In the past two weeks, we have witnessed the most horrifying form of violence against women. The 23-year-old paramedical student, who was brutally assaulted in Delhi, succumbed to her injuries.

We pray for her soul to rest in peace. The peaceful protests of the youth and civil society organisations in Delhi and other cities has led to dialogue with government representatives for measures to make the city a safe place for women, for speedy justice and for enactment of more stringent laws that would help in deterring the culture of impunity and violence against women.

Women in our country are enmeshed in a culture that enables and sustains violence against them. Such violence is ultimately an act of aggression against the society as a whole. The eradication of violence requires not only changes in law and policy, but more fundamental changes in culture, attitudes and beliefs.

Viewed in the broader context, violence and discrimination against women and girls is one of the symptoms of a social order characterised by conflict, injustice and insecurity. Its structures and processes prove themselves incapable of serving the common good. As we seek to eradicate violence against women, we must not lose sight of the broader, long-term goal namely the creation of conditions in which women and men can work shoulder to shoulder in constructing a more just and equitable social order.

Prevailing conceptions of power and empowerment need to be redefined. The dominant thinking of power as “power over” must be replaced with the concept of ‘power to’—power as a capacity of the individual or of the collective.

Preventive measures for eradication of violence are equally important as the punitive ones and long lasting. The role of men in prevention cannot be overemphasised. It has been so heart-warming to see that men have been speaking out strongly against violence and exploitation against women in the course of the past few days. But, they must also make a conscious effort to understand fully the principle of the equality of women and men and its expression in both private and public life. It is often at home that boys and girls first learn about the nature of power and how it is expressed. Distorted expressions of power and authority promote in children attitudes and habits that are carried to the workplace, to the community, and to public life.

The state must focus on both legal reforms and improved institutional mechanisms as well as on prevention of violence. Prevention must begin by identifying and addressing the underlying causes of violence rather than its symptoms. Prevention programs and societal transformation must go hand in hand.

One approach towards social transformation is through the education and training of children and youth in a manner that cultivates in them a sense of dignity as well as responsibility for the well-being of their family members and for the wider community. There are a number of elements in educational endeavours that support such transformation.

While emphasis must continue to be placed on girls’ access to quality education, due attention must be given to the education of boys, particularly with respect to issues of gender equality.

No custom, tradition, or religious interpretation that sanctions any form of violence against women should be allowed to outweigh the obligation to eradicate violence against women. The regrettable practice of hiding behind cultural and religious traditions that permit violence against women perpetuates a climate of legal and moral impunity.

The responsibility of states to protect women and girls from violence must take precedence over any such customs. Practices and doctrines which condone or promote violence against women and girls need to be eliminated.