Violence against women

Ranjan K Baruah
All human beings are born free but yet we see discrimination amongst ourselves. We need to know that globally, an estimated 736 million women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence. Girls are at particular risk of violence—1 in 4 adolescent girls is abused by their partners. 16% to 58% of women globally experience technology-facilitated gender-based violence. Generation Z and Millennial are the most affected. 70% of women in conflict, war, and humanitarian crisis, experience gender-based violence and globally, female genital mutilation has increased by 15% compared to data from eight years ago.
In spite of progress in our society we could see that violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world. For at least 51,100 women in 2023, the cycle of gender-based violence ended with one final and brutal act—their murder by partners and family members. That means a woman was killed every 10 minutes.
We should know that International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is observed on 25 November around the world. This 2024 campaign Every 10 Minutes, a woman is killed. #NoExcuse. UNiTE to End Violence against Women will draw attention to the alarming escalation of violence against women to revitalize commitments, call for accountability and action from decision-makers.
Now we may also look at the career avenues and areas which can be choose by passionate people who want to bring a solution because despite the adoption of the Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) by the UN General Assembly in 1979, violence against women and girls remains a pervasive problem worldwide. To that end, the United Nations General Assembly issued resolution 48/104, laying the foundation for the road towards a world free of gender-based violence. There are many career options within women’s rights, including which are not limited to women’s healthcare professionals, lawyers, researchers, educators, social workers, journalists, consultants, activists, and more. Women’s rights professionals are engaged in different areas from governments to intergovernmental organizations to NGOs to corporate.
Courses include Bachelor and Master of Arts in Women Studies , Diploma in Women’s Empowerment and Development, MA in Women’s & Gender Studies, PG Diploma in Women’s & Gender Studies , MA in Gender Studies, Certificate in Women’s Studies, etc. Ph D courses are also available in this field of study. There are some online courses too provided by different leading institutes.
Centre for Women's Studies (CWS), JNU, seeks to study questions of gender in an interdisciplinary and comparative framework, thereby providing the space for creating a vibrant community of feminist academics, students, activists and artists concerned with issues of gender, sexuality and wider issues of power in society.
Women’s Studies and Development Centre of Advanced Study (WSDC), University of Delhi, was established in 1987 as a response of the University of Delhi to the call from the University Grants Commissions (UGC) to address women’s concerns in higher education. Since then, WSDC has covered a long distance by expanding its programmes and activities.
Courses related to women studies or gender studies are bringing opportunities as there are many international and national organisations apart from the government that engages them with good perks and facilities.  One must be more passionate to be successful in this field. Employability skills are equally important along with academic qualifications. One may also work in this field from having social sciences degrees with experiences but it is preferable to have academic expertise to be successful in life .