Ending violence against women demands collective responsibility – UN Women

 Globally, an estimated 736 million women almost one in three have been subjected to intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life 30 per cent of women aged 15 and older.

This figure does not include sexual harassment, United Nations Women made available to the Ghana News Agency in Tema indicated that the rates of depression, anxiety disorders, unplanned pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and HIV were higher in women who had experienced violence compared to those who have not.

“As the world prepares to mark the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence from November 25th to December 10th, 2021, under the global theme: “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!

The UN Women report reaffirmed that most violence against women was perpetrated by current or former husbands or intimate partners, as more than 640 million women aged 15 and older have been subjected to intimate partner violence – 26 per cent of women aged 15 and older.

According to the report, of those who have been in a relationship, almost one in four adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 representing 24 per cent had experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner or husband.

The report also showed that 16 per cent of young women aged 15 to 24 experienced violence in the past 12 months.

In 2018, an estimated one in seven women had experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner or husband.

These numbers did not reflect the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which increased risk factors for violence against women.

According to the UN Women report, restricted movement, social isolation, and economic insecurity were increasing women’s vulnerability to violence in the home around the world.

The report revealed that by September 2020, 52 countries had integrated prevention and response to violence against women and girls into COVID-19 response plans, and 121 countries had adopted measures to strengthen services for women survivors of violence during the global crisis, but more efforts are urgently needed.

According to the UN Women data, globally, six per cent of women reported they were subjected to sexual violence from someone other than their husband or partner.

However, the true prevalence of non-partner sexual violence was likely to be much higher, considering the particular stigma related to this form of violence.

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls, which runs every year from November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10, Human Rights Day.

It was initiated in 1991 by the first Women’s Global Leadership Institute, held by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) at Rutgers University.

Since 1991, more than 6,000 organizations from approximately 187 countries have participated in the campaign.