Did you know that 1/3 of women globally experience violence at least once in their lifetime?

Yes, they are. Still, in this highly developed and modernized 21st century, women and girls continue to face deep-rooted inequality and violence every day.

The numbers kept rising significantly throughout the years after the COVID-19 pandemic, which intensified and exacerbated deep social, cultural, and structural inequalities, reversing decades of progress in eliminating violence against women and girls.

Irrespective of the widespread campaigns and movements all across the world to eradicate violence against women, violence against women and girls remains the most widespread and pervasive human rights violation, affecting more than 1/3 of women—a figure that has largely remained unchanged over the past decades.

So how long will this remain unanswered?

Each and every second that we choose to be silent, a woman or a girl is losing their basic right to live a peaceful life.

It is now time for us to stop being negligent and raise awareness, inspire others, and share knowledge to end violence against women and girls once and for all.

Accordingly, the 25th of November is not just another day; it is the day dedicated to the elimination of violence against women. On this day, the United Nations has called for public education and action to end violence against women and girls.

A 16-day activism program will be commenced every year, starting on November 25 and ending on December 10, with the main purpose of eradicating gender-based violence. And this year it would bear the theme “UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls”.

The colour orange will be used throughout the campaign to represent a bright future free from violence. The United Nations encourages the public to wear, decorate, and light orange during the 16 days of activism as a showcase of support for this tremendous project.

Violence against women does not only include physical violence but also sexual violence, psychological violence, domestic violence, school-related gender-based violence, verbal abuse, financial abuse, and many more.

Apart from the above, one of the most devastating concerns today is child marriage. According to reports, each year, 15 million girls are married before the age of 18. That equates to 28 girls every minute. It’s shocking, isn’t it?

According to a survey conducted by the United Nations Women in 2021, 7 out of 10 women think that verbal or physical abuse by a partner has become more common since the pandemic. Furthermore, 6 out of 10 women believed that sexual harassment in public places had worsened since the pandemic.

These statistics provide a powerful reminder that we need to do more to combat and raise awareness of violence against women and girls.

Even though policymakers and authorities have raised their concerns about these facts with the global surveys unveiling the true consequences of violence, at the same time there has been a rise in anti-rights movements, including anti-feminist groups, resulting in a backlash against women’s rights organizations and a rise in attacks against women human rights defenders and activists.

Regardless of these worrying trends, the reports have also proved that there is more room than ever for preventing violence against women and girls. These reports perceive that feminist mobilization, or the presence of a strong and autonomous feminist movement, is critical in the movement to eliminate violence against women and girls forever.

So, what do you think is your role in ending violence against women?

Violence against women is a global concern that needs to be brought to the attention of all. Conducting public events and seminars will not be the sole answer. We as humans should always work rationally and wisely with the intention of preventing any form of women’s violence. Also, for this purpose, having a strict legal system is important, but it is even more important to have truthful and accountable citizens.

Irrespective of gender, every person living in the world has an equal responsibility to raise their voice against violence. It does not always take being a woman to be a feminist. Men can also be feminists. A feminist is anyone who recognizes the equality and full humanity of women and men. Accordingly, everyone can fight for women’s rights by being a feminist.

It is also paramount that we should be able to raise our voices wherever and whenever needed. The power of voice can awaken the unseen and unvoiced. You are not alone as long as you have a voice. Develop yourself, educate yourself, and express yourself. We need to be brave.

As both men and women have a role in eliminating violence against women and girls, let’s unite and roar until we eliminate violence against women irrevocably.

Written by: Rtr. Yerani Gunawardana

Graphic design by: Rtr. Dinuki Perera