Belén Sanz Luque, Regional Director, UN Women Europe and Central Asia
Every ten minutes, a woman is killed. Every day, 140 women and girls worldwide lose their lives at the hands of their partner or a family member. In 2023 alone, 85,000 women and girls were intentionally killed.
These are not faceless statistics—they are women and girls leading their lives, daughters, sisters, mothers, and friends; active members of our communities whose efforts have built and cared for our societies.
November 25 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the beginning of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This date was chosen in memory of the Mirabal sisters of the Dominican Republic, murdered for their resistance against
tyranny and injustice. Their story, like so many others, symbolizes the courage of women who have fought for human rights. 16 Days of Activism is more than a campaign—it is a global call to honour the legacy of women and to act decisively against unspeakable acts of violence and ensure not another woman faces any type of violence.
This year, 16 Days of Activism comes at a pivotal moment. We are reminded of the commitments for a free and safe world made decades ago as we approach the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and the 25th anniversary of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security. These are cornerstone historical agreements pushing for greater gender equality and women’s empowerment in all areas of society.
In 2024, this international commemoration spotlights the urgent issue of femicide. Femicide or Feminicide is the most serious type of gender-based violence, the intentional killing of a woman or girl based on gender-based discrimination. Gender stereotypes, harmful social norms, gender-based discrimination and unequal power relations between women and men continue to drive femicide worldwide.
Femicide is part of a cycle of violence against women and it is usually preceded by other types of gender-based violence that we need to identify and prevent. One in three women – an estimated 736 million women globally – has experienced physical or sexual violence. Adolescent girls face particular risk, with almost one in four experiencing intimate partner violence by the age of 19.
Over a period of 12 months in Europe and Central Asia alone, 24 million women have experienced some form of physical or sexual violence committed by their partner1. In the Western Balkans, Ukraine, and Moldova, 45% of women have experienced sexual harassment, including sexual harassment online2. In the same countries, 60% of women who have been in an intimate relationship have experienced phycological violence3 by their partner4. In Turkey 15 % of Women aged 20-24, were married before 185.
Women face heightened risks of violence during crises, like wars and violent conflicts or natural disasters like faced in this region. Often times, sexual violence is used as a weapon of war. In Ukraine this year alone, 2.5 million people, predominantly women and girls, were estimated to need GBV services and assistance6.
Many survivors remain without support and perpetrators often go unpunished. Impunity can lead to lack of trust in institutions and the law as well as lower reporting of gender-based violence.
There is No Excuse for violence against women and girls! This violence is not inevitable; it is preventable. The 16 Days of Activism also reminds us to invest in prevention. Evidence shows
that strong laws, when effectively implemented, can reduce rates of violence. The Istanbul Convention remain a key guiding framework for the countries in this region; however, legislation alone is not enough. We need stronger implementation to ensure adequate access to services by survivors, effective protection measures, reparation and non-repetition. We need zero tolerance for any act of violence against women and girls and we must keep every perpetrator accountable. And very importantly, addressing the root causes of violence requires tackling structural gender inequalities in all spheres of women and girls’ lives, in the classroom, in the work place, in policymaking, in the street and at home; challenging gender-based discrimination, harmful social norms and stereotypes that perpetuate inequality.
Because There is No Excuse, this year, to strengthen prevention of gender-based violence, from UN Women Europe and Central Asia, we are listening to the voice of women and girls through the #HearHerStory campaign. With an urgent focus on preventing any form of violence including its gravest form, femicide, UN Women underlines the power of storytelling as a vital strategy to break the silence and foster understanding to end any form f violence against women and girls.
We should reflect on what type of world we want to leave as our legacy to the next generations. As we approach Beijing+30 and orange the world this year, it is necessary to take urgent step to end femicide.
This is our moment to act. Breaking the cycle of violence is not just a goal; it is a promise we cannot break.
