Campaign | UNiTE T-Shirt Competition

ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN

Millions of women and girls worldwide suffer some form of gender-based violence, be it domestic violence, rape, female genital mutilation/cutting, dowry-related killing, trafficking, sexual violence in conflict-related situations, or other manifestations of abuse. In fact, for women and girls 16-44 years old, gender based violence is a major cause of death and disability.

Launched in 2008, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign aims to raise public awareness and increase political will and resources for preventing and ending all forms of violence against women and girls in all parts of the world.

The campaign calls on governments, civil society, women’s organizations, men, young people, the private sector, the media and the entire UN system to join forces in addressing this global pandemic.

SIX THINGS YOU CAN DO TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS:

Educate yourself about the causes and consequences of violence against women and girls.

Listen to girls and women you know to learn from them and their experiences.

Challenge sexist language and jokes that degrade women and girls.

Learn to recognize and oppose violence and harassment of women and girls in your school, community and family.

Examine how your own attitudes and behavior might contribute to the problem.

Support, financially or otherwise, organizations that work to provide women and girls with alternatives to violence and discontinue support to those institutions that promote
violence.

USEFUL LINKS

FAST FACTS

Based on country data available, up to 70 percent of women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime (the majority by intimate partners or someone they know)
Worldwide, up to 50 percent of sexual assaults are committed against girls under 16 years old.
Women and girls account for about 80 percent of the estimated 800,000 people trafficked across national borders annually. Sexual exploitation accounts for about 80% of the detected trafficking cases.
Between 40 and 50 percent of women in the European Union experience unwanted sexual advances, physical contact or other forms of sexual harassment at work.
20,000 to 50,000 women were raped during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, while approximately 250,000 to 500,000 women were raped during the 1994 genocide in Rwanda.
School-related violence limits the educational opportunities and achievements of girls.
Women are already two to four times more likely than men to become infected with HIV during intercourse, with forced sex or rape increasing this risk by limiting condom use and causing physical injuries.