United States Ambassador to Guyana D Brent Hardt said that gender-based violence is an intolerable violation of human dignity, as no one can quantify the personal pain and anguish of any form of abuse. However, Hardt said medical bills and legal costs; lost wages and lower productivity; health costs, including an increased risk of HIV – these are things on which we can put a price.
“And when we do, we see – in dollars and cents – how much violence against women and girls truly costs everyone in a society. The damage is also passed on to the rest of the community through increased expenses for judicial action, health care, and security services. No country or region of the world is immune to these costs.” Hardt made the comments in an opinion piece to coincide with International Human Rights Day, which was celebrated on Saturday, December 10.
According to him, violence against women and girls is also an issue of international human rights and national security.
D Brent Hardt
“The consequences of widespread violence extend beyond the immediate injury or economic loss. There are often severe and lasting health outcomes, such as sexually transmitted infections. The social and psychological damage of gender-based violence affects survivors, their children, families, and entire communities. Abuse can happen in a family’s home, on fields of armed conflict where rape is used as a weapon of war, or wherever girls are diminished and devalued simply because they are girls. It is unacceptable in any form. “Countries simply cannot progress when half their populations are marginalised, mistreated, or subjected to discrimination.”
“This day on which we celebrate the inalienable human rights we all enjoy, let us renew our commitment to end the abuse that traps so many women and girls around the world. Let us call out the culture of impunity that perpetuates this cycle of violence. And let us work together in partnership to make all forms of violence a thing of the past. We need everyone’s involvement – boys and men, faith and community leaders, youth, and people at all levels of society are critical to solving this widespread pandemic of violence.”
According to the U.S. envoy, the U.S. State Department and the local U.S. embassy in Guyana have taken part in a number of activities leading up to International Human Rights Day this year. “I had the opportunity to participate in a forum co-sponsored by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Women and Gender Equality Commission (W& GEC) to recognise and raise awareness for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
On December 3, my wife, Saskia, and I met with several children from the Witness Project, which is an initiative of the Margaret Clemons Foundation that seeks to draw attention to and spark conversations about the effects of gender-based and child-directed violence. “He recalled that 63 years ago on December 10, Eleanor Roosevelt stood before the UN General Assembly with a keen sense of history, saying: “We stand today at the threshold of a great event both in the life of the United Nations and in the life of mankind.” On that day, delegates from six continents joined Mrs Roosevelt in declaring the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all people. The ideas enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are the rationale behind our celebration of International Human Rights Day.
“In the six decades since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, there has been much to celebrate. December 10 also marks the end of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, which began on November 25 with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. During this time, we commit ourselves to speaking out about violence against women and girls and improving the protection and participation of women worldwide,” Hardt said.
He mentioned that U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have reaffirmed their country’s determination to defend the human rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people as part of a comprehensive human rights policy and as a priority of U.S. foreign policy.
According to Hardt, there are still many challenges ahead to fulfil the promise of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“People are persecuted for their religious beliefs, sexual orientation, or for simply publishing their ideas on a blog. Leaders have a responsibility to their citizens to protect their rights and to listen to their constructive ideas for reform. The greatest single source of instability is the refusal to change”.
He said the United States will not waver in its defence of human rights and “we look forward to working with the government and people of Guyana to continue the progress Eleanor Roosevelt and her colleagues imagined 63 years ago.”
