Legislation. Fighting for the right for self determination
Unwritten religious rules, inflexible traditions and obsolete social roles that undermine the position of women are common in many developing countries. Everywhere around the globe women are campaigning for national and international laws in this sphere to be observed and amended. Hivos helps them in that struggle.
In many countries, a person’s authority over their own body is not yet a clear-cut matter. Conservative morals and traditionally religious opinions obstruct women in their freedom of movement and in the free choice to use contraceptives. Abortion is generally a punishable offence.
Hivos supports organisations that draw specific attention to violence against women. For Hivos, humanist values such as dignity, self determination and an aversion against dogmas are the leading principles. The right to self determination also means being able to avoid unwanted pregnancies and to practice safe sex as protection against sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS.
Women’s organisations supported by Hivos draw attention to abuse and violence aimed at women – among the public and in the political sphere. Occasionally, a media offensive will manage to move women’s rights to a place of priority on the political agenda, as was the case in Bolivia, for example. Sometimes a country’s government faces forceful public condemnation for ignoring international human rights conventions, for example in Peru. These issues, in turn, lead to legislative amendments and international focus.
The Hivos approach:
- Hivos supports organisations that fight for legalising abortion and to promote safe sex;
- Hivos supports organisations that advocate progressive, non-sexist interpretations of religious rules;
- Hivos enables dialogue with conservative religious and political leaders;
- Hivos encourages active media campaigns;
- Hivos promotes taboo-breaking discussions about sexuality as it relates to HIV/AIDS.
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