence, sexual intimidation and bodily and psychological abuse.
Even on a private level these are criminal acts, oftentimes not recorded due to the
economic dependence of many women on their partners. This sex-oriented, domestic
violence is closely connected with lack of respect towards and equality of women in the
awareness of society.
Through sexualized language and advertisements, through misuse of the female body as
advert-gag for the greatest variety of products, this lacking equality is being reinforced
and encouraged very subtly and, with it, not only the domestic violence against women
but also the abuse of children.
I, therefore request that you take responsibility by paying close attention in your choice
of advertisements …………and would like to bring this to your attention that you,
through ignoring this letter, may be found guilty of criminal acts and liable for
prosecution.
Therefore, it is of paramount importance to withdraw, with immediate effect, the advert
mentioned above.
A reply to this letter would be greatly appreciated.
Name:
Address:
Signature Campaigns
• Against the
rapes in Bosnia
• Against sex
and violence in
TV
• For the Dignity
of Women
Campaigning
• The WFWP branch of Hannover (Germany) took
on the theme “Dignity of Womanhood”. This
initiative, having an information table, was well
accepted by the citizens.
• We are not alone with our indignation about the
advertisements degrading women, which passes
on completely wrong guidance and values
• In 2003 a politician of Niedersachsen explained at
a press conference, that the new media law should
contain a passage for the protection of the dignity
of woman.
Networking
Gleichstellungsbeauftragte
Deutscher Werberat,
Am Weidendamm 1A, 10117 Berlin.
Frauenbeauftragte
Landesfrauenrat
http://www.feminenza.org/
„The creation is not yet
finished!“
A last thought
We are the forerunners
for our youth!
• In every way, we women have the
possibility to actively participate in
the development of our
communities and also to take the
place where we wish to contribute.
• We wish that many women join our
protest action. Thus a great
women’s movement will evolve,
protecting the Dignity of Woman.
• We owe this to our youth, children
and grandchildren
The Creation is not yet finished
Dorothee Sölle
. Do we want to give another answer to
the creation, a tenderness for all
living things on our earth, and do
we wish to be the co-creator (as
planned), created in God’s image?
Clearly, the creation not only has a
relationship with our beginnings
(origin) but also always continues
with us in our future.
The creation which began with the first
creation, is not yet finished