Women and girls face rampant violence with one woman or a girl getting killed every 11 minutes by a family member or an intimate partner, UN chief Antonio Guterres said ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which is observed on November 25 every year.
Guterres’ remark comes in the backdrop of the ongoing investigations in the Delhi murder case that has shocked the country. Aaftab Poonawala is accused of allegedly murdering and dismembering the body of his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar.
The UN chief said across the world violence against women was the most pervasive ‘human rights violation’. He called on governments to implement national action plans that tackle this scourge.
History
Since 1981, women’s rights activists have been observing November 25 as a day against gender-based violence. November 25 was selected as a date to honour the Mirabal sisters, who were three political activists from the Dominican Republic. The three sisters were brutally murdered in 1960 following an order by the country’s ruler, Rafael Trujillo.
The United Nations General Assembly on December 20, 1993, adopted the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, in a bid to pave the path for eradicating violence against women and girls across the globe.
November 25 was officially designated as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on February 7, 2000, to ensure that governments, NGOs and international agencies organise activities to raise public awareness of the issue every year on that date.
Significance
According to the World Health Organisation, about 30 percent of women globally experience physical and/ or sexual violence from their intimate partners. Violence starts early with nearly 24 percent of adolescent girls aged 15-19 years with intimate relationships facing physical or sexual violence from a partner.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women is therefore observed to raise public awareness around the issue and increase policymaking and resources dedicated to ending violence against women and girls across the globe.
(Edited by : Sudarsanan Mani, Priyanka Deshpande)
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