User Center
My Training Class
Feedback
Every year, we remember the history of the Mirabal Sisters, brutally assassinated on 25 November 1960 for having fought in support of their rights as women and activists. Sixty years after, millions of girls and women all around the world continue to be subjected to violence.
This violence represents one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations of our time, and it can take many forms, including physical, sexual, or psychological violence, as well as economic abuse and exploitation.
These forms of violence are deeply rooted in mentalities and systemic gender inequalities. We must therefore tackle the root causes of the violence and gender stereotyping: it is in people's minds that equality must be constructed.
As COVID-19 continues, we must be aware of its impacts to the so-called “shadow pandemic”, a pandemic of violence against women and girls that compromises gender equality and peace all around the world. Since the beginning of COVID-19, domestic violence reports and emergency calls have surged upwards of at least 25 per cent in several countries. Such incidents of domestic violence are often under-reported and the numbers are underestimated as it has been found that more than 60% of women who experience violence do not seek help.
In addition, 767 million girls were unable to attend school during lockdown, and 11 million of them may never return to school, increasing their risk of being subjected to gender-based and sexual violence, early pregnancy and child marriages.
Since its creation, UNESCO works tirelessly towards gender equality and to eliminate violence against women. In times of crisis, we need more than ever to adress toxic gender stereotypes that lead to such violent acts.
UNESCO is convinced that this combat is everyone’s business and men and boys have a central role to play. Therefore, UNESCO marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women in 2020, through different events that called upon men’s and boys' engagement in ending violence against women and girls:
- A Master Class to raise awareness on gender-based violence, and to create a safe space for an open conversation on how to tackle these issues through education. The inclusion of men and boys, and young people, is crucial in working on the elimination of rooted gender stereotypes. Young people of different origins and backgrounds took part in this debate and came up with recommendations and concrete commitments.
- A High-Level Roundtable was organized on the need to engage and educate men to reject all forms of gender-based violence, and to discuss concrete actions that can make a lasting difference through education, responsive legal systems, sensitized media and enhanced community participation. The opening remarks were addressed by UNESCO Director-General, Audrey Azoulay, and the Prime Minister of Iceland, Katrín Jakobsdóttir. You can watch the video of the roundtable here.
On the International Day for Elimination of Violence against Women, UNESCO calls for broad civic and humanist awareness to expose and combat this shadow pandemic that so seriously threatens the health and wellbeing of millions of women, and the social fabric of our societies. We need everyone to step up our efforts to take action against gender-based violence.
Learn more about this International Day here.
Report
Share
Comments
Something to say?
Login or Sign up for free