International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women -
African Women Ambassadors to the United Nations in Geneva and UNAIDS

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen:

What a wonderful and important evening – I am glad to be able to be here with you tonight. Thank you to the African Women Ambassadors for your kind invitation, and thank you as well to UNAIDS for hosting us for this special event.

We are coming together today to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Let us be clear exactly what we are fighting to eliminate:
̶ Violence against women is, above all, a human rights violation.
̶ It is a public health pandemic.
̶ It is a gruesome weapon of physical and psychological warfare.
̶ It is perhaps the biggest obstacle to economic prosperity in today’s world.
̶ And let us also be clear that violence against women occurs in a variety of ways in every community across the world. No country, whether developing or developed, is immune from it.

More than 1 in 3 women face violence throughout their lifetime; 15 million underage girls are forced to marry every year; and more than 250 million have suffered genital mutilation.

Violence against women is the most visible sign of pervasive patriarchy and chauvinism across our societies. The recent emergence of reports detailing sexual harassment in the workplace from many organizations and institutions worldwide shows how pervasive this form of sexual violence is. We need to fight it in all its forms, anywhere, anytime.

Because we know that a society that does not afford women an equal role to men is a society that does not and cannot reach its potential.

Because we know that if women’s physical and psychological health continues to be violated, we will not achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Violence against women is fundamentally about power. It will only end when gender equality and the full empowerment of women will be a reality.

We need to eliminate structural inequalities, but we also need to change attitudes. Attitudes that tell girls to be demure, and boys to be assertive; that sanction girls for speaking out, and boys for shedding a tear.

We need a cultural shift – in every part of the world and in our United Nations. I can assure you that this is a top priority at the highest level of our Organization.

Right here in Geneva, we launched the International Gender Champions Initiative. Every champion – and there are 200 of them active across Geneva, New York, Vienna and beyond as we speak – commits to three tangible actions to advance gender equality. If you have not done so already, I strongly encourage you to join our Secretary-General, myself, and an increasing number of your colleagues and become a champion yourself.

Tomorrow, we will see the world – including our Palais des Nations – lit up in orange, symbolizing a bright future for women and girls.

When we shine a spotlight on the empowerment of the world’s women and girls, everyone’s future will be brighter.

The United Nations is proud to be your partner. And so am I.

Thank you.