The United Nations has designated November 25 International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The day recognizes women across the world who are subject to rape, domestic abuse and other forms of violence.
The United Nations Secretary-General’s Campaign “UNiTE to End Violence against Women“ has invited the people to join “Orange YOUR Neighbourhood” campaign (25th November to 10th December) to raise awareness against the gender based violence.
The date of November 25 (International day for the elimination of violence against women) was chosen to commemorate the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic, who were brutally assassinated in 1960 during the Rafael Trujillo dictatorship (1930-1961).
Shocking Facts from UN website
- 35% of women and girls globally experience some form of physical and or sexual violence in their lifetime with up to seven in ten women facing this abuse in some countries.
- It is estimated that up to 30 million girls under the age of 15 remain at risk from FGM/C, and more than 130 million girls and women have undergone the procedure worldwide.
- Worldwide, more than 700 million women alive today were married as children, 250 million of whom were married before the age of 15. Girls who marry before the age of 18 are less likely to complete their education and more likely to experience domestic violence and complications in childbirth.
- The costs and consequence of violence against women last for generations.