A/HRC/17/26 forced prostitution. The double bind of sexual violence is enacted against them because of one disempowered aspect of their social location, i.e. ethnic group, class position, education level, religious beliefs, or other facets of their identity – as well as their gendered position. Thus the victims are not only abused by one set of ideological-based practices – a group’s desire to humiliate and destroy their enemy – but by the inequality inherent with their own group’s cultural ideologies of gender and women’s bodies. Women, who are already vulnerable to myriad forms of interpersonal and structural violence and discrimination, whether at the household, community, or even State level, are more likely to become victims of such violence than those women who come from elite or powerful populations. Thus, existing forms of discrimination are exacerbated, and new forms of violence are generated against women who are already vulnerable. 2. The right to education and to participate in cultural rights 89. Equal access to education, gender-sensitive curricula and a safe environment as women and girls pursue their education, are all critical aspects regarding education. The right to an education covers more than attending school: it includes the right to travel safely to and from school, as well as to ensure protection from harm while on school grounds. 90. Women have been disproportionately impacted by a lack of educational opportunities. Having a basic education and being literate improves a woman’s opportunities for preventing and removing violence from her life, and this is especially true for women who experience multiple forms of discrimination. When women and girls are able to exercise their right to an education and livelihood, they will enjoy a high level of security in their social lives and financial well-being. 91. The right to an education also includes the right to a quality education. The substance of the education is as crucial as access to it. Low quality education, which disproportionately affects the world’s women and girls, does not seek to uplift women and girls, but rather further entrenches them in disadvantaged situations. Quality education should include anti-violence and anti-gender stereotyping as part of the curriculum. 92. Women also have the right to freely participate in the cultural life of the community, to enjoy the arts and to share in scientific advancement and its benefits. International law has recognized a woman and girl child’s right to benefit from artistic and literary endeavours, and to pursue interests in science or other forms of creative expression. Additionally, all women have a right to fully participate in the cultural life of their communities and States. Any group or individual that denies a woman or girl child the right to cultural expression is denying her right to participate fully in a meaningful cultural life. Similarly, if any act of abuse is perpetrated against a woman or girl child in the name of culture, this individual or group is perverting the basic fundamental right to culture as found in international law, and is perpetuating a static and narrow conception of culture. 3. Civil and political rights 93. The right to civil and political participation grapples with elements of citizenship at its core, and is most commonly assessed in terms of non-discrimination and equality as between women and men. Data documenting women’s enfranchisement and representation within political and other governing institutions is often used to assess the extent to which women are able to enjoy and exercise their rights regarding both citizenship and civil, labour and political engagement. Viewed holistically, however, formally guaranteeing these rights as a matter of law does not necessarily address how violence against women can affect how these rights are experienced and, consequently, protected. 94. The violence continuum helps to make explicit the different types of violence that can adversely affect women and girls, and how this facilitates the deprivation of citizenship, 19