The United Nations International Day to Eliminate Violence Against Women is observed every year on 25 November. On that day and until Human Rights Days on 10 December, 16 days of activism against gender-based violence is observed. The campaign is aimed at raising awareness and calling for action to end violence against women and girls and protect women’s and children’s rights to be free from violence.
The theme for the campaign this year is ‘Prevention’. On 25 November, the first UN framework on Preventing Violence Against Women will be launched. This framework has been developed with collaboration from seven UN entities: United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), International Labour Organization (ILO), Office of High Commission for Human Rights (OHCHR), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and World Health Organization (WHO). The prevention framework is based on change theory. It focuses on changing social norms and attitudes towards women and suggests various strategies – in particular education; these strategies will require multisectoral action including from communities, schools, agriculture, economy and trade, media and the health sector.
The statistics on violence against women are shocking. Globally, and in countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region, 1 out of 3 women experience physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. About 120 million girls are forced into intercourse or other sexual acts at some point in their lives. Nearly 30 million girls under the age of 15 remain at risk of female genital mutilation/circumcision, while more than 130 million girls and women have undergone the procedure worldwide.
br>
Violence against women and girls has become a public health issue. It not only has immediate and long-term impact on physical, psychosocial and mental health of victims, but it affects and impedes their progress in other areas, including poverty reduction, peace and security. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, adopted in the fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, highlighted violence against women as one of the 12 critical areas of concern that countries should tackle to enhance gender equality. Since then and with UN commitment and global advocacy, two thirds of countries worldwide now have laws in place against domestic violence. However, gaps remain in implementation of these laws.
In recognition of this growing problem, the Sixty-seventh World Health Assembly adopted resolution WHA 67.15 on “Strengthening the role of the health systems in addressing violence, in particular against women and girls and against children”, and requested the Director-General to work with partners in developing global strategies. The draft global strategies will be submitted for consideration of the Executive Board and the World Health Assembly in 2016.
The draft strategies focus on care, prevention and evidence. Among the three, ‘prevention’ would need a holistic approach with multiple interventions undertaken in parallel in order to have a long-lasting and permanent impact. The health workforce would need to be trained on when and how to intervene to prevent violence against women.
The health system has an important role in both prevention and response. WHO will continue to work with Member States to raise awareness among policy-makers, health workforce and the public; provision of evidence; strengthening health-care delivery systems, the workforce and referral systems; and development of policy and guidelines, curriculum for health workforce, clinical handbooks and protocols.
Workplace harassment is another form of violence that should not occur in any organization. This should be prevented. This year, the WHO Regional Office for South-East Asia is emphasizing on making the workplace safe and free from any type of violence, including harassment and bullying, for all women.
We must unite and unanimously say NO to violence against women and girls.
Among other actions, the United Nations Secretary-General’s Unite to End Violence Against Women campaign invites everyone to wear something orange during the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence starting 25 November to highlight its call for the eradication of violence against women. The UNITE ‘Orange the world’ campaign symbolizes a brighter future without violence for women and girls.