International Day to End Violence Against Women

November 25 is the International Day to End Violence Against Women.  According to the United Nations, 35% of women or 1 in 3, have experienced physical or sexual violence during their lifetimes - usually by an intimate partner.  It is estimated that 133 million women and girls have experienced some form of genital mutilation. Worldwide, 700 women alive today were married as children and 250 million of them were married before the age of 15. It is long past time to end these practices.

From today to Human Rights Day on December 10, the UN Women are urging engagement in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence Campaign. This year  marks the 20-year anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the most progressive road map to gender equality. World leaders met in March 2015 at the United Nations for the 59th Commission on the Status of Women and in September 2015 at the 70th UN General Assembly to take stock of the progress made and commit to take action to close the gaps that are holding women and girls back. The new Sustainable Development Agenda, which replaces the Millennium Development Goals, includes specific targets and indicators on ending violence against women for the firs time.  Goal 5 is to "achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls."

(cgb)