LAHORE (Dunya News) – The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is being observed worldwide today, aiming to raise awareness and promote strong action to end violence against women.
The global day is marked every year on November 25. On this occasion, the United Nations reviews government measures taken to combat violence against women. According to UN reports, hundreds of women and girls around the world are killed daily by intimate partners or subjected to physical and sexual violence.
No society can call itself just, safe or healthy when half of its population lives in fear. Violence against women is one of humanity’s oldest injustices, yet practical action remains limited.
According to the World Health Organization, women affected by conflict or environmental disasters face an even higher risk of violence. The slogan for 2025 is “Unite to end digital violence against all women and girls.”
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has stressed that the world must continue its efforts to counter this issue, urging collective action to make violence against women a relic of the past.
Pakistan has reaffirmed its commitment to fully recognising women’s rights and eliminating all forms of violence against them. The country has strengthened its legal and administrative frameworks for the promotion and protection of women’s rights, enacted laws to increase women’s participation across sectors, and worked to ensure safer public spaces.
Women’s protection is a key priority in the government’s National Action Plan on human rights. Shelter homes providing protection and free legal assistance have been established nationwide, and the National Commission on the Status of Women has been further empowered.
To curb violence and harassment against women, both society and the government must work together.