One in every three women in the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime, according to the UN.
Violence against women is a human rights violation and a crime. It is a result of discrimination against women and an effort to entrench persisting inequalities between men and women. It also impedes progress in many areas, including poverty eradication; combating HIV/AIDS; and peace and security. Sadly, the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden.
News and images of horrific crimes of sexual violence happening across the world reach us through the media daily. In Ethiopia, violence against women and girls is still pervasive, with 68% of women believing that wife beating is justified. Early marriage is widespread, exposing girls to early pregnancy; discontinuation of education; and impaired options for economic empowerment. But this can be changed. The Government of Ethiopia is actively fighting violence against women and girls, through for example eradicating forced abduction for marriage; female genital mutilation; and early child marriage.
Foreign Secretary William Hague launched the Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative, something he personally feels passionately about, a year ago. This was endorsed by all G8 Foreign Ministers in April in London and later at the UN in June. As part of our wider effort, we mark 25 November every year as International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women to raise awareness about the alarming spread of this problem and its terrible consequences for humanity.
The Day also reminds us the need to strengthen our shared commitment against rape; domestic violence; and other forms of violence against women. This is a task not just for women and girls but for men and boys too.
25 November marks the start of the “16 Days of Activism” that precede Human Rights Day on 10 December. During this period I and my Embassy colleagues are pleased to join millions of people throughout the world wearing a white ribbon, as part of the White Ribbon Campaign to show that we are all opposed to violence against women. We can make a difference.