manual: women workers' rights and gender equality - International ...

Reasons often heard for not doing anything against the violation of rights of women:
• people do not know where to go
• the process is lengthy
• police agents do not listen to women, or even worse
• abuse them when they come to the police station
• women always lose anyway
• authorities ignore the law and do not implement it
With the correct information and support from others, the above-mentioned reasons for not doing
anything, can be dealt with.
Explain to the participants that it is better to work in a group against human rights violations. Share
the problems with friends or group members and try to do something about it as a group. You are
always stronger in a group than alone. The police will listen if a group of people is coming to their
office.
According to the Constitution (article 34), people have another duty and that is the duty to exercise
their right to vote at an election. This should be mentioned to the participants as well. Explain why
voting is important.
Tip
Get some case studies of situations in which taking action really made a difference. For example,
check newspaper clippings to find court cases of women who complained about violations of rights
and won the case. It stimulates the participants if they hear that taking action really makes a
difference.
It would be very good if you can illustrate the difference between going to the police to file a
complaint and going to Court to fight a violation of a constitutional right with real case studies as
well. Look for news clippings on these issues and use them as examples under step 7. In this way
the participants will understand better that some basic human rights or constitutional rights are
more difficult to fight for than other, better defined, rights in the several Codes (Penal, Labour or
Civil Codes). For example, if you can prove a rape case, the rapist will be punished according to
the law; the outcome is well defined in national laws and regulations. But if you fight for the right to
express yourself freely you are not sure what the outcome will be.
Related sessions and briefing notes
4.1 Rights and Responsibilities
4.5 Rights of Children and Youth
Briefing Note 6 Rights, Laws and Rules
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