The data don’t lie. At least 51,100 women suffered gender-based violence, murdered by their partner or family members in 2023. This translates into a staggering statistic: a woman is killed every 10 minutes.
Violence against women is one of the world’s most widespread and least reported scourges. The consequences are multiple, devastating and persistent. They affect every dimension of a person’s being.
The United Nations (UN) and UN Women are continuing to raise awareness, with the aim of implementing national strategies, investing in women’s organizations and improving legislation to prosecute the perpetrators and end their impunity.
To mark the 25th anniversary of this International Day, the UN is organizing an event to take stock of progress made and initiatives to eliminate gender violence. In addition, UN Women and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime will unveil the “Feminicide in 2023” report.
16 days of activism
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women also kicks off 16 days of activism around the world. The theme of the campaign is “Every 10 minutes, a woman is killed. #NoExcuse. UNiTE to end violence against women” runs until International Human Rights Day. It aims to draw attention to this major increase in violence against women, to relaunch commitments and to remind decision makers of the importance of taking action.
To find out more, consult the campaign concept note and take part in the campaign by using the keyword: #NoExcuse.
At the same time, this campaign is also an invitation to give credence to survivors’ testimonies, to adopt more inclusive approaches and to foster the empowerment of women and girls. Discover the testimony of a woman in Argentina in French, English and Spanish.