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Context

• November 25 is observed as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Details

History

• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (December 20, 1993): General Assembly adopted this declaration to eradicate violence against women globally.
• Official Designation of November 25 (February 7, 2000): February 7, 2000, marked the official designation of November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
• The date was chosen to commemorate the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally assassinated on November 25, 1960, during the rule of Rafael Trujillo. Their tragic end symbolizes the ongoing struggle against gender-based violence.

Significance

• Violence against women is a widespread, persistent human rights violation, often unreported due to factors like impunity, silence, stigma, and shame.
• It poses a barrier to achieving equality, development, and peace.
• The day creates awareness about various forms of violence faced by women, promotes advocacy, and works towards creating better opportunities for women.

Data to reflect the situation:

• According to the United Nations, 736 million women, nearly one in three, have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence at least once in their lives.
• More than 133: that's how many women and girls are killed by someone in their own family every day.
• Only 0.2% is the percentage of the overall aid & development spending allocated to gender-based violence prevention in 2022.

Theme for 2023:

"UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls"

• The global theme for the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence (November 25 to December 10).
• Emphasizes the importance of investing in prevention strategies to proactively stop gender-based violence.
• UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohamed calls for greater investment in preventing violence against women and girls, recognizing it as an issue that transcends borders and cultures.

Conclusion

• The day serves as a crucial moment to reflect on the pervasive issue of violence faced by women globally.
• It's a call to action for individuals, governments, and organizations to work collectively in preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls, fostering conditions where they can live free from fear.

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