NEW YORK, 25 November 2008: More than five million individuals around the world have sent a clear and unequivocal message to their governments to take decisive action in stopping the relentless cycle of violence against women, at the conclusion of an Internet-based United Nations campaign Tuesday.
The UN Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) launched its Say NO to Violence against Women awareness-raising campaign last year calling on governments to make ending violence against women a top priority.
The initiative amassed more than 5 million names on its website petition, easily surpassing its original target of 1 million signatures.
Academy-Award winning actress and UNIFEM Goodwill Ambassador Nicole Kidman presented the signatures to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon during a ceremony at UN Headquarters marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which is observed Tuesday.
– Women are abused at home, trafficked across borders or [become] victim to widespread and systematic sexual violence in conflict, Ms. Kidman told reporters before the ceremony. – As long as one in three women and girls may be abused in their lifetimes, violence against women must be everybody’s business.
She added that the document containing the campaign signatures was “a start” in the push to force “decision-makers” to implement laws, educate both men and women, and provide the protection, health and legal services needed in the fight to eliminate violence against women.
– Through Say NO, people in the farthest corners of the world have become engaged. This is a large new constituency that we will continue to evolve and mobilize in the years to come, said UNIFEM Executive Director Inés Alberdi.
Heads of State and ministers representing 60 governments joined more than 600 parliamentarians from over 70 countries in adding their names as a public expression of commitment to tackling the problem.
Læs hele artiklen: www.un.org
