From patriarchal use of power to human security and democracy

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http://www.transnational.org/pressinf/2004/pi205_Patriarchy_HumSec.html

From patriarchal use of power
to human security and democracy

December 23, 2004

By Gudrun Schyman and Jan Oberg, TFF board


Prior to the 2003 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan stated that "Gender-based violence is perhaps the most shameful human rights violation. As long as it continues, we cannot claim to be making real progress towards equality, development and peace."

In this article we seek to relate the gender-based violence to the issue of human security and ideas about a new type of defence policy. (When this was written in Swedish at the time of the debate about the future of Sweden's official defence policy, it was refused by a series of leading newspapers, right, middle and left).

From patriarchal exertion of power toward human security and democracy

We know of no one, neither men nor women, who want war and death. 99 per cent of people on earth do not want violence in their lives or in politics. They want non-violence. They want peace. They want a safe future for their children and a dignified life for their parents. They value a life free from the fear that violence breeds.

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