The United Nations(UN)’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is annually observed across the globe on 25th November to create awareness about the violence and abuse against women and girls around the world. The day also aims to prevent violence against women and promote basic human rights and gender equality.
The theme of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women 2022 is “UNITE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls”.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/54/134 in 2000 and proclaimed the 25th November of every year as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
ii.The first-ever International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women was observed on 25th November 2000.
Why November 25?
i.Since 1981, Women’s rights activists across the globe have been observing 25 November as a day against gender-based violence.
ii.The day (25th November) was chosen to honour the Mirabal sisters, four sisters from the Dominican Republic, 3 of whom – Patria, Minerva and María Teresa were murdered in 1960 for opposing the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo (el Jefe) (1930-1961).
UNiTE campaign – 25th November – 10th December:
The observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women marks the launch of UNiTE campaign (25th November – 10th December), a 16 days of activism which concludes on International Human Rights Day (10 December).
- Since 2008, The UNiTE campaign is annually led by the UN Secretary-General and UN Women.
Aim:
To prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls(VAWG) around the world.
Call for a global action to increase awareness, promote advocacy and create opportunities for discussion on challenges and solutions.
Key Point:
“UNITE! Activism to End Violence against Women & Girls”, the theme of 2022, aims to mobilise all society to become activists to prevent violence against women, to support women’s rights activists and to support feminist movements across the globe to resist the rollback on women’s rights and call for a world free from VAWG.
Orange Day:
The UNiTE campaign has proclaimed the 25th of each month as “Orange Day” to raise awareness and take action to end VAWG.
- Orange, the bright and optimistic colour, represents the future free from VAWG.
UN’s Efforts against VAWG:
i.The UNGA adopted the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women on 18th December 1979, which entered into force as an international treaty on 3 September 1981.
- By 1991, almost 100 nations agreed to be bound by the provisions of the convention.
ii.The UN adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women in 1993, the first international instrument explicitly addressing violence against women, providing a framework for national and international action.
UNODC & UN Women Report: Women & Girls are more at risk to be killed at Home:
According to a new study by United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime(UNODC) and UN Women, in 2021, for every hour, more than 5 women or girls were killed by someone in their own family.
- The report was released ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25, 2022).
Key Points:
i.Among all the women and girls killed in 2021, 56%(45000 out of 81000) were killed by intimate partners or other family members. This data shows that home is not a safe place for many women & girls across the globe.
ii.The study also shows that 11% of all male homicides are perpetrated in the private sphere.
iii.In Africa, the rate of gender-related killings in the private sphere was estimated at 2.5 per 100,000 female population in 2021, compared with 1.4 in the Americas, 1.2 in Oceania, 0.8 in Asia and 0.6 in Europe.
About UN Women:
UN Women, created by UNGA in 2010, is the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women.
Executive Director– Sima Bahous
Headquarters– New York, United States of America(USA)
