EDITORIAL : A thought-provoking report

A report has come to fore in which an expert – Patrick Barron of the US-based non-profit The Asia Foundation – said that gender-based violence is emerging as one of the deadliest forms of violence in Asia. The researcher said the violence has killed more women than armed conflicts in some parts of the region. He said a two-year study on conflicts and violence revealed violence against women in Asia has greater – and more deadly impacts than previously thought. In India, the study showed over 8,000 women were killed every year over dowry disputes. So, this calls for more attention to the issue. We see a rise in violence as women assert their rights with honour killings, dowry-related deaths and the lynching of women branded as witches persisting in some parts of South Asia despite years of campaign to halt these practices. The problem is a lot of gender-based violence happens within households and because of cultural norms against reporting it, a lot of it goes unreported. We hope the findings will spur lawmakers into action to tackle the problem as the issue is still deep rooted in our social fabric and the need of the hour is to let only the good traditions flourish and bid adieu to rituals that not only demean our civilisation but also point to the ignorance our society still clings to.