25 November marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women – this year it also kicks off a 16-day campaign against Gender-Based Violence, leading up to Human Rights day on 10 December. A worlwide appeal to “orange our neighbourhoods” will raise awareness and support the fight to end violence against women and girls.

In a joint statement, Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the Commission, Věra Jourová, Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality and Neven Mimica, Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, said “Combating all forms of violence against women and girls is a fundamental pillar of the respect for human or fundamental rights and remains a priority for the EU, both internally and externally.”
The facts:

• 35% of women and girls globally experience some form of physical and or sexual violence in their lifetime with up to seven in ten women facing this abuse in some countries.

• In the EU, one in three women has experienced physical and/or sexual violence since the age of 15It is estimated that up to 30 million girls under the age of 15 remain at risk from Female genital mutilation and cutting, and more than 130 million girls and women have undergone the procedure worldwide.

• Worldwide, more than 700 million women alive today were married as children, 250 million of whom were married before the age of 15. Girls who marry before the age of 18 are less likely to complete their education and more likely to experience domestic violence and complications in childbirth.

• The costs and consequence of violence against women last for generations.

Read the full statement  by HRVP Mogherini and Commissioners Věra Jourová and Neven Mimica to learn more about the EU’s fight for the elimination of violence against women and girls.YOU too are invited to participate in the fight to end violence against women – Join Say NO – UNiTE’s campaign to Orange Your Neighbourhood – learn more about it:

http://www.un.org/en/events/endviolenceday/

http://www.un.org/en/women/endviolence/

Follow Say NO – UNiTE’s campaign on Facebook : SayNO – UNiTE to End Violence Against Women

Stay tuned to the EEAS’ social media for highlights of activities organised by EU Delegations around the world for awareness to eliminate violence against women.