Abdullah Abu Deif (Cairo)
At this time every year, the United Nations celebrates the 16 days of activism against gender-based violence, as it promotes on its pages, along with many platforms and institutions supporting women, leaflets in orange, using the slogan “Paint the world orange: Let’s end violence against women now! ».
According to the United Nations, one in three women experiences violence at least once in her life. And in times of crisis, these proportions are increasing, as shown by the COVID-19 pandemic and other humanitarian crises, conflicts and disasters caused by climate change.
According to a new report by UN Women, and based on data collected by 13 countries since the outbreak of the pandemic, 2 out of 3 women say they have either experienced some form of violence or know a woman who has experienced violence, and are more likely to face food insecurity. Moreover, only one in 10 women reports that victims will go to the police for help.
We must remember that even if gender-based violence is pervasive, it is not inevitable. We can prevent it, it must be prevented. As a first step to stop this violence, we must believe survivors, adopt comprehensive and holistic approaches that address the root causes, work to transform harmful norms and of course empower women and girls. By providing basic survivor-centred services across the policing, justice, health and social sectors, and by making sufficient funds available to meet the women’s rights agenda, we can end gender-based violence.
In this regard, the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women, the only global grant-making mechanism dedicated to the elimination and prevention of all forms of violence against women, announced a special fundraising challenge #Give25forUNTF25, marking 25 years of grantmaking in support of organizations Concerned with women around the world.
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