International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women at 25

 

This year 2024 marks 25 years since the declaration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which is why the General Assembly will hold an event to reflect on the progress and achievements made to eliminate gender violence.

Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed somewhere in the world.

Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world, according to the United Nations.

Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their life.

For at least 51,100 women in 2023, the cycle of gender-based violence ended with one final and brutal act—their murder by partners and family members. That means a woman was killed every 10 minutes.

Grim figures

In France only, each year, 321,000 women aged 18 to 74 are victims of physical, sexual and/or psychological violence committed by their spouse or ex-spouse, but only 15 percent file a complaint. In 2023, there were 134 femicides in the country (an average of 1 death every 2.5 days), while one rape occurs every 7 minutes.

In Africa, the most prevalent forms of Violence Against Women and Girls reported and documented, include Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), which manifests in physical, sexual or psychological violence by an intimate partner; Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), which is a common cultural practice in some parts of Africa; Early Child and Forced Marriage where girls below 18 years are forced into marriage.

They also include Sexual Violence in Conflict (SVC) which includes rape, sexual assault with violent physical assault, kidnapping, sexual slavery and forced prostitution in conflict situations.

This scourge has intensified in different settings, according to UN Women, including the workplace and online spaces, and has been exacerbated by conflicts, and climate change.

Worldwide, 70 percent of women in conflict, war, and humanitarian crisis, experience gender-based violence.

The solution lies in robust responses, holding perpetrators accountable, and accelerating action through well-resourced national strategies and increased funding to women’s rights movements.

Move for social change

This year marks the 25th year of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Women's rights activists have observed 25 November as a day against gender-based violence since 1981. This date was selected to honour the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered in 1960 by order of the country’s ruler, Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).

The UN marks it by launching a special series of events for awareness: UNiTE campaign, held between 25 November and 10 December. The initiative of 16 days of activism will conclude on the day that commemorates the International Human Rights Day, on 10 December.

This 2024 campaign Every 10 Minutes, a woman is killed. #NoExcuse. UNiTE to End Violence against Women aims to draw attention to the alarming escalation of violence against women to revitalise commitments, call for accountability and action from decision-makers.