PERC Women Committee’s message on the occasion of International Day on the Elimination of Violence Against Women – 25 November

On the 25th of November we celebrate the International Day on Elimination of Violence against Women.

A new report from the UN Women shows that two in three women reported, that they, or a woman they know, experienced some form of violence. Nearly one in three women have been abused in their lifetime. In times of crisis the number rises, as seen during COVID -19 pandemic.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our times and largely unreported because of silence, stigma and shame surrounding it. While gender based violence can happen to anyone, anywhere, some women and girls are particularly vulnerable, for instance young girls and older women, women who identify as LGBTQI+, migrants and refugees, indigenous women and ethnic minorities, women and girls with disabilities and those living through humanitarian crisis.

But gender based violence is not inevitable, it can and must be prevented!

Since the historical adoption of ILO Convention 190 and Recommendation 206 on the 21st of June 2019, the PERC affiliates and civil society organizations from PERC region have initiated campaigns and built coalitions for ratification of Convention 190 and its effective implementation. PERC women networks are organizing different national activities with the occasion of the 25th of November celebration and within the ITUC #RatifyC190 campaign and ask once again: End Violence Against Women Now!