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The United Nations Development Fund for Women (Unifem) commemorated a U.N. designated 'International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women,' on Nov. 25 with a conference to highlight strategies to combat gender-based violence. The title of the conference was 'A Call to the World to End Violence Against Women.'

Five women -- including Archana Ramasundaram, joint director with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) -- talked of their "dedication and tireless efforts to combat violence in their communities" at the seminar.

These efforts, the U.N. agency said, had led to a change for the better for many survivors and potential victims of gender-based violence.

Apart from Sundaram, who is a police official working to end the trafficking of women and girls, the four other speakers were: Eve Ensler, playwright and founder of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women; Rakiya Omaar, director of an African rights organization in Rwanda; Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian, professor at Hebrew University; and Doris Solis Corrion, vice mayor of Cuenca in Ecuador.

Speaking at the press conference on Nov. 22 about the situation in her country, Ramasundaram said: "Women are given equal rights in India, but in reality, it is not effective. We have adequate laws, but implementation is weak."

She particularly emphasized that rape laws should be made more victim-friendly, and said: "Ignorance should be removed from (the minds of) law officers who deal with victims."

Ramasundaram narrated a recent incident of domestic violence. She said a woman complained about how she was beaten up by her husband and a subordinate officer was asked to deal with the case.

After a few days, she saw the same woman waiting at the door. When Ramasundaram asked her subordinate if the problem was resolved, he reportedly told her that he had counseled the woman and made her apologize to her husband, following which everything was fine.

"But I told him the problem was not over. We have not yet realized the concept that she is not the one who has to apologize, but her husband is the one who has to be warned for beating her," she said.

"Citizens should involve themselves in the process. They should let the politicians, policy-makers and government officials know what they feel about issues." If the people rise up against these abuses, the government will be forced to get its act together, she said.

Speaking to News India-Times later, Ramasundaram said the main issue was prioritizing. "First we should understand the issues, training should be provided, then followed up to see if everything is done according to the way the law is designed," she said, particularly in dealing with cases of crime
against women.

"Different agencies should work together in coordination. For example, those who are trafficking women are also trafficking drugs and arms... its like a network, to break free from that is going to take a lot of effort," she added.

According to her, agencies in different states and countries should work together since crime was not restricted by borders. "Police in one state should work with its neighboring state to stop this going on."

Shalhoub-Kevorkian said that in Israel, there was an insensitive judiciary system. When a child is tested to see if they were voluntary partners, its like judicial rape."

She said several law enforcement officers who she interviewed said this was a routine procedure according to law. "There is no such law. We need to educate these officers and parents."

She said that some of those sexually violated were so young that they could not even explain what they have gone through and they go through the same pain when officers conduct these tests."