Intl. Day, “Elimination of Violence Against Women” today

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ISLAMABAD: The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25 each year is an occasion for the world to focus on the fight against gender-based violence in all its forms. The event is an opportunity for us to recall that such action to eliminate violence against women is the responsibility of all of us: The United Nations family, member states, civil society, and individual women and men.

Violence against women persists worldwide, occurring in every region, country, and culture, and cutting across income, class, race, and ethnic groups. It is one of the most heinous, systematic, and prevalent human rights violations, and is a threat and obstacle to the efforts for development, peace, and gender equality in all societies.

Since the birth of the United Nations (UN), there has been increasing recognition that the enjoyment of human rights is essential to the well-being and development of the individual, community, and the world. In the efforts to confront violence against women, there has been some headway on the national and international levels.

In 1993, the UN General Assembly adopted a Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women which defined violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such act, coercion, or temporary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life.’’

Since then the international community has recognized the efforts to confront gender-based violence as central to human security and development. Member states have enacted legislation banning violence against women, legislation which covers the home, workplace, and society at large, and there are now protection services and trained professionals to take action on cases of violence against women.

It is notable how actions and networks to end violence against women have joined forces to put an end to a global scourge with consequences detrimental to the well-being of the world as a whole. Violence against women stands in the way of progress towards equality, development, peace, and all human rights for all. When it comes to violence against women, there are no grounds for tolerance and no tolerable excuses – it is a threat to all women, and an obstacle to all our efforts for development, peace, and gender equality in all societies. Let us take this issue with the seriousness that it deserves not only on this International Day, but everyday.



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