By Sara Miller
“The global pandemic of violence against women and girls thrives in a culture of discrimination and impunity” said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon COURTESY Flickr
The UN organization, United Women is calling on international governments to pledge new initiatives to end women based violence.
“This year the Commission of the Status of Women will discuss the issue of ending violence against women,” Chief of Communications, Nanette Braun said to Humber News Friday.
“We launched this initiative in the lead up to the commission on the status of women which pertains to the first two weeks of March. UN women in the lead-up to the commission reached out to all governments worldwide and encouraged them to take leadership on the issue. Also to announce very concrete and new initiatives to address the issue.”
States will have the chance to address the cause at the session of the Commission of the Status of Women held at the UN Headquarters on March 4 to the 15.
So far, eighteen countries have committed to take action against women violence, including Australia, Netherlands and Japan.
The UN had also participated in the “One Billion Rising” campaign, which seeks to raise awareness of violence against women on Feb. 14 – Valentine’s Day.
Protests, flash mobs and discussion panels were held globally to mark the day event.
In an article posted by the UN News Centre, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, more people should speak up on the subject of women violence.
“The global pandemic of violence against women and girls thrives in a culture of discrimination and impunity,” he said.
“We must speak out.”
According to a fact-sheet on the World Health Organization website, between 15–71 per cent of women aged 15- 49 years reported physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner at some point in their lives.
Irene Tsepnopoulos- Elhaimer, Executive Director of Women Against Violence Against Women, says it is long over due for more coverage on violence against women.
“It’s about time,” says Elhaimer.
“If you are going to talk about the prevention of violence against women, you are going to have to talk about how we would change the attitudes and systems, which are deeply engrained in patriarchy.”