Committee Description:

The Human Rights Council is an inter-governmental body within the United Nations system responsible for strengthening the promotion and protection of human rights around the globe and for addressing situations of human rights violations and make recommendations on them. It has the ability to discuss all thematic human rights issues and situations that require its attention throughout the year. It meets at the UN Office at Geneva. The Council is made up of 47 United Nations Member States which are elected by the UN General Assembly. The Human Rights Council replaced the former United Nations Commission on Human Rights.

Description of the Topic:

Cultural beliefs along with education have created and maintained a decadent lifestyle for women in India. The man being the leader and economic livelihood of the family has taken advantage; in some countries such conduct would violate the women rights as individual, however in this context women aren’t consider as an important member in society.

History of the Topic:

In India, girls are valued less than boys and suffer from not only from physical abuse but mental as well. Every 34 minutes a rape occurs in India. Even after India’s independence when new laws were passed to ensure the protection of women’s rights crimes against them have been on the rise. Due to rape female infanticide still occurs today. In some cases traditional Hindu beliefs are the reason for why they are being raped because they deviate from what is socially acceptable in their culture shaming them and their families. In other cases women are raped as a way to damage the family by dishonoring them and getting revenge against said family.

Points of view:

According to the High Commissioner of the United Nations, for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, what India needs and wants right now is “to be a transition from a system that discriminates women to one that respects the dignity of women in the law and practice”.

 

Current situation:

Violence against women isn’t just happening in India, many countries are fighting against this issue all around the world. Nowadays, India’s discrimination to women is caused because of laws favoring men and because women count with inadequate policies and judicial practices that deny them from justice or a proper protection. All these factors combined with cultural beliefs have made impossible for women to achieve a suitable lifestyle.

 

Conclusion:

Women in India suffer continually of violence and discrimination because of their laws and beliefs. We know that religious beliefs can not be changed, however if it is possible to propose a reform to  the Government of India perhaps a solution can be made that is beneficial to women and put an end to their suffering.

References:

 

Difícil vida de la mujer en India: de la violencia del vientre a la tumba | T&M en Emol.com. (n.d.). Emol.com - El sitio de noticias online de Chile. Retrieved October 17, 2013, from http://www.emol.com/tendenciasymujer/Noticias/2013/05/06/24139/Dificil-vida-de-la-mujer-en-India-de-la-violencia-del-vientre-a-la-tumba.aspx

 

About the Council . (n.d.). Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights / OHCHR Welcome page . Retrieved October 17, 2013, from http://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/HRC/Pages/AboutCouncil.aspx

 

Schneider, M., Ahmad, O., John, D. (2013) India: Violence Against Women. Current Challenges and Future Trends. Fur Die Freiheit. Retrived, October 20, 2013, from: http://www.freiheit.org/India-Violence-Against-Women-Current-Challenges-and-Future-Trends/1804c27055i/index.html

 

La Republica (2012) ONU instó a autoridades de la India acabar con la discriminación a la mujer. Retrieved, October 21, 2013 from: http://www.larepublica.pe/31-12-2012/onu-insto-autoridades-de-la-india-acabar-con-la-discriminacion-la-mujer