Violence against women is a problem in all continents, societies and cultures. The UN fight against the scourge of violence.
The United Nations Organization (UN) defines violence against women as any act of gender-based violence that results in potential or actual physical harm, sexual or psychological, including threats, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
The General Assembly UN adopted on December 20, 1993 the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women. This was the pattern for the same assembly, alarmed by the fact that women do not enjoy all their human rights and fundamental freedoms, and concerned about the persistent failure to promote and protect these rights and freedoms in the face this problem that is a obstacle to the achievement of equality, development and peace, declared on 25 November, at its 83rd plenary meeting on December 17, 1999, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
At the same meeting it was acknowledged with satisfaction the cooperation provided by the organizations, funds and bodies of the United Nations and nongovernmental organizations in the fight to eradicate the abuses against women and creating awareness in societies around the world about the negative impact that may bring this fact in the social and economic life.
Join, A targeted campaign to prevent and eliminate violence against women
This is the name of the campaign (Begun in 2008) driven by the secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, focused on preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls in all parts of the world. His goals for 2015 are:
¤ Adopt and enforce national laws to address and punish all forms of violence against women and girls.
¤ Adopt and implement national action plans multiple sectors.
¤ Strengthen data collection on the prevalence of violence against women and girls.
¤ Increase public awareness and social mobilization.
¤ Treating sexual violence in conflict.
On November 25, 2009, in New York Ki-moon said the organization’s goal was to put an end to crimes against women. Asked to address the causes of violence by eradicating discrimination and changing the mindsets that perpetuate it. He said the worst thing is that this violence persists in all continents with devastating effects on the lives of women, their families and society.
The World Health Organization concerned about violence against women
The violence against women is a matter of high priority for WHO because it produces negative health consequences in a significant proportion of the female population on issues such as maternity, family planning and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. In addition, costs for treatment services and support for these women are extremely high and directly affect the family economy and government budgets for health.
A study of this organization in 2005 based on data from 24,000 women in ten countries found that between 55% and 95% of women physically abused by their partners had never been in contact with police or had requested support from another institution. This is why the WHO established in 1980, the unit of Women’s Health (WHD by its acronym in English) in order to contribute to promoting and improving health and rights of women, and program development and formulation of health policies that promote equality and gender equity for women in this field.
Important facts of violence against women
¤ The most common form of violence that women suffer physical violence is caused by couple. Several global surveys suggest that half of all female homicide victims are killed by their husbands or partners, current or past.
¤ Worldwide, according to statistics, one in five women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.
¤ It is estimated that between 500,000 and two million people, most of them women and children, victims of human trafficking each year are exposed to situations such as prostitution, forced labor, slavery or servitude.
¤ According to estimates more than 130 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation, mainly in Africa and some countries Middle East, While two million girls a year are at risk for this operation.
Violence against women is a problem to be solved by the support of all members of society, either through donations to trusts or institutions that support this purpose, or in raising awareness and education regarding respect for the female gender and individuals in general.