नारी के विरुद्ध हर हिंसा जो किसी भी प्रकार से नारी को शारीरिक , मानसिक कष्ट दे वो हिंसा "यौन उत्पीरण " के तहत आती हैं ।

संयुक्त राष्ट्र संघ क्या कहता हैं नारी के प्रति हिंसा के बारे मे पढिये और आप को स्वयं समझ आयेगा कि नारी के ऊपर हो रही हिंसा के कितने प्रकार माने गए हैं और इस से आप को ये भी पता चलेगा कि किस प्रकार से आप इस हिंसा का विरोध कर सकती/सकते हैं ।
हिंसा का मुखर विरोध जरुरी हैं । बात केवल आवाज उठाने कि हैं और लडने कि ताकत पैदा करने कि हैं ।
बहुत सी बाते " एक नोर्मल बेहेवियर पेटर्न " मान ली जाती हैं और अगर इसी लिये लोगो को इस मे कोई "यौन शोषण " दिखाई ही नहीं देता । पर नारी के विरुद्ध हर हिंसा जो किसी भी प्रकार से नारी को शारीरिक , मानसिक कष्ट दे वो हिंसा "यौन उत्पीरण " के तहत आती हैं ।
ज्यादा लिखने का कोई फायदा नहीं हैं क्युकी नीचे दी गयी रिपोर्ट सब कुछ साफ़ साफ़ कह रही हैं



United NationsA/RES/48/104


General Assembly
Distr. GENERAL
20 December 1993
ORIGINAL:
ENGLISH


A/RES/48/104
85th plenary meeting
20 December 1993


48/104. Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women

The General Assembly,

Recognizing the urgent need for the universal application to women of
the rights and principles with regard to equality, security, liberty,
integrity and dignity of all human beings,

Noting that those rights and principles are enshrined in international
instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and the Convention
against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment,

Recognizing that effective implementation of the Convention on the
Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women would contribute to
the elimination of violence against women and that the Declaration on the
Elimination of Violence against Women, set forth in the present resolution,
will strengthen and complement that process,

Concerned that violence against women is an obstacle to the achievement
of equality, development and peace, as recognized in the Nairobi
Forward-looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women, in which a set of
measures to combat violence against women was recommended, and to the full
implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women,

Affirming that violence against women constitutes a violation of the
rights and fundamental freedoms of women and impairs or nullifies their
enjoyment of those rights and freedoms, and concerned about the long-standing
failure to protect and promote those rights and freedoms in the case of
violence against women,

Recognizing that violence against women is a manifestation of
historically unequal power relations between men and women, which have led to
domination over and discrimination against women by men and to the prevention
of the full advancement of women, and that violence against women is one of
the crucial social mechanisms by which women are forced into a subordinate
position compared with men,

Concerned that some groups of women, such as women belonging to minority
groups, indigenous women, refugee women, migrant women, women living in rural
or remote communities, destitute women, women in institutions or in detention,
female children, women with disabilities, elderly women and women in
situations of armed conflict, are especially vulnerable to violence,

Recalling the conclusion in paragraph 23 of the annex to Economic and
Social Council resolution 1990/15 of 24 May 1990 that the recognition that
violence against women in the family and society was pervasive and cut across
lines of income, class and culture had to be matched by urgent and effective
steps to eliminate its incidence,

Recalling also Economic and Social Council resolution 1991/18 of 30 May
1991, in which the Council recommended the development of a framework for an
international instrument that would address explicitly the issue of violence
against women,

Welcoming the role that women's movements are playing in drawing
increasing attention to the nature, severity and magnitude of the problem of
violence against women,

Alarmed that opportunities for women to achieve legal, social, political
and economic equality in society are limited, inter alia, by continuing and
endemic violence,

Convinced that in the light of the above there is a need for a clear and
comprehensive definition of violence against women, a clear statement of the
rights to be applied to ensure the elimination of violence against women in
all its forms, a commitment by States in respect of their responsibilities,
and a commitment by the international community at large to the elimination of
violence against women,

Solemnly proclaims the following Declaration on the Elimination of
Violence against Women and urges that every effort be made so that it becomes
generally known and respected:

Article 1

For the purposes of this Declaration, the term "violence against
women" means any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is
likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering
to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary
deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.

Article 2

Violence against women shall be understood to encompass, but not
be limited to, the following:

(a) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the
family, including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the
household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital
mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women, non-spousal
violence and violence related to exploitation;

(b) Physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring within
the general community, including rape, sexual abuse, sexual harassment
and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere,
trafficking in women and forced prostitution;

(c) Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or
condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.

Article 3

Women are entitled to the equal enjoyment and protection of all
human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic,
social, cultural, civil or any other field. These rights include, inter
alia:

(a) The right to life;

(b) The right to equality;

(c) The right to liberty and security of person;

(d) The right to equal protection under the law;

(e) The right to be free from all forms of discrimination;

(f) The right to the highest standard attainable of physical and
mental health;

(g) The right to just and favourable conditions of work;

(h) The right not to be subjected to torture, or other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 4

States should condemn violence against women and should not invoke
any custom, tradition or religious consideration to avoid their
obligations with respect to its elimination. States should pursue by
all appropriate means and without delay a policy of eliminating violence
against women and, to this end, should:

(a) Consider, where they have not yet done so, ratifying or
acceding to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination against Women or withdrawing reservations to that
Convention;

(b) Refrain from engaging in violence against women;

(c) Exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in
accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against
women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private
persons;

(d) Develop penal, civil, labour and administrative sanctions in
domestic legislation to punish and redress the wrongs caused to women
who are subjected to violence; women who are subjected to violence
should be provided with access to the mechanisms of justice and, as
provided for by national legislation, to just and effective remedies for
the harm that they have suffered; States should also inform women of
their rights in seeking redress through such mechanisms;

(e) Consider the possibility of developing national plans of
action to promote the protection of women against any form of violence,
or to include provisions for that purpose in plans already existing,
taking into account, as appropriate, such cooperation as can be provided
by non-governmental organizations, particularly those concerned with the
issue of violence against women;

(f) Develop, in a comprehensive way, preventive approaches and
all those measures of a legal, political, administrative and cultural
nature that promote the protection of women against any form of
violence, and ensure that the re-victimization of women does not occur
because of laws insensitive to gender considerations, enforcement
practices or other interventions;

(g) Work to ensure, to the maximum extent feasible in the light
of their available resources and, where needed, within the framework of
international cooperation, that women subjected to violence and, where
appropriate, their children have specialized assistance, such as
rehabilitation, assistance in child care and maintenance, treatment,
counselling, and health and social services, facilities and programmes,
as well as support structures, and should take all other appropriate
measures to promote their safety and physical and psychological
rehabilitation;

(h) Include in government budgets adequate resources for their
activities related to the elimination of violence against women;

(i) Take measures to ensure that law enforcement officers and
public officials responsible for implementing policies to prevent,
investigate and punish violence against women receive training to
sensitize them to the needs of women;

(j) Adopt all appropriate measures, especially in the field of
education, to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men
and women and to eliminate prejudices, customary practices and all other
practices based on the idea of the inferiority or superiority of either
of the sexes and on stereotyped roles for men and women;

(k) Promote research, collect data and compile statistics,
especially concerning domestic violence, relating to the prevalence of
different forms of violence against women and encourage research on the
causes, nature, seriousness and consequences of violence against women
and on the effectiveness of measures implemented to prevent and redress
violence against women; those statistics and findings of the research
will be made public;

(l) Adopt measures directed towards the elimination of violence
against women who are especially vulnerable to violence;

(m) Include, in submitting reports as required under relevant
human rights instruments of the United Nations, information pertaining
to violence against women and measures taken to implement the present
Declaration;

(n) Encourage the development of appropriate guidelines to
assist in the implementation of the principles set forth in the present
Declaration;

(o) Recognize the important role of the women's movement and
non-governmental organizations world wide in raising awareness and
alleviating the problem of violence against women;

(p) Facilitate and enhance the work of the women's movement and
non-governmental organizations and cooperate with them at local,
national and regional levels;

(q) Encourage intergovernmental regional organizations of which
they are members to include the elimination of violence against women in
their programmes, as appropriate.

Article 5

The organs and specialized agencies of the United Nations system
should, within their respective fields of competence, contribute to the
recognition and realization of the rights and the principles set forth
in the present Declaration and, to this end, should, inter alia:

(a) Foster international and regional cooperation with a view to
defining regional strategies for combating violence, exchanging
experiences and financing programmes relating to the elimination of
violence against women;

(b) Promote meetings and seminars with the aim of creating and
raising awareness among all persons of the issue of the elimination of
violence against women;

(c) Foster coordination and exchange within the United Nations
system between human rights treaty bodies to address the issue of
violence against women effectively;

(d) Include in analyses prepared by organizations and bodies of
the United Nations system of social trends and problems, such as the
periodic reports on the world social situation, examination of trends in
violence against women;

(e) Encourage coordination between organizations and bodies of
the United Nations system to incorporate the issue of violence against
women into ongoing programmes, especially with reference to groups of
women particularly vulnerable to violence;

(f) Promote the formulation of guidelines or manuals relating to
violence against women, taking into account the measures referred to in
the present Declaration;

(g) Consider the issue of the elimination of violence against
women, as appropriate, in fulfilling their mandates with respect to the
implementation of human rights instruments;

(h) Cooperate with non-governmental organizations in addressing
the issue of violence against women.

Article 6

Nothing in the present Declaration shall affect any provision that
is more conducive to the elimination of violence against women that may
be contained in the legislation of a State or in any international
convention, treaty or other instrument in force in a State.

क्या ब्लॉगर शब्द पुल्लिंग हैं ?? जागिये महिला ब्लॉगर जागिये

क्या ब्लॉगर शब्द पुल्लिंग हैं ?? अगर नहीं तो फिर इसके लिये स्त्रीलिंग शब्द क्यूँ खोजा जा रहा हैं ? क्या अब और कुछ नहीं बचा हैं जिस पर अधिपत्य जमाया जा सके जो शब्दों पर अधिपत्य जमाया जा रहा हैं । "ब्लॉगर" शब्द को पुल्लिंग बना कर क्या ये सिद्ध करने कि कोशिश कि जा रही हैं कि "ब्लॉग" लेखन पुरुषो के लिये बना हैं ।

क्या किसी भी काम को लिंग के आधार पर बाँटना "शोषण " नहीं हैं । अगर हाँ तो फिर क्या महिला ब्लॉगर इस बात के लिये तैयार हैं कि "ब्लॉगर " शब्द को पुल्लिंग मान लिया जाए ।

महिला ब्लॉगर से आग्रह हैं , कि कोई भी ऐसा भेद भाव जो लिंग के आधार पर किया जाता हैं वो " यौन शोषण " कि परिधि मे आता हैं , इस लिये अपनी आपति अवश्य दर्ज कराये जहां भी आप "ब्लॉगर " शब्द को पुल्लिंग माना जाता हो । ये मजाक का मुद्दा नहीं हैं , एक गभीर बात हैं क्युकी अगर आज आप आपत्ति नहीं दर्ज करेगी तो कल वाकई ये मान लिया जायेगा कि "ब्लॉगर" शब्द पुल्लिंग हैं और ब्लोगिंग पर पहले पुरुषो का अधिकार हैं और नारी उनसे अब बराबरी कर रही हैं ब्लॉग लिख कर ।

जागिये महिला ब्लॉगर जागिये

उसकी इज्ज़त घर और पति/पिता/भाई कि इज्ज़त से होती हैं । गलत , An open letter for Abha Rathor Ruchika Molestation Case India

An open letter for Abha Rathor
Ruchika Molestation Case India

Till the time woman in india will be protecting their husbands , sons and brothers for every adultery committed by them , we will never be able to make opur society clean. Man do a crime against a woman and then hide behind another woman .

The woman thinks that the prestige of her husband , father , son is her prestige . She wants to protect family honor because from childhood a girl is groomed / conditioned so.

Its important to understand that woman have to rise against injustice . If they will not then they will be never equals .

भारतीये परिवेश मे नारी को हमेशा यही समझाया जाता हैं कि उसकी इज्ज़त घर और पति/पिता/भाई कि इज्ज़त से होती हैं । इस लिये भारतीये नारी अपने आस पास के पुरुषो को उनके गलत काम के लिये निरंतर बचाती हैं और ये भूल जाती हैं कि एक दूसरी महिला के प्रति वो अत्याचार मे शामिल हो गयी हैं ।

आभा राठोर भी ऐसी ही एक महिला हैं जिन्होने अपने पति का केस लड़ा , उस पति का जिसने १४ साल कि मासूम बच्ची का यौन शोषण किया और फिर अपने रसूख से उसको आत्म-हत्या करने पर मजबूर किया ।


Naari Blog is a bilingul blog and posts can be in english and/or hindi
we want to rise above the language and gender to discuss problems and issues

आभा राठौर के नाम खुला पत्र……..

पिछले एक हफ्ते से रुचिका molestation केस पर आया निर्णय पूरे देश में चर्चा का विषय है। देश के हर कोने से इस निर्णय के विरोध में आवाजें उठ रही है। हर शख़्स को कोर्ट से बाहर निकलते वक्त राठौर के चेहरे पर खिली मुस्कराहट विचलित कर रही है। हर शख़्स इस मुस्कराहट के पीछे के सत्य को जानना चाहता है, पर किसी की नज़र उनके पीछे चल रही उनकी बीवी की मुस्कराहट पर नहीं है। उनकी मुस्कराहट अपने पति से ज्यादा नहीं तो कम भी नहीं थी। वे किस बात पर मुस्करा रही थी? उनका पति ऐसी कौन सी जंग जीत कर आ रहा था कि उसका मुस्करा कर स्वागत करना जरूरी था। उनका पति अपनी बेटी की उम्र लड़की के यौन शोषण के मामले सजा सुन कर बाहर निकला था।

आभा राठौर, यही नाम है उस भद्र महिला का। जिन्हें शायद अपने पति की अनुगामिनी होने का गर्व हो। गर्व हो इस बात का कि उन्होंने उस भारतीय परम्परा का पूरी तरह पालन किया जिसमें औरत को अपने पति की हर गलत-सही बातों का समर्थन करने की शिक्षा दी जाती है। पर आज मेरा मन उनसे यह पूछना चाहता है कि आप पत्नी होने के साथ-साथ एक औरत भी है। क्या इन उन्नीस सालों में आपके मन ने एक बार में अपने पति के कृत्य को गलत नहीं ठहराया? क्या आपके अंदर की ममता कभी रुचिका के लिए नहीं तड़पी? जिसे और जिसके परिवार को आपके पति ने इतना सताया कि वह बिन मां की बच्ची अपने आस-पास हो रहे हादसों के लिए स्वयं को ही जिम्मेदार समझने लगी और उसने आत्महत्या जैसा कदम उठा लिय़ा। क्या आपने कभी अपनी बच्ची से नहीं पूछा- कि बेटा क्या वास्तव में रुचिका वैसी ही है जैसी तुम्हारे पापा कह रहे है? या आपकी बेटी जो स्वयं रुचिका की क्लास में पढ़ती थी ने कभी आपसे रुचिका का ज़िक्र नहीं किया। कभी नहीं कहा कि ममा, रुचिका क्लास में रोती रहती है, वह किसी से बात नहीं करती, पापा जो कुछ कर रहे हैं वह ठीक नहीं है। पापा से कहिए कि वह उसे स्कूल से न निकलवाएं। या आपके घर में रुचिका का नाम लेने पर भी पाबंदी थी? बताइएं आभाजी, हम जानना चाहते हैं। एक औरत के रूप में आपने रुचिका की पीड़ा क्यों नहीं महसूस की? या आप मानसिक रूप से इतनी त्रस्त थी कि आपने एक मां और एक औरत की पीड़ा को दफन कर, अपना पत्नी धर्म निभाना श्रेयस्कर समझा। जो आपको अपने पति के लम्बें सायें में सुरक्षित रखता है। आपको कभी नहीं लगा कि जिस दुनिया में आप रह रही है, सिर्फ रह ही नहीं रही उसका पुरजोर समर्थन भी कर रही है, उस दुनिया में आपकी बेटी भी, जो रुचिका की ही उम्र की है किसी और राठौर की वासना का शिकार बन सकती है। भगवान न करे, लेकिन अगर कभी आपकी बेटी के साथ भी ऐसा ही कोई हादसा हो जाए, तो भी क्या आप इसी तरह व्यवहार करेंगी? या आप निश्चिंत हैं कि डीजीपी की बेटी को कौन हाथ लगाएगा!!!

आभाजी, आपने पत्नी का धर्म तो बखूबी निभाया है, पर औरत का धर्म निभाने में आपसे चूक हो गई। अक्सर महिलाएं रिश्ते-नातों के ज़ाल में इतना उलझ जाती हैं कि वे यह भूल जाती हैं कि वे स्वयं भी एक महिला हैं। एक ऐसी महिला जिसे समाज में बच्चियों और औरतों पर हो रहे अभद्र और अश्लील व्यवहार के प्रति अपना अपना रोष दर्ज कराना ही चाहिए। उन्हें उस दायरे को तोड़ कर बाहर आना ही होगा जिसे तथाकथित समाज ने उनके लिए बना दिया है। जिसमें घर-परिवार के दायरे को तोड़, बाहर आकर अपनी बात कहना अशोभनीय माना जाता है। अगर हम समाज में अपनी बच्चियों को राठौर जैसे दरिंदों से सुरक्षित रखना चाहते हैं तो हमें बाहर निकलकर पुरजोर तरीके ऐसे लोगों के प्रति अपना विरोध दर्ज कराना ही होगा। कोई समाज तब तक खुद को विकसित नहीं कह सकता, जब तक उस समाज में महिलाओं को उनका due respect नहीं मिलता।

-प्रतिभा वाजपेयी

नारी ब्लॉग की ४९९ पोस्ट " एक मामूली बात "

ये नारी ब्लॉग की ४९९ पोस्ट हैं । ५०० वी पोस्ट से इस लोग को बाइलिन्गुअल किया जा रहा हैं यानी अब सदस्य हिन्दी और इंग्लिश दोनों मे पोस्ट लिख सकेगे । पोस्ट की हेअडिंग भी इंग्लिश और हिन्दी दोनों मे होगी । नारी ब्लॉग की कोशिश होती हैं की हम नारी को ज्यादा से ज्यादा जानकारी उपलब्ध करा सके इस ब्लॉग के जरिये ।

बहुत सी ऐसी रूढ़ियाँ हैं समाज की जिनको केवल और केवल नारी इस लिये स्वीकार कर लेती हैं क्युकी उसको बचपन से यही सिखाया जाता हैं की "इग्नोर करो , ये सब लड़कियों को सहना ही पड़ता हैं " । नारी की इस "कन्दीशनिंग " के ख़िलाफ़ हमारी मुहीम नारी ब्लॉग पर आगे आने वाली पोस्ट होगी ।

पिछले एक हफ्ते से राठोर का रुचिका molestation केस और ऍन डी तिवारी का सेक्स स्कैंडल मीडिया मे छाए रहे । ये दोनों व्यक्ति सीनियर सिटिज़न हैं , हमारे समाज मे एक पुलिस मे ऊँचे पड़ पर हैं तो दूसरा गवर्नर हैं यानी महिमा मंडित हैं । क्यूँ उनको महिमा मंडित किया गया क्युकी उन्होने नारी के खिलाफ जो किया उसको समाज "एक मामूली बात " मानता हैं और नारी को , उसके व्यवहार को , उसकी सोच को , उसके वस्त्रो को " नारी के साथ हुए "यौन शौषण " के लिये जिम्मेदार मानता हैं ।

नारी का शरीर पुरूष की वासना तुष्टि के लिये बना हैं चाहे नारी चाहे या ना चाहे उसको इस बात के ख़िलाफ़ आवाज नहीं उठानी चाहिये । अगर उठायेगी तो मरेगी { जैसे १४ साल की रुचिका मर गयी और ४८ साल का राठोर आज ६७ साल का हो कर मुस्करा रहा हैं } ।

नारी ब्लॉग के जरिये हम हर बार नारी को जाग्रत करने की कोशिश करते हैं की ग़लत के खिलाफ आवाज उठाओ , अपनी आवाज को टंकार बनाओ ताकि लोग समझे की अब हमको ये सब मंजूर नहीं हैं । ग़लत को इग्नोर कर के आज हम यहाँ पहुचे हैं , ग़लत का साथ देकर आज हम यहाँ पहुचे की आज भी हम अपनी बच्चियों को गलियों मे घुमते दरिंदो से बचा लेते हैं लेकिन उन संभ्रांत पढ़े लिखे , सुसंस्कृत भेड़ियों से नहीं बचा पते जो हमारे अपने घरो मे हैं ।

नारी की सबसे बड़ी गलती हैं की वो नारी के साथ नहीं होती वो होती हैं पुरूष के साथ ये जानते हुए भी वो पुरूष चाहे उसके पिता हैं , या पति , या भाई या बेटा लेकिन किसी और नारी का " यौन शोषण " उसने किया हैं ।

बहुत सी नारियां तो इन बातो को अपने जीवन का हिस्सा ही मानती हैं क्युकी उनको पता नहीं हैं की ये एक प्रकार की हिंसा हैं उनके प्रति , उनकी बेटी के प्रति या किसी और नारी के प्रति ।

नारी ब्लॉग पर हम कोशिश करेगे की ये बात उन नारियों तक पहुचे और वो भी अपना विरोध दर्ज करे ।

नारी ब्लॉग पर जो भी महिला सदस्यता ले कर यौन शोषण के खिलाफ कुछ भी लिखना चाहती हैं अपना संपर्क सूत्र दे । आप हिन्दी या इंग्लिश दोनों मे लिख सकती हैं । आप से निवेदन हैं की जो भी रिपोर्ट इस ब्लॉग पर डाली जाए उनको पढे ताकि आप को ज्ञान हो सके की आप के साथ जो व्यवहार होता हैं , आप के ऊपर जो लोग टीका , टिप्पणी करते है वो सब अगर यौनिक हैं तो ग़लत हैं ।

सभी पाठको का धन्यवाद

रचना
सूत्रधार नारी ब्लॉग

नारी तथा हिंसा

नारी तथा हिंसा

एक रिपोर्ट , इंग्लिश मे हैं पर पढना जरुरी हैं । जो भी हिंदी ट्रांसलेशन उपलब्ध करा सके कर दे ।

Women and Violence

Violence affects the lives of millions of women worldwide, in all socio-economic and educational classes. It cuts across cultural and religious barriers, impeding the right of women to participate fully in society.

Violence against women takes a dismaying variety of forms, from domestic abuse and rape to child marriages and female circumcision. All are violations of the most fundamental human rights.

In a statement to the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in September 1995, the United Nations Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, said that violence against women is a universal problem that must be universally condemned. But he said that the problem continues to grow.

The Secretary-General noted that domestic violence alone is on the increase. Studies in 10 countries, he said, have found that between 17 per cent and 38 per cent of women have suffered physical assaults by a partner.

In the Platform for Action, the core document of the Beijing Conference, Governments declared that "violence against women constitutes a violation of basic human rights and is an obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace".

The Work of the Special Rapporteur

The issue of the advancement of women's rights has concerned the United Nations since the Organization's founding. Yet the alarming global dimensions of female-targeted violence were not explicitly acknowledged by the international community until December 1993, when the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women.

Until that point, most Governments tended to regard violence against women largely as a private matter between individuals, and not as a pervasive human rights problem requiring State intervention.

In view of the alarming growth in the number of cases of violence against women throughout the world, the Commission on Human Rights adopted resolution 1994/45 of 4 March 1994, in which it decided to appoint the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, including its causes and consequences.

As a result of these steps, the problem of violence against women has been drawing increasing political attention.

The Special Rapporteur has a mandate to collect and analyse comprehensive data and to recommend measures aimed at eliminating violence at the international, national and regional levels. The mandate is threefold:

• To collect information on violence against women and its causes and consequences from sources such as Governments, treaty bodies, specialized agencies and intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and to respond effectively to such information;
• To recommend measures and ways and means, at the national, regional and international levels, to eliminate violence against women and its causes, and to remedy its consequences;
• To work closely with other special rapporteurs, special representatives, working groups and independent experts of the Commission on Human Rights.

Incest, Rape and Domestic Violence

Some females fall prey to violence before they are born, when expectant parents abort their unborn daughters, hoping for sons instead. In other societies, girls are subjected to such traditional practices as circumcision, which leave them maimed and traumatized. In others, they are compelled to marry at an early age, before they are physically, mentally or emotionally mature.

Women are victims of incest, rape and domestic violence that often lead to trauma, physical handicap or death.

And rape is still being used as a weapon of war, a strategy used to subjugate and terrify entire communities. Soldiers deliberately impregnate women of different ethnic groups and abandon them when it is too late to get an abortion.

The Platform for Action adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women declared that rape in armed conflict is a war crime -- and could, under certain circumstances, be considered genocide.

Secretary-General Boutros-Ghali told the Beijing Conference that more women today were suffering directly from the effects of war and conflict than ever before in history.

"There is a deplorable trend towards the organized humiliation of women, including the crime of mass rape", the Secretary-General said. "We will press for international legal action against those who perpetrate organized violence against women in time of conflict."

A preliminary report in 1994 by the Special Rapporteur, Ms. Radhika Coomaraswamy, focused on three areas of concern where women are particularly vulnerable: in the family (including domestic violence, traditional practices, infanticide); in the community (including rape, sexual assault, commercialized violence such as trafficking in women, labour exploitation, female migrant workers etc.); and by the State (including violence against women in detention as well as violence against women in situations of armed conflict and against refugee women).

In the Platform for Action adopted at the Beijing Conference, violence against women and the human rights of women are 2 of the 12 critical areas of concern identified as the main obstacles to the advancement of women.

Commitments by Governments

Governments agreed to adopt and implement national legislation to end violence against women and to work actively to ratify all international agreements that relate to violence against women. They agreed that there should be shelters, legal aid and other services for girls and women at risk, and counselling and rehabilitation for perpetrators.

Governments also pledged to adopt appropriate measures in the field of education to modify the social and cultural patterns of conduct of men and women. And the Platform called on media professionals to develop self-regulatory guidelines to address violent, degrading and pornographic materials while encouraging non-stereotyped, balanced and diverse images of women.

Defining Gender-based Abuse

The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women is the first international human rights instrument to exclusively and explicitly address the issue of violence against women. It affirms that the phenomenon violates, impairs or nullifies women's human rights and their exercise of fundamental freedoms.

The Declaration provides a definition of gender-based abuse, calling it "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life".

The definition is amplified in article 2 of the Declaration, which identifies three areas in which violence commonly takes place:

• Physical, sexual and psychological violence that occurs in the family, including battering; sexual abuse of female children in the household; dowry-related violence; marital rape; female genital mutilation and other traditional practices harmful to women; non-spousal violence; and violence related to exploitation;
• Physical, sexual and psychological violence that occurs within the general community, including rape; sexual abuse; sexual harassment and intimidation at work, in educational institutions and elsewhere; trafficking in women; and forced prostitution;
• Physical, sexual and psychological violence perpetrated or condoned by the State, wherever it occurs.

Groundwork Is Laid in Vienna

The importance of the question of violence against women was emphasized over the last decade through the holding of several expert group meetings sponsored by the United Nations to draw attention to the extent and severity of the problem.

In September 1992, the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women established a special Working Group and gave it a mandate to draw up a draft declaration on violence against women.

The following year, the United Nations Commission for Human Rights, in resolution 1993/46 of 3 March, condemned all forms of violence and violations of human rights directed specifically against women.

The World Conference on Human Rights, held in Vienna in June 1993, laid extensive groundwork for eliminating violence against women. In the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, Governments declared that the United Nations system and Member States should work towards the elimination of violence against women in public and private life; of all forms of sexual harassment, exploitation and trafficking in women; of gender bias in the administration of justice; and of any conflicts arising between the rights of women and the harmful effects of certain traditional or customary practices, cultural prejudices and religious extremism.

The document also declared that "violations of the human rights of women in situations of armed conflicts are violations of the fundamental principles of international human rights and humanitarian law", and that all violations of this kind -- including murder, systematic rape, sexual slavery and forced pregnancy -- "require a particularly effective response".

Kinds of Violence Against Women

Domestic violence

Violence against women in the family occurs in developed and developing countries alike. It has long been considered a private matter by bystanders -- including neighbours, the community and government. But such private matters have a tendency to become public tragedies.

In the United States, a woman is beaten every 18 minutes. Indeed, domestic violence is the leading cause of injury among women of reproductive age in the United States. Between 22 and 35 per cent of women who visit emergency rooms are there for that reason.

The highly publicized trial of O. J. Simpson, the retired United States football player acquitted of the murder of his former wife and a male friend of hers, helped focus international media attention on the issue of domestic violence and spousal abuse.

In Peru, 70 per cent of all crimes reported to the police involve women beaten by their husbands.

In Pakistan, Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto strongly defended a 35-year-old mother of two who was severely burned by her husband in a domestic dispute.

"There is no excuse for such a behaviour", the Prime Minister declared after visiting the hospitalized victim. "My presence here is to send a message to all those who violate Islamic teachings and defy laws of the land with their inhuman treatment of women. This will not be tolerated."

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, in the 400 cases of domestic violence reported in 1993 in the province of Punjab, nearly half ended with the death of the wife.

According to the Special Rapporteur's report, many Governments now recognize the importance of protecting victims of domestic abuse and taking action to punish perpetrators. The establishment of structures allowing officials to deal with cases of domestic violence and its consequences is a significant step towards the elimination of violence against women in the family.

The Special Rapporteur's report highlights the importance of adopting legislation that provides for prosecution of the offender. It also stresses the importance of specialized training for law enforcement authorities as well as medical and legal professionals, and of the establishment of community support services for victims, including access to information and shelters.

Traditional practices

In many countries, women fall victim to traditional practices that violate their human rights. The persistence of the problem has much to do with the fact that most of these physically and psychologically harmful customs are deeply rooted in the tradition and culture of society.

Female genital mutilation

According to the World Health Organization, 85 million to 115 million girls and women in the population have undergone some form of female genital mutilation and suffer from its adverse health effects.

Every year an estimated 2 million young girls undergo this procedure. Most live in Africa and Asia -- but an increasing number can be found among immigrant and refugee families in Western Europe and North America. Indeed, the practice has been outlawed in some European countries.

In France, a Malian was convicted in a criminal court after his baby girl died of a female circumcision-related infection. The procedure had been performed on the infant at home.

In Canada, fear of being forced to undergo circumcision can be grounds for asylum. A Nigerian woman was granted refugee status since she felt that she might be persecuted in her home country because of her refusal to inflict genital mutilation on her baby daughter.

There is a growing consensus that the best way to eliminate these practices is through educational campaigns that emphasize their dangerous health consequences. Several Governments have been actively promoting such campaigns in their countries.

Son preference

Son preference affects women in many countries, particularly in Asia. Its consequences can be anything from foetal or female infanticide to neglect of the girl child over her brother in terms of such essential needs as nutrition, basic health care and education.

In China and India, some women choose to terminate their pregnancies when expecting daughters but carry their pregnancies to term when expecting sons.

According to reports from India, genetic testing for sex selection has become a booming business, especially in the country's northern regions. Indian gender-detection clinics drew protests from women's groups after the appearance of advertisements suggesting that it was better to spend $38 now to terminate a female foetus than $3,800 later on her dowry.

A study of amniocentesis procedures conducted in a large Bombay hospital found that 95.5 per cent of foetuses identified as female were aborted, compared with a far smaller percentage of male foetuses.

The problem of son preference is present in many other countries as well. Asked how many children he had fathered, the former United States boxing champion Muhammad Ali told an interviewer: "One boy and seven mistakes."

Dowry-related violence and early marriage

In some countries, weddings are preceded by the payment of an agreed-upon dowry by the bride's family. Failure to pay the dowry can lead to violence.

In Bangladesh, a bride whose dowry was deemed too small was disfigured after her husband threw acid on her face. In India, an average of five women a day are burned in dowry-related disputes -- and many more cases are never reported.

Early marriage, especially without the consent of the girl, is another form of human rights violation. Early marriage followed by multiple pregnancies can affect the health of women for life.

The report of the Special Rapporteur has documented the destructive effects of marriage of female children under 18 and has urged Governments to adopt relevant legislation.

Violence in the community

Rape

Rape can occur anywhere, even in the family, where it can take the form of marital rape or incest. It occurs in the community, where a woman can fall prey to any abuser. It also occurs in situations of armed conflict and in refugee camps.

In the United States, national statistics indicate that a women is raped every six minutes. In 1995, the case of a Brazilian jogger raped and murdered in New York City's Central Park drew international attention once again to the problem. The incident occurred only a few years after an earlier sensational jogger-assault case in which the victim -- an American assaulted in the same general area of the park -- barely survived after her assailants left her for dead.

Relations between residents of the Japanese island of Okinawa and American GIs were thrown into turmoil in 1995 after two marines and a sailor allegedly kidnapped and raped a 12-year-old girl.

The Special Rapporteur's report underlines the importance of education to sensitize the public about the special horrors of rape, and of sensitivity training for the police and hospital staff who work with victims.

Sexual assault within marriage

In many countries sexual assault by a husband on his wife is not considered to be a crime: a wife is expected to submit. It is thus very difficult in practice for a woman to prove that sexual assault has occurred unless she can demonstrate serious injury.

The report of the Special Rapporteur noted that light sentences in sexual assault cases send the wrong message to perpetrators and to the public at large: that female sexual victimization is unimportant.

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment in the workplace is a growing concern for women. Employers abuse their authority to seek sexual favours from their female co-workers or subordinates, sometimes promising promotions or other forms of career advancement or simply creating an untenable and hostile work environment. Women who refuse to give in to such unwanted sexual advances often run the risk of anything from demotion to dismissal.

But in recent years more women have been coming forward to report such practices -- some taking their cases to court.

In her report, the Special Rapporteur stressed that sexual harassment constitutes a form of sex discrimination. "It not only degrades the woman", the report noted, "but reinforces and reflects the idea of non-professionalism on the part of women workers, who are consequently regarded as less able to perform their duties than their male colleagues."

Prostitution and trafficking

Many women are forced into prostitution either by their parents, husbands or boyfriends -- or as a result of the difficult economic and social conditions in which they find themselves. They are also lured into prostitution, sometimes by "mail-order bride" agencies that promise to find them a husband or a job in a foreign country. As a result, they very often find themselves illegally confined in brothels in slavery-like conditions where they are physically abused and their passports withheld.

Most women initially victimized by sexual traffickers have little inkling of what awaits them. They generally get a very small percentage of what the customer pays to the pimp or the brothel owner. Once they are caught up in the system there is practically no way out, and they find themselves in a very vulnerable situation.

Since prostitution is illegal in many countries, it is difficult for prostitutes to come forward and ask for protection if they become victims of rape or want to escape from brothels. Customers, on the other hand, are rarely the object of penal laws.

In Thailand, prostitutes who complain to the police are often arrested and sent back to the brothels upon payment of a fine.

The extent of trafficking in women and girl children has reached alarming proportions, especially in Asian countries.

Many women and girl children are trafficked across borders, often with the complicity of border guards. In one incident, five young prostitutes burned to death in a brothel fire because they had been chained to their beds. At the same time, sex tours of developing countries are a well-organized industry in several European and other industrialized countries.

The Special Rapporteur has called on Governments to take action to protect young girls from being recruited as prostitutes and to closely monitor recruiting agencies.

Violence against women migrant workers

Female migrant workers typically leave their countries for better living conditions and better pay -- but the real benefits accrue to both the host countries and the countries of origin.

For home countries, money sent home by migrant workers is an important source of hard currency, while receiving countries are able to find workers for low-paying jobs that might otherwise go unfilled.

But migrant workers themselves fare badly, and sometimes tragically. Many become virtual slaves, subject to abuse and rape by their employers.

In the Middle East and Persian Gulf region, there are an estimated 1.2 million women, mainly Asians, who are employed as domestic servants. According to the independent human rights group Middle East Watch, female migrant workers in Kuwait often suffer beatings and sexual assaults at the hands of their employers.

The police are often of little help. In many cases, women who report being raped by their employers are sent back to the employer -- or are even assaulted at the police station.

Working conditions are often appalling, and employers prevent women from escaping by seizing their passports or identity papers.

The report of the Special Rapporteur draws attention to the fact that there are many international instruments that can be used to prevent abuse against migrant women and suggests some measures to protect the human rights of migrant women.

Pornography

Another concern highlighted in the Special Rapporteur's report is pornography, which represents a form of violence against women that "glamorizes the degradation and maltreatment of women and asserts their subordinate function as mere receptacles for male lust".

Violence perpetrated or condoned by States

Custodial violence against women

Violence against women by the very people who are supposed to protect them -- members of the law enforcement and criminal justice systems -- is widespread.

Women are physically or verbally abused; they also suffer sexual and physical torture. According to Amnesty International, thousands of women held in custody are routinely raped in police detention centres worldwide. The report of the Special Rapporteur underlines the necessity for States to prosecute those accused of abusing women while in detention and to hold them accountable for their actions.

Violence against women in situations of armed conflict

Rape has been widely used as a weapon of war whenever armed conflicts arise between different parties. It has been used all over the world: in Chiapas, Mexico, in Rwanda, in Kuwait, in Haiti, in Colombia.

Women and girl children are frequently victims of gang rape committed by soldiers from all sides of a conflict. Such acts are done mainly to trample the dignity of the victims. Rape has been used to reinforce the policy of ethnic cleansing in the war that has been tearing apart the former Yugoslavia.

The so-called "comfort women" -- young girls of colonized or occupied countries who became sexual slaves to Japanese soldiers during the Second World War -- have dramatized the problem in a historical context. Many of these women are now coming forward and demanding compensation for their suffering from Japanese authorities. "Such rape is the symbolic rape of the community, the destruction of the fundamental elements of a society and culture -- the ultimate humiliation of the male enemy", the report by the Special Rapporteur noted. It stressed the need to hold the perpetrators of such crimes fully accountable.

Violence against refugee and displaced women

Women and children form the great majority of refugee populations all over the world and are especially vulnerable to violence and exploitation. In refugee camps, they are raped and abused by military and immigration personnel, bandit groups, male refugees and rival ethnic groups. They are also forced into prostitution.

In her report, the Special Rapporteur proposes the following measures to be taken for the protection of women and girls in refugee camps: improvement of security, deployment of trained female officers at all points of the refugees' journey, participation of women in organizational structures of the camps and prosecution of government and military personnel responsible for abuse against refugee women.

Legal steps to criminalize violence against women

In recent years some countries have taken significant steps towards improving laws relating to violence against women. For example:

• In July 1991, Mexico revised its rape law in several important ways. A provision was eliminated that allowed a man who rapes a minor to avoid prosecution if he agrees to marry her. Now judges are required to hand down a decision regarding access to an abortion within five working days.
• On 9 June 1994, the Organization of American States adopted the Inter-American Convention to Prevent, Punish and Eradicate Violence against Women (also called Convention of Belém do Parà), a new international instrument that recognizes all gender-based violence as an abuse of human rights. This Convention provides an individual right of petition and a right for non-governmental organizations to lodge complaints with the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights.
• In Australia, a National Committee on Violence against Women was established to coordinate the development of policy, legislation and law enforcement at the national level as well as community education on violence against women.
• In 1991, the Government of Canada announced a new four-year Family Violence Initiative intended to mobilize community action, strengthen Canada's legal framework, establish services on Indian reserves and in Inuit communities, develop resources to help victims and stop offenders, and provide housing for abused women and children.
• In Turkey, a Ministry of State for Women was established whose main goals are, among others, to promote women's rights and strengthen their role in economic, social, political and cultural life. Legal measures are being adopted towards the elimination of violence against women. The establishment of special courts to deal with violence is envisaged. Psychological treatment for abused women is also planned, along with the establishment of women's shelters around the country. Specially trained female police officers could provide assistance to victims of violence.
• In Burkina Faso, a strong advertising campaign by the Government as well as television and radio programmes on the unhealthy practice of genital mutilation were launched to educate and raise public awareness about the dangerous consequences of such an "operation". A National Anti-Excision Committee was established in 1990 by the present head of State. Today, the practice of genital mutilation has been eliminated in some villages of Burkina Faso. In others, there has been an incredible drop in the number of girls excised: only 10 per cent of the girls are excised compared to 100 per cent 10 years ago.
• Some countries have introduced police units specially trained for dealing with spousal assault. In Brazil, specific police stations have been designated to deal with women's issues, including domestic violence. These police stations are staffed entirely by women.

Ensuring That Laws Are Obeyed

These examples illustrate some steps taken at the national level towards the eradication of violence against women. Combating and eradicating this scourge require enhanced and concerted efforts to protect women at the local, national and international levels.

States have tended to adopt a passive attitude when confronted by cases of violations of women's rights by private actors. Most laws fail to protect victims or to punish perpetrators. Passing laws to criminalize violence against women is an important way to redefine the limits of acceptable behaviour.

States should ensure that national legislation, once adopted, does not go unenforced. State responsibility is clearly underlined in article 4 of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, which stipulates that "States should exercise due diligence to prevent, investigate and, in accordance with national legislation, punish acts of violence against women, whether those acts are perpetrated by the State or by private persons".

Any approach designed to combat violence must be twofold, addressing the root causes of the problem and treating its manifestations. Society at large, including judges and police officers, must be educated to change the social attitudes and beliefs that encourage male violence.

Challenging Traditional Attitudes

The meaning of gender and sexuality and the balance of power between women and men at all levels of society must be reviewed. Combating violence against women requires challenging the way that gender roles and power relations are articulated in society. In many countries women have a low status. They are considered as inferior and there is a strong belief that men are superior to them and even own them.

Changing people's attitude and mentality towards women will take a long time -- at least a generation, many believe, and perhaps longer. Nevertheless, raising awareness of the issue of violence against women, and educating boys and men to view women as valuable partners in life, in the development of a society and in the attainment of peace are just as important as taking legal steps to protect women's human rights.

It is also important in order to prevent violence that non-violent means be used to resolve conflict between all members of society. Breaking the cycle of abuse will require concerted collaboration and action between governmental and non-governmental actors, including educators, health-care authorities, legislators, the judiciary and the mass media.

Published by the United Nations Department of Public Information DPI/1772/HR--February 1996

आत्महत्या मत कर बेटी , ये जिंदगी ईश्वर ने जीने के लिये दी हैं ruchika molestation case india

रुचिका के केस के बारे मे पता नहीं था । दो दिन पहले जब इस केस का फैसला आया तो पता लगा कि एक लड़की / बच्ची थी रुचिका उम्र मात्र १४ वर्ष , एक उभरती टेनिस कि खिलाड़ी । उसका मोल्सटेशन १९९० मे किया गया था । किसने किया था एक सम्मानित सरकारी पद पर आसीन हरयाना के उस समय के आ ई जी अस पी अस राठोर । जी हाँ आप का मुह भी श्याद खुल गया होगा ये पढ़ कर क्युकी मेरा तो खुल ही गया था जब इस केस कि डिटेल पढ़ी ।
आप अंदाजा लगा सकते माननिये आ ई जी साहिब कि उम्र का उस समय ४८ वर्ष थी । बात यहीं नहीं थमी , तीन साल तक उस बच्ची और उसके परिवार वालो के नाक मे दम कर दिया गया और अंत मे उस बच्ची नए आत्महत्या कर ली ।
रुचिका कि एक सहेली गवाह थी इस सब का , उस सहेली अनुराधा ने इस केस को आगे बढया जिसका खामयाजा अनुराधा के पिता को भी भुगतना पडा ।

आ ई जी साहिब अपने रुतबे से आगे बढते गए और मोल्सटेशन का चार्ज लगाने के बाद भी उनको तरक्की मिलती गयी और १९ साल तक ये केस चलता रहा ।
अनुराधा और उसके माता पिता नए बिना हिम्मत हारे इस लड़ाई को लड़ा लेकिन १९ साल बाद राठौर जी को इस लिये ६ महीने कि सजा देकर छोड़ दिया गया क्युकी वो एक सीनियर सिटिज़न थे और केस पहले ही काफी समय ले चुका था !!!!!!!!!! वह क्या न्याय हैं !!!


कभी कभी लगता हैं हम सब नपुंसक से भी गए बीते हैं जो उन सब का महिमा मंडन करते हैं जो किसी भी प्रकार का अत्याचार करते हैं और वो भी बच्चो पर , महिला पर या अपने से कमजोर पर । मोल्सटेशन को रेप नहीं माना जाता सो उसकी सजा मात्र २ साल हैं वो भी अगर साबित हो जाए । साबित कैसे होगा क्युकी राठोर जी कि पत्नी खुद अपने पति कि इज्जत बचा रही थी और उनका केस खुद लड़ रही थी । छि !!!
एक बच्ची मात्र १४ साल कि उम्र मे अपने से ३४ वर्ष बड़े आदमी से क्या लड़ सकती थी ???
वो आदमी जो पुलिस मे बड़ा अफसर था और जिसकी बीवी कानून कि वकील थी ??
रुचिका तो चली गयी , अनुराधा कि हिम्मत से से से से लेकिन सिखाना सब कहा हैं जो बार बार नारी के प्रति अत्याचार करने वालो को महिमा मंडित करते हैं और कहते हैं कि जब तक उनका क्राइम साबित नहीं होता वो गुनहगार नहीं हैं ।
यौन शोषण , यौनिक गाली , यौन का बार बार एहसास कराया जाना अपने आप मे एक मानसिक अत्याचार हैं । लेकिन लोग तो इसके खिलाफ आवाज नहीं उठाना चाहते हैं क्युकी जो ये सब करता हैं वो एक सम्मानित पद पर हैं या उसकी उम्र ६० के ऊपर हैं या वो बहुत पढ़ा लिखा हैं ।

कभी कभी मन होता हैं कि "सम्मान" , "आत्म सम्मान " इत्यादी क्या केवल पुरुषो कि जागीर हैं क्या बच्चो और महिलाओ का इन पर कोई अधिकार नहीं हैं ।

धिक्कार हैं उन सब लोगो पर जो ये सब करते हैं और उसके ऊपर से ये भी कहते हैं नारी कितना नीचे गिरेगी । क्या नारी कि स्वतंत्रता का मतलब पुरुष कि बराबरी करना हैं । क्या अगर पुरुष नगन घूमता हैं तो नारी भी घूमेगी , क्या पुरुष अब बच्चे पैदा करेगा और नारी बाहर का काम करेगी ?? और सबसे बढ़िया "नारी स्वतंत्रता किस से sae चाहती हैं पिता , भाई , पति या पुत्र से ??


मुझे लगता हैं हमे अपनी बेटियों को अपने शरीर कि शुचिता से ऊपर उठ कर सोचने के लिये तैयार करना होगा , उनको सिखाना होगा कि जो तुमको नंग्न करता हैं वो तुमको नहीं खुद को नगन कर रहा हैं । तुम्हारी अस्मिता तुम्हारा शरीर नहीं हैं जी किसी के छू देने से गन्दा हो जाता हैं । तुम अपने शरीर को भूल जाओ और अपनी जिंदगी को जियो । आत्म हत्या मत कर बेटी , ये जिंदगी ईश्वर ने जीने के लिये दी हैं

भगवान् से कामना हैं कि रुचिका कि आत्मा को शांति दे और अनुराधा को और साहस दे ताकि वो इस लड़ाई को आगे ले जा सके । हम कुछ कर सकते हैं , हां क्यूँ नहीं कम से कम इस पर अपना विरोध तो दर्ज करा सकते हैं । अपने अपने ब्लॉग पर अपनी आपतियां दर्ज कराये जब भी ऐसा कुछ सुने .

"नारी" क्या सिर्फ एक मुद्दा है?

नारी कि शिक्षा , अधिकार और आरक्षण एक महत्वपूर्ण मुद्दा बना रहा है। सिर्फ समाज के लिए ही नहीं बल्कि राजनीति, परिवार और बुद्धिजीवियों के मध्य भी।
सबसे पहले तो 'नारी ब्लॉग' ही बुद्धिजीवियों के लिए एक विषय बना हुआ है। चर्चा के लिए और फिर लिखे हुए के लिए आलोचना और समालोचना के लिए सीमायों से इतर भी चले जाते हैं। कागजों में भले ही उसको बहुत अधिकार और सम्मान दे दिया जाय लेकिन ये समाज मानसिक तौर पर उसको स्वीकार कर लेगा उसी समय से ये मुद्दा खत्म हो जाएगा।
मैं बात राज्य सभा में ३३ प्रतिशत महिला आरक्षण के बिल पारित होने पर सपा प्रमुख द्वारा लोकसभा में किये गए विरोध कि बात कर रही हूँ। क्यों? शायद इस विषय को - जो दशकों से एक मुद्दा बना हुआ है - अगर वह समाप्त हो गया तो अगला मुद्दा खोजना पड़ेगा। चुनावी आश्वासन में ये विषय हर दल के पास होता है लेकिन अगर सुलझता हुआ लगा तो पीछे हट गए। ये उस मानसिकता को दर्शाता है कि इसके अनुसार तो अपने महिला प्रतिनिधियों को भी स्थान देना होगा , उनकी भागीदारी भी होगी फिर वे मुखरित होकर बाहर निकलेंगी तो वे शासन किस पर करेंगे?
ये दस्तावेजों में आरक्षण मिल भी जाए तो क्या वास्तव में जो इस काबिल है वे संसद में पहुँच पाएंगी? इसमें संदेह है। अगर पहुँच भी गयी तो रबर स्टाम्प बन कर रह जायेंगी। राजनीति में आने के लिए काबिल भी होना जरूरी है। सिर्फ मतदान के लिए संख्या बढ़ाने के लिए नहीं। सब तो ऐसे आ नहीं सकती हैं, वही हाल यहाँ भी होगा कि ग्राम प्रशासन में जैसे ग्राम प्रधान पत्नी होती है और उसके कार्य सभी पति करते हैं। अधिकार पति के पास होते हैं। काम करवाने के लिए वसूली के अधिकार पति के पास होते हैं। वह तो सिर्फ हस्ताक्षर करती है या फिर अंगूठा भी लगाती है। 'ग्राम प्रधान जी' पति ही कहे जाते हैं।
ऐसे समान अधिकार कि बात कहें तो क्या बुरा है? गाँव के दबंग किसी काबिल महिला को इस पद के लिए क्यों नामित नहीं करते हैं? क्योंकि काबिल शायद उनके हाथ कि कठपुतली न बन सके। कोरे कागजों पर हस्ताक्षर न कर सके।
ये आरक्षण कुछ तो नारी समाज कि समस्याओं को समझेगा और उसके लिए सरकार के सामने आवाज उठा सकती है। लेकिन दलों को तो कठपुतली ही चाहिए होती हैं, जो दल प्रमुख कि इच्छानुसार जिए, साँस ले, बोले और हस्ताक्षर भी करे। मुझे तो ये सब बेमानी लगता है। प्रतिनिधित्व यदि दिया जाए तो उनको जो वास्तव में प्रबुद्ध हों और अपने दायित्वों से वाकिफ हों। ऐसा नहीं कि काबिल महिला नेताओं से देश का सरोकार नहीं है पर उनको ऊपर लाने कि जरूरत होती है। हर स्तर पर वे अधिक कुशल पाई जाती हैं।
अगर वास्तव में महिला के अधिकारों और उनकी दशायों में सुधार लाना है तो उनके स्थान को दोयम दर्जे का बनाने कि जरूरत नहीं है। उन्हें आने दीजिये - संसद में भी वे सबके हितों की बात करेंगी। ठीक वैसे ही जैसे एक गृहणी घर में सबके हितों के प्रति समर्पित होती है। यदि देश या क्षेत्र का दायित्व मिला तो उसमें भी वे पूरी तरह से सफल होंगी। जो आज हैं - वे हर क्षेत्र में सफल हैं।

प्रगतिशील नारी , समान अधिकार और रोल रिवर्सल

पता नहीं क्यों लोग रोल रिवर्सल कि बात करते हैं कि प्रगतिशील नारी चाहती हैं कि पुरुष घर का काम सभाले और नारी बाहर का ।
शायद प्रगतिशील नारी का अर्थ हैं वो नारी
जो शिक्षित हैं ,
सशक्त हैं ,
समर्थ हैं और समान अधिकार कि बात करती हैं
वो काम काजी भी हो सकती हैं और गृहणी भी

मैने तो जितनी भी इन प्रगतीशील नारियों के लेखो को पढ़ा है जिनमे समान अधिकार कि बात है वो सब ये मानती हैं कि
नारी को क्या करना है इसका फैसला वो खुद करेगी ।
नारी के लिये समान अधिकार का मतलब होता है संविधान और कानून से मिले समान अधिकार यानी वो अधिकार जो नर नारी को इंसान मान कर दिये जाते हैं ।
रोल रिवर्सल कि बात ही बेमानी हैं क्युकी जब नारी समान अधिकार कि बात करती हैं तो वो इस विभेद से हट कर बात करती जिस मे कुछ काम पुरुष के लिये बना दिये गए थे और कुछ नारी के लिये । कामो का विभाजन क्षमता के आधार पर हो , कामो का विभाजन अपनी रूचि के आधार पर हो और नारी को अपनी रूचि से सम्पूर्णता से जीने का अधिकार हो ।

रोल रिवेर्सल कि बात करना गलत हैं क्युकी रोल को डिफाइन अगर गलत किया गया हो और किसी को निरंतर मजबूर किया गया हो कि घर मे रहो क्युकी तुम उसी के लायक हो तो पहले रोल को सही डिफाइन करो , हर प्रगतिशील नारी यही चाहती हैं

पी.सी. गोदियाल जी अफ़सोस हुआ आप कि ये पोस्ट पढ़ कर ये नहीं कहूँगी क्युकी इस से भी ज्यादा अफ़सोस जनक पहले पढ़ा हैं ।

साथ ही कुछ महिला ब्लोगर किसी ब्लोगर की सार्थक पहल को भी महज एक ढकोस्लाबाजी कहकर कई बारअप्रिय शब्दावली इस्तेमाल करती है! अभी हाल का एक उदहारण मैं इस तरह से देता हूँ कि इस ब्लॉग जगत केहमारे एक वरिष्ठ और सम्मानित ब्लॉगर श्री सी.एम् प्रसाद जी ने एक लेख लिखा था, 'महिला सुशिक्षित और सशक्तहो', उस लेख की कड़ी में एक महिला ब्लोगर की टिपण्णी निराशाजनक लगी !

आप को मेरी टिप्पणी निराशा जनक लगी कोई बात नहीं क्युकी एक वरिष्ठ और सम्मानित ब्लॉगर श्री सी।एम् प्रसाद जी कि एक टिप्पणी शाद आप ने नहीं पढ़ी जो एक महिला ब्लॉगर के लिये थी { हो सकता हैं महिला ब्लॉगर थी इस लिये वो सम्मानित नहीं थी } चलिये आप इस लिंक को देखिये
http://indianwomanhasarrived.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post_29.html

और इस लिंक को भी देखिये
http://chitthacharcha.blogspot.com/2008/12/blog-post_29.html
फिर बताइये कि क्या गलत था मेरी टिप्पणी मे । आप लोग उम्र को ले कर क्यूँ इतना बाय्बबैला मचाते हैं । क्या वरिष्ठ नागरिक हो जाने से ही कोई समानित ब्लॉगर हो जाता हैं । श्री सी।एम् प्रसाद अच्छे हैं या बुरे नहीं जानती और ना व्यक्तिगत रूप से जानने चाहती हूँ हां उनके एक नहीं अनेक कमेन्ट हैं जिन मे शिक्षित महिला को "निरंतर " गलत साबित किया गया हैं । तो अपनी पोस्ट मे शिक्षा का प्रसार महिला के लिये हो ये लिख कर वो क्या साबित करना चाहते हैं ???

और अब आप से पूछती हूँ क्या एक दूसरी पोस्ट मे आप मेरी प्रति जो गलत जानकारी आप ने यहाँ दी हैं उसका खंडन करेगे क्युकी मेरे कमेन्ट का सन्दर्भ बिना जाने आप ने उसको "निराशाजनक"कहा है क्या इतनी उम्मीद आप से कर सकती हूँ क्युकी आप भी वरिष्ठ और समानित ब्लॉगर माने जाते हैं । और महिला ब्लॉगर के सम्मान का क्या उसको कहा सम्मान कि जरुरत होती हैं । वो चाहे ३० कि हो ५० कि सदा ही "सीख पाने के लिये बनी हैं "
अफ़सोस हुआ आप कि ये पोस्ट पढ़ कर ये नहीं कहूँगी क्युकी इस से भी ज्यादा अफ़सोस जनक पहले पढ़ा हैं । हां देखना ये हैं कि आप कि अगली पोस्ट मे आप अफ़सोस जाहिर करते हैं या नहीं

कन्या भ्रूण हत्या - कन्या परित्याग आखिर कब तक?

पहले भी मैं एक आलेख इस विषय पर लिख चुकी हूँ, किन्तु लगता है इतना सामान्य सा होता हुआ विषय हमें फिर भी जीभ चिढ़ा रहा है। आखिर क्यों?

कल खबर मिली कि ५ माह का कन्या भ्रूण सड़क के किनारे पड़ा मिला और आज ५ वर्ष कि लड़की कि लाश स्टेशन पर मिली। शाल में लिपटी हुई पता नहीं कितनी देर पहले उसको यहाँ छोड़ा गया होगा।
कहते हुआ शर्म भी आती है कि कुछ दंपत्ति संतान न होने पर दूसरे से कन्या भी गोद लेने के लिए लालायित रहते हैं । ऐसे ही कुछ हुआ मेरे एक पड़ोसी ही कहूँगी, बच्चे न होने पर अपने एक रिश्तेदार कि बेटी गोद ले आये और चार साल तक उसको प्यार से पाला किन्तु उसके दुर्भाग्य से ही कहूँगी कि उन दंपत्ति को अपनी संतान के होने का सुख प्राप्त हो गया और फिर पुत्र और पुत्री दोनों ही मिले।

यही से उसके दुर्भाग्य कि कहानी भी शुरू हो गयी। सौतेली भी तो न थी, उस नन्ही जान के साथ नौकरों से भी बदतर सलूक करना शुरू कर दिया। और जब १० वर्ष की थी वह लड़की तो वे लोग वैष्णो देवी गए उसको लेकर। फिर उसको लेकर वापस नहीं लौटे। पड़ोसी भी कम न थे कभी उनके छोटे बच्चों को फुसला कर पूछते कि तुम्हारी दीदी कहाँ गयी?
वे अबोध एक बार बतला बैठे कि दीदी को वही छोड़ कर आये हैं हम लोग। उसके माता पिता को जब बात पता लगी तो वे अपनी बेटी को लेने आ गए किन्तु उन्होंने कह दिया कि आपने हमें दे दिया तो उसके बारे में भूल जाइये। यही शर्त थी हमारी गोद लेने के पहले।
जब बहुत प्रश्न उठा खड़े हुए तो कह दिया कि हमने उसको एक बोर्डिंग स्कूल में डाल दिया है। वहाँ से जब पूरी पढ़ाई कर लेगी तभी वापस आएगी। इतिश्री हुई उस कन्या कि कहानी.

एक यही क्यों? कितनी लड़कियाँ स्टेशन पर या ट्रेन में मिल जाती हैं, जिनको छोड़ कर उनके माँ बाप चले जाते हैं। किस लिए सिर्फ इस लिए कि वे लड़की हैं?

इस लड़की जाति के भविष्य को इतना भयावह क्यों बना दिया है? इस समाज ने, हमने और हमारी कुरीतियों ने। कहीं लड़कियाँ खुद ही आत्महत्या कर लेती हैं कि माँ-बाप शादी के लिए बहुत परेशान होते हैं, कहीं माँ-बाप कर लेते हैं। लेकिन लड़कियाँ और उनकी शादी से जुड़ी कुरीतियाँ आज ही वही बनी हुई हैं। कहते हैं कि कुरीतियाँ तो अज्ञानी और बिना पढ़े लिखे लोगों में पलती हैं? लेकिन इन सब अपराधों की कहानी कन्या के विवाह से ही जुड़े होते हैं, पढ़ाई लिखी तो फिर भी वे किश्तों में कर्ज लेकर कर देते हैं किन्तु विवाह तो नहीं कर सकते और फिर यही सोच कर समस्या उत्पन्न होने से पहले ही वे समाधान खोज लेते हैं। क्या वाकई वह इतने ही कुसूरवार है? नहीं उनके साथ हम भी कुसूरवार हैं?

क्या यह सच है?
क्या भ्रूण हत्या लड़कों के मामले में भी होती है अगर नहीं तो क्यों?
क्या सभी पढ़े लिखे लोग दहेज़ कि मानसिकता से ग्रस्त नहीं हैं?
क्या उनको लड़की के माता-पिता से उनकी हैसियत से अधिक मांग रखना उचित है?
क्या इन हत्याओं के पीछे हम ही जिम्मेदार नहीं हैं?
क्या लड़कियों का अभिशाप बन जाने के पीछे हमारी मानसिकता नहीं है?
क्या इस जाती के खत्म हो जाने पर सृष्टि शेष रहेगी?

ये सवाल सबसे है, हम इसको कहाँ तक हल कर सकते हैं?

हल इस तरह से नहीं कि सुझाव भर दे दें बल्कि कम से कम प्रयास तो कर ही सकते हैं कि इस तरह से कन्याओं को खत्म न किया जाय।

श्री शब्द स्त्रीलिंग हैं या पुल्लिंग हैं

श्री शब्द स्त्रीलिंग हैं या पुल्लिंग हैं यही प्रश्न घूम रहा है जब से यहाँ पढ़ा ये आलेख ।
श्री शब्द को हम पिता श्री , माता श्री , भ्राता श्री , दीदी श्री , जीजा श्री , दादा श्री , दादी श्री और जहां भी आदर देना होता हैं जोड़ देते हैं ।
श्री को केवल और केवल संबोधन मे पुरुषो के नाम के साथ ही जोड़ा जाता हैं ऐसा क्यूँ हैं और कब से शुरू हुआ ??
क्यूँ श्री शब्द को पुल्लिंग माना गया { ये मानते हुए कि शब्दों के मूल अर्थ कुछ भी हों, जब एक बार रूढी हो जाती है, भिन्न अर्थ अजीब ही लगता है } जबकि श्री शब्द देवी के लिये लक्ष्मी के लिये प्रयोग होता आया हैं ।

श्रीमती शब्द स्त्री के "वैवाहिक " होने का प्रमाण हैं तो सौभाग्यकांक्षिणी उसके लिये प्रयोग होता हैं जो विवाह करने जा रही हैं
अब प्रश्न हैं कि क्या सौभाग्य कि आकांशा सब को नहीं होती , सौभाग्य कि आकांक्षा क्या केवल उसी युवती को हैं जो विवाह करना चाहती हैं ।

सुश्री शब्द केवल अविवाहित या सिंगल स्त्री के लिये प्रयुक्त किया जाता है जबकि श्री शब्द पुल्लिंग है ही नहीं क्युकी श्री शब्द आदर का सूचक मात्र हैं ।

आप क्या कहते हैं ???