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2015: a Potential Turning Point in History for Women Around the World
International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:
This comes in a year when negotiations over three major international agreements offer an unprecedented opportunity for global action aimed at ending violence, discrimination and inequality. But, there is a real risk that this opportunity could be missed and efforts towards achieving gender equality will stall.
A new report from Womankind Worldwide highlights three major negotiations: the post-2015 development framework; the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action; and the appraisal of UN Security Council Resolution 1325, as offering the possibility for the international community to galvanise their efforts towards ending gender inequality.
The scale of the problem demands international action. More than one in three women around the world experience some form of violence in their lifetime. 38% of murdered women are killed by an existing or former partner. Only 1 in 5 parliamentarians around the world are women. Increased militarism and conflict across the world has exacerbated violence against women and girls, and women are persistently side-lined from conflict resolution and peacebuilding processes.
The report underlines the importance of women's rights organisations around the world in leading change. These organisations have thrived over the last two decades, campaigning for justice for survivors of violence, raising awareness of women's rights, providing services to women and supporting women to organise and demand change in their communities and countries.
- Abigail Matsvayi, Zimbabwe Women Lawyers Association.
Womankind are calling for women's rights organisations to get the support and funding they need to achieve equality and end violence and discrimination against women.
Womankind Worldwide is a UK based international women's rights and development organisation. For over 25 years we've worked in partnership with women led organisations in Africa , Asia and Latin America to improve the lives and status of women and girls, by addressing injustices through local services and engagement, and using this experience to lobby for change in national and international policies and legislation.