End Violence against Women and Girls for Good, Deputy Secretary-General Urges at High-Level Meeting to Mark 25 Years of International Day

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the high-level meeting to mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, today:

Civil society leaders in the gallery, we hear you, we see you and we value you.  Today, we mark the twenty-fifth anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. 

We come together to reflect and to reaffirm our commitment to end this pervasive violation of human rights.  It is heartening to see colleagues gathered here from every corner of the globe.  Yet, we must confront the hard truth:  our fight is far from over. 

Nearly one third of women worldwide experience violence at home, in the workplace, online and in politics.  Every day, 140 women and girls are killed by members of their own family, making the home the most dangerous place for millions of women every day.  Each statistic is a person — often hidden by societal stigma, or silenced by fear.

It is my personal conviction that the safe house we often take victims to, should actually be her remaining in her home and the perpetrator, the man, taken out.

Millions of women begin their days filled with trepidation — adjusting their daily routes, their clothing, their conduct, their decisions.  Not out of choice, but out of necessity — to protect themselves.

Women living with disabilities, older women, migrant and refugee women — and all those who experience multiple and intersecting forms of vulnerabilities — are even more profoundly affected.

Living under such constant stress and constraint stifles their freedom, creativity, and opportunities.  It limits their access to education and employment and restricts their participation in public life.  This does not only harm individuals.

When a significant portion of our population cannot operate freely or live without fear, the social and economic potential of communities, families and nations is diminished.

Violence against women and girls is not only a grave violation of human rights.  It is a fundamental barrier to human progress.  It is an impediment to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals.  It poses a direct threat to the security and stability of countries.

It is being exacerbated by the growing global backlash against gender equality.  And by the multitude of crises facing our world.  Women and girls are disproportionately impacted by conflicts, climate change, health and economic crises.  And we can see this in Sudan, in Gaza, in Myanmar and in Ukraine.

Despite these challenges, significant progress has been made across the world.  We see the adoption of laws and policies to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls.  That includes efforts to strengthen access to justice for survivors and put an end to impunity.

I am encouraged that, in the past five years, ending violence against women and girls had remained a top priority for Member States, while reviewing progress of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action.

I also welcome the significant investment in the European Union-UN Spotlight Initiative, that has helped to show change is possible.  The initiative has demonstrated substantial progress, including:  The adoption or enhancement of almost 550 laws and policies; it has provided essential services for 3 million women; and the implementation of gender equality programmes engaging 8 million young people.

We know that violence against women and girls is preventable.  Yet, prevention investments are dwarfed by the scale of the problem. 

I urge Member States to boost funding for comprehensive approaches.  Approaches that focus on prevention and address the root causes of violence by engaging all parts of society.  That includes civil society organizations and partnerships with Governments and the United Nations system.

I urge Governments and all service-providers, to enhance support systems, ensuring that they are accessible and responsive to the needs of all women and girls.  We must ensure legal protection, and we must pursue educational programs that challenge and change the social norms that perpetuate violence.

As threats to the rights and safety of women and girls grow, the need for multilateralism, and collaboration between countries and actors, is needed much more than ever.  Let us come together, especially our men and our boys, reaffirm our commitment, and intensify action to put an end to the violence against women and girls for good, banishing to the annals of history.

Together, let us strive for a world where dignity and safety are guaranteed for all, not as a privilege, but as a fundamental right.  And here we stand in solidarity with you — the leadership of UN-Women and the agencies of the UN, every day, until this scourge is put behind us.