INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE ELIMINATION OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

By Bukoye Oluwafunso

Violence against women in particular continues to persist as one of the most horrifying, deep-seated and pervasive human rights abuse in the world. It’s a threat to all women and an obstacle to development, peace and unity in all societies.

 
Gender based violence is a global pandemic that cuts across all borders, impacting all people and societies regardless of ethnicity, race, socio-economic status or religion. 

Violence against women and girls takes on many forms and is wide spread throughout the globe. The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women raises public awareness of violence against women in all countries around the world and at all levels in society.

On this day the World Assembly of Youth joins the rest of the world to urge governments and partners around the world to embrace the energy, ideas and leadership of young people as they help end this pandemic of violence.

As a human rights issue, the effort to end violence against women becomes a governments’ obligation and not just a good idea. By organizing activities around the world, WAY hopes to draw attention to
the need for continued action from the different stakeholders to improve their efforts and response to this crisis, as well as draw up resolutions of prevention, protection and prosecution as essentials to
combating this violence.

WAY further calls on governments of member states to embrace a strategic vision, outlining how they plan to tackle this violence. By challenging the attitudes and behaviors which foster it, intervening early where possible to prevent it, providing adequate support where violence occurs, and working in partnership to obtain the best outcome for victims and their families, we hope to achieve the cultural change
we need to tackle this problem.

With the adoption of the Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, the international community sent out a clear message that gender based violence will not be tolerated.

"Let this day be an opportunity to renew that commitment and determination towards the
practice justice and equality in our societies, where no one is deemed better than the other".