UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous delivered a critical report at the UN Headquarters on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, revealing the persistent and widespread violence facing women worldwide.
The report released today by UN Women and UNODC exposed that one woman is killed every 10 minutes by an intimate partner or family member, with 60% of these killings occurring in their own homes. Approximately 750 million women have experienced physical or sexual violence during their lifetime, a statistic largely unchanged over the past decade.
Conflict zones have become particularly dangerous for women. In 2023, the proportion of women killed in conflict areas doubled, with specific regions like Afghanistan, Haiti, Sudan, Ukraine, and Gaza experiencing extreme levels of gender-based violence.
“I recently met with women in the Asia-Pacific region who spoke of the silencing of women in Afghanistan, of violence exacerbated by crises and climate disasters, and of the violence faced by women human rights defenders in Myanmar. This reality is not unique to Asia and the Pacific. It is the reality for women and girls caught in conflicts and violence across the world. In Haiti, where women face gang violence, including pervasive sexual violence. In Sudan, where reports of mass rape have become the norm. In Ukraine, where women are increasingly first responders, yet receive minimal funding. And the list continues,” she revealed.
Meanwhile, emerging technologies have introduced new forms of violence, with digital harassment affecting 16% to 58% of women. Younger women are especially vulnerable, with most reporting their first experience of online abuse between ages 14 and 16.
Despite the grim statistics, some progress has been noted. UN data shows that 79% of member states have introduced national action plans against violence, 90% have strengthened related legislation, and child marriage rates have decreased from 25% in 1997 to 19% in 2022.
The UN has initiated programmes like the Spotlight Initiative, which aims to prevent violence for 21 million women by 2025, and a Trust Fund supporting civil society organisations in 74 countries with $87.5 million in grants.
“While I am here to sound an alarm today, I do not intend only to bemoan our collective circumstances. Much has been done, and, most importantly, much more can be done,” she stated.
Bahous emphasised that while progress is being made, no country has eliminated violence against women. She called for increased investment, innovation, and political will to address the systemic issues driving gender-based violence.
As the world approaches the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, the UN continues to push for comprehensive strategies to end violence against women globally.
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