UN #orangetheworld campaign aims to eliminate violence against women

World Today

Orange the WorldThe U.N.’s “Orange the World” campaign will attempt to raise awareness about the violent realities faced by many of the world’s women and girls.

The United Nations wants to end violence against women. It is bringing attention to the problem during International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

GCTN’s Nick Harper reports the campaign runs through December 10, International Human Rights Day.
Follow Nick Harper on Twitter @NickHarperFSN

One in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence.

“The idea behind it is to make people aware of the pandemic we have in the world against women, the violence that exists against women every day,” Maria Noel Vaeza, Program Division Director for U.N. Women said.

The UN is using the hashtag #orangetheworld and encouraging people to wear orange.

Landmarks will be lit up orange.

The 16 day campaign aims to raise awareness and support.

“We want to bring all this together in these 16 days. It’s not just the harassment in the street, but it is all these girls who were suffering for life, and are not given the opportunity,” Vaeza said.

The U.N. estimates 750 million women were married before their 18th birthday. 120 million girls have been raped, or forced to perform sexual acts. And at least 200 million have undergone female genital mutilation.

The ‘International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women’ marks the assassination of the Mirabal sisters in the Dominican Republic in 1960.

The civil rights activists were killed for fighting against the repressive rule of dictator Rafael Trujillo.

LINK: Interactive from U.N. 

Laura Carlsen on causes of gender-based violence in Mexico

Violence against women is an issue worldwide, but especially so in Mexico. Drug and gang related violence regularly targets women, forcing the government to create special tools like “gender alerts” to combat the issue. Laura Carlsen, director of the America’s program at the Center for International Policy, discusses violence against women in Mexico with CGTN’s Susan Roberts.