Open the door. Take a stand. End Violence.

Every year, from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day), the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence call for global solidarity to end violence against women and girls everywhere.

Violence against women is a major public health and human rights crisis, affecting almost one in three women in their lifetime. The risks increase even further in contexts of humanitarian crises, climate-vulnerable settings, and poverty. Behind every statistic lies the story of a woman or girl whose health, safety, and rights have been violated.

Yet, violence against women is preventable. Across the world, communities are challenging unequal gender norms, governments are strengthening policies and laws, and health systems are stepping up to provide care and support for survivors.

This year’s campaign highlights the new Violence against women, 2023 estimates produced by the World Health Organization (WHO) on behalf of the UN Violence Against Women Inter-Agency Working Group on Estimation and Data (VAW-IAWGED) and the second edition of the RESPECT women prevention framework, launching on 19 November and which together provide the latest evidence and practical guidance for governments, health systems, and communities to act.