Harmful Ways That Needs to Be Cured

End the Cycle of Violence
Living free from violence is a human right, yet millions of women and girls suffer disproportionately from violence both in peace and in war, at the hands of the state, in the home and community. Across the globe, women are beaten, raped, mutilated, and killed with impunity.
Gender-based violence stems from the failure of governments and societies to recognize the human rights of women. It is rooted in a global culture of discrimination which denies women equal rights with men and which legitimizes the appropriation of women's bodies for individual gratification or political ends. Everyday, all over the world, women face gender-specific persecution including genital mutilation, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, and domestic violence. At least one out of every three women worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime.
Violence against women feeds off discrimination and serves to reinforce it. When women are abused in custody, raped by armed forces as "spoils of war," or terrorized by violence in the home, unequal power relations between men and women are both manifested and enforced. Violence against women is compounded by discrimination on the grounds of race, ethnicity, sexual identity, social status, class, and age. Such multiple forms of discrimination further restrict women's choices, increase their vulnerability to violence, and make it even harder for women to obtain justice.
States have the obligation to prevent, protect against, and punish violence against women whether perpetrated by private or public actors. States have a responsibility to uphold standards of due diligence and take steps to fulfill their responsibility to protect individuals from human rights abuses. Yet such violence is often ignored and rarely punished. Too often no one is held accountable for these crimes.
With your help, we can hold states and perpetrators responsible and put an end to this cycle of violence against women

Why is smoking an issue for non-smokers?
Online Q&A
May 2012
Q: Why is smoking an issue for non-smokers?
A: There are some 4000 known chemicals in tobacco smoke; at least 250 of them are known to be harmful and more than 50 are known to cause cancer in humans. Tobacco smoke in enclosed spaces is breathed in by everyone, exposing smokers and nonsmokers alike to its harmful effects.
Around 700 million children, or almost half of the world's total, breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke. Over 40% of children have at least one smoking parent. In 2004, children accounted for 31% of the 600 000 premature deaths attributable to second-hand smoke.
In adults, second-hand smoke causes serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, including coronary heart disease and lung cancer. In infants, it causes sudden death syndrome. In pregnant women, it causes low birth weight.
Neither ventilation nor filtration, even in combination, can reduce tobacco smoke exposure indoors to levels that are considered acceptable. Only 100% smoke-free environments provide effective protection. Contrary to common belief, smoke-free environments are widely supported by both smokers and nonsmokers.
Having a smoke-free environment often saves money for bars and restaurant owners, reducing their risks of fire and consequently their insurance costs. It often results in lower renovation, cleaning and maintenance costs, too.
Article 8 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, recognizes that exposure to tobacco smoke causes death, disease and disability, and asks countries to adopt and implement legislation that provides protection from second-hand smoke.
Many countries around the world have already introduced laws to protect people from exposure to tobacco smoke in public places. Celebrations around the globe on World No Tobacco Day (31 May) encourage more people and more countries to go smoke-free.

Bullying
We all know bullies, or at least people who sometimes demonstrate bullying behaviour. Psychologists say bullying is due to an “imbalance of power”, with the individual or group deciding to demonstrate power through intimidating another individual or group. A one-off act is not bullying, however – bullying involves repeated acts of intimidation.
Bullying often involves physical intimidation, but doesn’t always. Forms of bullying common in senior primary and secondary schools includes: * Intentionally getting another child into trouble * Hitting, pinching, biting, pushing or shoving * Stealing or damaging possessions * Spreading rumours - in person, by phone or email * Threatening or intimidating behaviour * Physical violence * Preventing or restricting access or actions (such as barring accessto toilets or denying participation in games) * Exclusion from activities, conversations, etc * Why is bullying an important safety issue? * Bullying can be distressing to children, and affect their ability to participate in and enjoy school, sport and other group activities. It can also have long-term effects on children’s self-esteem and confidence, and on their ability to fit in and function in groups. * Bullying usually happens when older people – or others that are more “powerful” than the bullying children – are not present, and is often accompanied by threats of harm if the victim of bullying reports the behaviour. Just as children should be told how to deal with various forms of abuse, so is it important that you know how to deal with bullying and report it if it occurs. * What should I do if I'm bullied? * Nothing gives anybody the right to bully you – to make fun of you or hurt you. Being bullied is not your fault – it shouldn’t happen because of anything you do or what you look like. * Even the most confident child may be bullied at some time. Don’t ever believe it’s your fault that someone else feels the need to demonstrate power over another child (in this case, you). * If you are being bullied, or someone tries to bully you tell your parents or a teacher or other trusted adult at school. Once they know what’s happening, they can act to stop it. * Your concerns should be taken seriously, with the recognition that to you, your problem is real. If you’re not treated seriously, talk to someone else who accepts that you are feeling unsafe and distressed. * If the person is physically hurting you, don’t give him or her any chances and report the behaviour to a teacher or your principal, and your parents, immediately. It may help to have written details of what happened and when, and if there is a witness ask that person to explain what happened, too.
How can I tell if someone I know is being bullied?
There are telltale signs that indicate a child is being bullied. You may notice these in someone you know, and your parents should watch out for them in you and your siblings.
Typical signs that bullying is occurring during or after school include: * A change in behaviour – you may become withdrawn, moody or quieter than usual * Clothing that was clean in the morning is often torn or dirty after school * You come home with cuts and bruises that can’t be logically explained * You don’t eat your lunch and appetite is affected at other times * Your possessions are regularly missing * You don’t want to go to school or after-school activities * You express some fear or hesitation about mixing with a person or group * Your sleeping patterns change
It may be that you see someone being bullied at your school. You can help – even if you don’t know the person being bullied well – by refusing to join in, and then reporting the incident to a teacher.
If the child being bullied is afraid of comeback by the bully if a teacher is told, first try and convince the other child that it’s the right thing to tell and take a stand against bullying. Offer to go with the other child when the report is made. If the behaviour continues, report the bullying to an adult you trust.