At least one in three women and girls will be subject to violence or abuse during her lifetime. If that isn’t outrageous enough, then also consider:
- One in five women will be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.
- An estimated 133 million [PDF] girls and women today live with the consequences of genital mutilation.
- Almost one-third of women who have been in a relationship say they have experienced some kind of physical and/or sexual abuse by their partner, and 38 percent of murders of women have been committed by a current or former partner.
These grim statistics are why the United Nations, in partnership with the Rutgers University-based Center for Women’s Global Leadership, calls upon you to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25 and to take part in the accompanying 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence.
From November 25 through December 10, which marks International Human Rights Day, activists all over the world will raise awareness that gender-based violence not only violates girls’ and women’s human rights but also robs their societies of women’s and girls’ talents and knowledge.
For 2017, the global theme for the 16 Days Campaign is “Leave No One Behind: End Violence against Women and Girls.” Leaving no one behind means advocating for resources, policies, and programmes that focus on reaching the most marginalized communities specifically women and girls that are threatened by or are suffering violence, or have been subjected to it in the past.
Actor Patrick Stewart, who as a boy witnessed his mother’s victimization, said violence against women is learned. “Each of us must examine — and change — the ways in which our own behavior might contribute to, enable, ignore or excuse all such forms of violence,” he said. “I promise to do so and to invite other men and allies to do the same.”
Say no to gender-based violence and join the YALI Network’s #16days campaign, learn more at yali.lab.dev.getusinfo.com/16days.
The views and opinions expressed here belong to the author or interviewee and do not necessarily reflect those of the YALI Network or the U.S. government.