16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence
According to United nations, “1 in 3 women experience violence in their lifetime — and amid #COVID19, domestic abuse has surged worldwide.”
The UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign is marking the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence (25 November to 10 December 2020) under the global theme, “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent, Collect!”. UN Women’s Generation Equality campaign is amplifying the call for global action to bridge funding gaps, ensure essential services for survivors of violence during the COVID-19 crisis, focus on prevention, and collection of data that can improve life-saving services for women and girls. The campaign is part of UN Women’s efforts for Beijing+25 and building up to launch bold new actions and commitments to end violence against women at the Generation Equality Forum in Mexico and France in 2021.
According to UN Women,
“This year is like no other. Even before COVID-19 hit, violence against women and girls had reached pandemic proportions. Globally, 243 million women and girls were abused by an intimate partner in the past year. Meanwhile, less than 40 per cent of women who experience violence report it or seek help.
As countries implemented lockdown measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus, violence against women, especially domestic violence, intensified – in some countries, calls to helplines have increased five-fold. In others, formal reports of domestic violence have decreased as survivors find it harder to seek help and access support through the regular channels. School closures and economic strains left women and girls poorer, out of school and out of jobs, and more vulnerable to exploitation, abuse, forced marriage, and harassment.”
Secretary-General of the UN António Guterres tweeted,
“Violence against women & girls is a global emergency requiring urgent action at all levels, in all spaces & by all people.
On Wednesday’s International Day to End Violence against Women I reiterate my appeal to end this shadow pandemic once & for all.
#16Days”
Dr Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Science & Tech, Earth Sciences, Govt of India tweeted,
“Gender-based violence is the gravest crime & social evil prevalent in society. Our Govt has adopted a zero-tolerance policy for crimes against women.
Let’s mark the International Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women by pledging to build a safer world for women & girls.”
