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S. Sabitova: Address to Peace Summit 2023, Session VII-B
Written by Ms. Sagadat Sabitova, UN Expert on Gender Equality, United Nations, Kazakhstan
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
Address to Peace Summit 2023
May 2-5, 2023
Good day, dear participants of the Peace Summit 2023!
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak as a UN expert from Kazakhstan!
Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace in the world is peace in the soul of every person, and in every family. Peace is when people live according to their values, which allow them to interact, thrive together and live in interdependence.
It is very difficult to create a future without family. The stronger families there are, the stronger the walls of our state. The well-being of each family is the foundation of stability in society and the successful development of the state.
Regardless of who we are, the time we live in, and our national identities, regardless of race, skin color, or nationality, universal values, family values, and their criteria should remain unchanged. However, unfortunately, the values themselves exist, but the criteria, their deep essence, undergo changes. This is where intergenerational conflicts arise. This is the influence of globalization. As a result of the aggressive, active introduction of false values and their criteria, the original, traditional values are replaced by false values.
The root of all evils in the world (conflicts, contradictions, wars) is conflicts of values and beliefs within each person. Inner conflict inevitably leads to family conflict and violence in the family. Domestic violence destroys the lives of children in that family. This conflict then grows to the society, the region, the country, and eventually the world.
As society changes and evolves, the criteria for family and universal values change. For example, the value of love, but the criteria for each person is different. For an egoist, it is defined as when I am loved, and for another, giving love, the criteria is to not expect anything in return, in other words, living for another person. Values form our convictions, which govern all our abilities and actions in achieving our goals.
The value of power is the criterion for a conscious, responsible person. Leadership in the family is to create a world/space that people want to belong to (family members, relatives). And for an aggressor, power and control.
What should be done today to promote, instill and develop universal family values in each family, in order to achieve peace in the world, especially given the increasing number of destructive families and violence within families and in the world? In 2015, UN member states adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which includes 17 sustainable development goals.
According to a new report by the UN and UN Women, women and girls are at greater risk of being killed at home. The latest research shows that in 2021, on average, more than five women or girls died every hour at the hands of intimate partners or other family members. Globally, one in three women has experienced sexual or physical violence, which is 852 million women.
The results of a 2017 study conducted for the first time in Central Asia indicate a high level of domestic violence in the country. 17% of women aged 18-75, who have been in relationships, have experienced physical or sexual violence from an intimate partner, and 21% have experienced psychological violence. Discrimination, violence and cruel treatment, which half of humanity is subjected to, comes at a high cost. Domestic violence is a barrier to eradicating poverty.
As an expert in gender issues at the UN with 40 years of experience in eradicating domestic violence through the proclamation and instillation of universal family values, I would like to share my experience on sustainable development goals 4 and 5.
What has been done:
1. Every 5-7 years (most recently in 2015 and 2022), a national survey on the prevalence of violence against women is conducted in Kazakhstan. Regional studies are conducted to assess the needs of people with disabilities in social and gender factors, with a focus on the special needs of women with disabilities who have experienced violence.
2. A high-level dialogue has been held between government agencies and the international community in support of Kazakhstan's international commitments to eliminate violence against women and girls.
3. Continuous efforts are being made to combat gender stereotypes and advocacy measures are being taken to popularize zero tolerance towards violence against women and girls.
4. Significant efforts have been made to further improve the collection and analysis of gender statistics by government agencies, including monitoring data on domestic violence.
5. In 2017, UN Women, UNICEF and UNFPA provided expert and technical support in the implementation of measures under the Roadmap of the General Prosecutor's Office of Kazakhstan’s "Kazakhstan Without Domestic Violence." The pilot project allowed for a practical analysis and assessment of the existing system of preventive measures and responses to domestic violence, as a result of which there was an acute need to form a comprehensive approach to solving the problem of domestic violence through:
- Implementation of an effective prevention system by providing families with social-psychological, legal assistance and educational programs.
- Fast and effective interdepartmental coordination
- A national mechanism for redirecting victims of violence
- Provision of accessible and quality services to victims of domestic violence
- Improvement of the work of family assistance centers and crisis centers, of which there are over 250 in Kazakhstan today.
- Implementation of rehabilitation and correctional programs for perpetrators (aggressors).
What can we do today for the common prosperity?
- Increase the capacity of institutions;
- Raise awareness of universal standards and principles in the field of human rights;
- Establish effective relationships between central and local government bodies; between the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government; between states and markets; and between states and citizens.
- Education is the most powerful tool for changing the world. Educational programs need to be developed and expanded.
- Create conditions for gender equality, women's rights, and expanding their rights and opportunities are key to universal prosperity and sustainable development.
- Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in both public and private spheres, including human trafficking, sexual and other forms of exploitation, even in emergencies.
Today, we must instill and develop universal family values in every family to create peace in the world.
Our current conditions and quality of life are the results of our actions from yesterday. As politicians, public leaders, teachers, businessmen, academics, cultural figures, etc., we must protect, strengthen, and nurture the concept of family and family values!
In this battle for the right values, we can only win by working together as one team, regardless of our background, religion, skin color, or nationality. Today, we have a unique opportunity to promote knowledge and experience exchange and create new partnerships.
Making the world a better place is in our hands, and the world starts with the family, the peace of every person's soul.
To go to the Peace Summit 2023 Schedule page, click here.