International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Nine years ago, the General Assembly of the United Nations officially declared the annual observance of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on November 25. According to UN statistics, at least one in three women has been violently abused during her lifetime, usually by a family member or someone she knows personally. Many abused women however, feel too afraid or shameful to speak up about these injustices. Oftentimes, abuse is so frequent throughout a woman’s lifetime that she simply does not recognize it as wrong and may believe she “deserves” the abuse. Through advocacy efforts on the part of both the UN and independent organization, gender-based violence has come into the public eye and found a place on the agendas of policy makers. More and more governments now have laws protecting women against violence of any kind and human rights organizations continue to work to raise awareness about gender-based violence. Campaigns such as the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, spearheaded by the Center for Women’s Global Leadership and other human rights organizations, aim to get individuals involved on a local and regional level.

Do your part in raising awareness about violence against women by sporting a white ribbon awareness wristband and getting involved local efforts to eliminate violence against women.