Violence against women

Violence against women is one of the most widespread violations of human rights, one in three women will suffer some form of violence in her lifetime. Through close partnerships, the organisation helps establish protective laws and national action plans, and put in place mechanisms for prevention.

Fighting gender-based violence is a major concern for UNIFEM, because violence against women is a universal problem and one of the most widespread violations of human rights. One in three women will suffer some form of violence in her lifetime, becoming part of an epidemic that devastates lives, fractures communities and stalls development. Despite some progress on this issue over the past decade, its horrendous scale remains mostly unacknowledged. New dimensions include the global trafficking of women and girls. UNIFEM responds with strategies that make a difference:

UNIFEM works on several fronts to interrupt the cycle of violence against women, with an overall objective of linking violence to the source that feeds it: gender inequality. UNIFEM multiplies the power of its groundbreaking strategies through advocacy campaigns and close partnerships with governments, women’s groups and other branches of the UN system.

Protective laws and national actions: In a number of countries, UNIFEM works with its partners on establishing legal frameworks to combat violence. Laws alone, however comprehensive they may be, must be followed by plans for specific national actions, which is why UNIFEM is active on this end as well.
Measuring the problem: UNIFEM has been at the forefront of supporting the collection of data and research on violence against women. Much of this information would otherwise not exist, making it impossible to understand the scope of the problem, or devise the means to stop it.
Prevention: Strategies to stop violence before it starts are essential, but lack resources and visibility. UNIFEM supports prevention initiatives from the local to the international level, including in conflict and post-conflict situations, where violence against women is prevalent and horrific.
Support for women’s organisations: Women’s organisations have developed some of the most creative and effective responses to violence, often in societies where the problem is otherwise largely ignored. UNIFEM helps draw attention and resources to these efforts, and brings the voices of activists together across countries and onto the international stage.
The Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women: Housed within UNIFEM, the Trust Fund offer grants to innovative projects to prevent violence that are run by community, national and regional organisations. With relatively modest sums, grantees have passed new laws, trained police, and involved men and boys in stopping violence. The Trust Fund also collects and shares information about effective strategies that can be replicated or implemented on a larger scale

Click below is find out more about UNIFEM's work internationally;

http://www.unifem.org/gender_issues/violence_against_women/at_a_glance.php [1]

Say NO To Violence Against Women Campaign

In April 2008, UNIFEM launched the Say NO To Violence Campaign, with spokesperson, Nicole Kidman.

The internet advocacy campaign urges people to add their names as an expression of public support and calls on decision-makers worldwide to make ending violence against women a top priority.

The campaign now has over 230,000 signatories on its website!

Governments, Prime Ministers and Foreign Ministers from across the globe have now signed on to the campaign. These include the Spanish, Senegal and Tanzanian Governments. Foreign Ministers from Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Switzerland and Greece and other Government officials have also recognised the importance of the campaign and have also become signatories.

If you would like to sign on to the campaign, go to www.sayNOtoviolence.org [2].