VNC Campaign
Saudi Arabia: We Say "Yes" to Women's Full Enjoyment of their Rights
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The Violence is Not our Culture (VNC) Campaign welcomes long awaited and recent reforms announced by King Abdullah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud, that promise to gives Saudi Arabian women the rights to vote and run for office in municipal council elections, and to become full voting members of the next Shura council. The promise to increase women’s participation in civic life is a tribute to women’s efforts on the ground who have been campaigning inside the country, despite strict and rigid opposition.
However the measure remains, in King Abdullah’s own words, a “cautious reform”.
Key Measures to End Gender-Based Discrimination and Violence Against Women in Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia signed and ratified the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW Convention) in 2000, yet maintained certain reservations, especially in regards to Article 2, stating that “In case of contradiction between any term of the Convention and the norms of Islamic law, the Kingdom is not under obligation to observe the contradictory terms of the Convention”.
Call for Submissions! Culture and Human Rights: How can we challenge 'cultural' excuses for gender-based violence?
Call for Writers! Culture and Human Rights: How can we challenge ‘cultural’ excuses for gender-based violence?
Gender Across Borders (), a global feminist blog, in collaboration with Violence is Not our Culture: the Global Campaign to End Violence Against Women in the Name of ‘Culture’ () is looking for writers to contribute to a series on the relationship between culture and gender-based violence to run 27 and 28 October.
Report on the Strategic Conversation on Addressing Gaps in the Defense of Women Human Rights Defenders
The VNC Campaign was privileged to be part of this meeting on women human rights defenders organised by the Center for Women's Global Leadership (CWGL) and the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition. The Campaign was represented by AIsha Shaheed and Edna Aquino who took part in the Working Group on Families, Communities and Culture.
The Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) is pleased to publish this report on the ongoing efforts being taken by the Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition (WHRD IC) and its allies to shed light on the unique challenges women human rights defenders face and to create new systems of advocacy on their behalf.
VNC Strategic Consultation Meeting Report
The Violence is Not our Culture (VNC) Campaign Evaluation: “Taking Stock of Our Gains and Challenges for the Future”
VNC Marks 3 Years with Global Actions
16 Days of Activism 2010: The Violence is Not our Culture campaign marks its third year with a series of global actions
On the eve of this year’s commemoration of the 16 days of Activism against Gender Violence, the Global Campaign to Stop Killing and Stoning Women launched its new name:
Violence is not our Culture: A Global Campaign to Stop Violence Against Women in the name of ‘Culture”
(VNC Campaign)
The change is in response feedback from its activists and allies to broaden the scope of the Campaign beyond specific manifestations of culturally-justified VAW such as ‘killing’ and ‘stoning’. The change of name is also timely as we launch our engagement in the debate at the UN on universality versus cultural relativism in human rights.
The 16 Days of Activism also offered the Campaign key opportunities by which it could raise the profile of its concerns on ‘culture’ and gender–based discrimination and violence against women (CVAW) and be in solidarity with social movements, NGOs, individuals, friendly-States and the UN system engaged in common efforts to end violence against women.
VNC Strategic E-Campaigning Workshops: Women Re-claiming Culture through Tactical Technology
In 2010, the Violence is Not our Culture (VNC) Campaign hosted two Strategic E-Campaigning workshops, based on the expressed needs and desires of our partners in the Asia and Africa regions, with the intention of enhancing the effectiveness of our advocacy and communication strategies for our networked campaigns in their local contexts.