It is estimated that 1 in every 3 women worldwide will experience physical or sexual abuse in her lifetime (UNOCHA). Sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) is a grave human rights abuse and denies persons affected by it to live lives of dignity. SGBV is defined as any harmful act of sexual, physical, psychological, mental, and emotional abuse that is perpetrated against a person’s will and that is based on socially ascribed (i.e. gender) differences between males and females. SGBV affects everyone - women, girls, men, boys and trans-people.

In Malaysia, SGBV remain a key concern for women activists as this issue does not get the attention that it deserves from those in power, among which we include the government, religious leaders, media, etc. To date, there has been very little effective measures undertaken by the government to combat SGBV including providing mandatory capacity-building, education and training for everyone, which was part of the numerous recommendations made by the CEDAW Committee in 2018 (OHCHR). Recent events have also indicated that the influential people in Malaysia, including those charged with the protection and promotion of women’s rights, fail to understand the serious ramifications of holding on to and perpetuating traditional, stereotypical and gendered roles of men and women.

This gendered belief of roles and responsibilities are often cited as an underlying cause of SGBV.

So, in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April, we hope that this video will help create the necessary awareness and understanding of SGBV. We hope more discussions can take place on this important issue and that all of us are united in combatting SGBV.
#SGBV #unwomen #empowermalaysia

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