On the Occasion of 16 Days of Activism, UN Women National Committee Canada Calls for Action to End Violence Against Women

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Nov. 24, 2014) - On the occasion of 16 Days of Activism, UN Women National Committe Canada calls for action to end violence against women and to "Orange YOUR Neighbourhood" tomorrow to display the colour to symbolize hope for a future free from violence against women and girls.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, established in 1991 at Rutgers University, is a global campaign that seeks to mobilize communities worldwide an end all forms of violence perpetrated on the grounds of gender.

"The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign is an important reminder of the many opportunities we have in combating violence against women and gender inequality. 1 in 3 women globally will experience sexual or physical violence in her lifetime; in Canada, one woman is killed by her intimate partner every six days. This is unacceptable, and it is preventable," says Almas Jiwani. "We need inclusive, sustainable and effective solutions to end gender-based violence; to do this, we need to include men as actors in speaking up about and defending gender equality. The HeForShe campaign launched by UN Women is the first endeavour to mobilize men and boys as changemakers in this regard, and the 16 Days of Activism is a great way to learn more and get involved, and to recognize that gender equality doesn't just benefit women - it can benefit all."

"We need this eye-catching colour everywhere so that the message is loud and clear: we all need to work together to stop violence against women and girls right now," says UN Women Executive Director Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka. "That includes men and boys standing up for what's right and working with us and the women's movement to tackle gender inequality. We have to end this universal violation of human rights. We know what works; now we are insisting on the commitment of political action and commensurate resources to that agenda."

Despite recent progress in many countries to stop violence, gaps remain, with devastating consequences. Around the world, women are beaten in their homes, harassed on the streets and bullied on the Internet. One in three women experiences physical or sexual violence at some point in her life - mostly by an intimate partner. Among all women killed in 2012, nearly half died at the hands of a partner or family member. Far too often, crimes go unpunished and perpetrators walk free.

A critical juncture has been reached with global recognition that violence against women and girls is a serious but solvable problem. Momentum is growing as the world gears up in 2015 to mark the 20th anniversary of the Beijing Platform for Action, as well as the end of the Millennium Development Goals and the framing of a bold new global development agenda.

"Together we must make 2015 the year that marks the beginning of the end of gender inequality," Ms. Mlambo-Ngcuka added. "Now is the time for action."

About UN Women National Committee Canada

UN Women National Committee Canada is an independent non-governmental organization that supports the mission of UN Women through public awareness initiatives about UN Women and global women's issues, and fundraising efforts to support UN Women programs worldwide.