Violence Against Women
Society-Violence against women - Marking the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Tuesday urged governments and the corporate sector to increase funding to the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women. A statement issued ahead of the Day, which falls on Friday, said: 'Stepping up donations to the Trust Fund, now marking its 15th anniversary of grant-giving to support innovative regional, local and national projects, is a major target of the Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign.'
It said since it began operations in 1997, the Fund had awarded over US$78 million to 339 projects in 127 countries and territories.
However, resources for the Fund have fallen drastically short, meeting less than 5 per cent of the vast demand.
The statement quoted the secretary-general as saying that this year alone, the Fund had received more than 2,500 applications requesting nearly US$1.2 billion.
He appealed to all our partners to help them meet this vast unmet need.
It said that the focus of this year’s International Day is: 'Youth leadership in preventing and ending gender-based violence.'
It disclosed that, in New York, Ban would host breakfast for young people where he will highlight their important role in his UNiTE campaign, and present awards to the winners of the recent UNiTE t-shirt design competition for young men and boys.
The secretary-general and UN Women Executive Director, Michelle Bache Bachelet, would present a statement at the official observance of the International Day at UN headquarters, where they will be joined by youth recipients of UN Trust Fund grants.
Disney actress and first-ever UN Youth Champion Monique Coleman will moderate the event.
Also, dozens of events would take place around the world, organized by UN offices working with government and civil society partners, including the regional components on the UNiTE campaign in Africa, Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Launched in 2008, the UNiTE campaign aims to raise public awareness and increase political will and resources for preventing and responding to all forms of violence against women and girls in all parts of the world.
UNiTE also works to engage men as part of the solution to end gender-based violence.
Since its launch in 2009, members of the Secretary-General’s Network of Men Leaders have undertaken specific actions to end violence against women and girls, from raising public awareness to meeting with young men and boys.