Letter of the day: united in the face of violence against women

Geneva, November 14.

On November 25, we will commemorate the 25^e anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This year, this date has particular resonance as states in 2025 will assess progress made in implementing the Beijing Declaration, a global commitment to promote gender equality and women’s rights in political areas. , economic and social, thirty years after its adoption.

The statistics of violence against women and girls are alarming. One in three women are exposed to some form of violence during their life, whether physical, psychological, sexual or economic. During conflict, more than 70% of women are victims of gender-based violence. While a femicide is committed approximately every eleven minutes.

In Switzerland, 70% of victims of domestic violence are women and only a small percentage files a complaint with the police. Behind these figures, there is a woman, a daughter, a mother, a sister, a friend, a neighbor whose life path changes.

This violence has its origins in cultural, legal, economic and political factors. Fighting this violence involves acting on several levels: deconstructing a patriarchal and sexist model, promoting positive masculinity, strengthening the legal system for protecting victims, ensuring the criminal prosecution of perpetrators and supporting the empowerment of women and their participation in economic and political life.

Initiatives in Albania, Ivory Coast and Costa Rica

In this context, it is important to end impunity for acts of violence against women and to reverse the feeling of guilt and shame. Studies have in fact shown that countries with a law have a lower rate of violence, i.e. 9.5%, compared to 16.1% for states that have not legislated in this area. Awareness campaigns and sex education, providing information on forms of abusive relationships, and gender equality in schools also help to combat violence against women.

During the last session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) recently held in Geneva, an overview of the human rights situations of the fourteen countries examined was presented, accompanied by initiatives to combat violence against women.

Albania has increased public spending to support gender equality while facilitating access to justice for victims of violence. Costa Rica, for its part, adopted new laws to crack down on violence against women and created a traveling care service for women in rural areas and indigenous communities. Finally, Côte d’Ivoire has launched awareness campaigns against harmful traditional practices and put in place an action plan against child marriage, while revising its Penal Code to include all forms of violence and guarantee access to legal assistance for victims.

Violence against women is not inevitable. To put an end to it, we must unite to denounce it, support the victims, advocate for a strengthening of the institutional and legal framework and the allocation of additional resources to end violence against women and girls by addressing its root causes.

Mona M’Bikay, executive director, UPR Info

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