November 25th is dubbed the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against women. A campaign linking, the United Nations Development Fund for Women enjoin people of the world to join the 16 Days of activism against gender violence,with December 10th as the International Human Rights Day.
This year, a new advocacy program called “Say NO – Unite to End Violence Against Women,” campaign, serves to spotlight international efforts to garner attention and action on the issue of violence against women.
The goal of the campaign is to reach 10,000 “actions” by March 2010, and one million in one year. Actions vary from volunteering at abuse shelters to donating to programs that protect victims of violence or educate women and girls.
Violence affects the lives of millions of women worldwide in all socio-economic and educational classes. It cuts across cultural and religious barriers impeding the right of women to participate fully in society.
Violence against women takes a dismaying variety of forms from domestic abuse and rape, to child marriages, female circumcision, trafficking, dowry-related violence, and honor killings.
Today 1 out of 5 women has personally experienced some kind of abuse and almost every woman has been indirectly confronted with acts of violence and discrimination within her family or in her immediate neighborhood. (PIA)