"Stop Violence Now": New Awareness Campaign Launches to Prevent and Combat Gender-Based Violence

Kyiv, November 25, 2024 – Today marks the launch of an awareness campaign aimed at raising public awareness about gender-based violence against women and girls, promoting its prevention and response, and informing about support services available for survivors. 

The campaign is implemented by the United Nations in Ukraine in cooperation with other UN agencies, including UN Women. It will run from November 25 to December 10 during the "16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence" and is part of the "UNiTE to End Violence Against Women" initiative, launched in 2008 by the UN Secretary-General. 

Globally, one in three women aged 15 or older has experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in her lifetime. In Ukraine, the ongoing war, deteriorating security conditions, forced displacement, and economic instability have exacerbated the risks of gender-based violence. As a result, millions of people, primarily women and girls, urgently require support. 

Ukraine’s 2024 informational campaign “Stop Violence Now” emphasizes that combating violence cannot wait. The war underscores the value of every life, reminding us that there may not be another chance to act. 

Now is the time to seek help, support a loved one, extend a helping hand to a stranger, or simply learn more about the issue. Now is the time to abandon harmful beliefs or stereotypes, show empathy and humanity, or offer a reliable shoulder to those in need. Now is the perfect moment to take the first step and say "stop" to gender-based violence.  

In 2024, the global UNiTE initiative places particular emphasis on preventing and addressing gender-related killings (femicide).  

“Every ten minutes last year, a woman somewhere in the world was killed by someone she knew. This is a horrifying and unacceptable figure. We must do everything possible to reduce gender-based violence, including femicide — the most brutal and extreme form of violence against women and girls. 

Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has increased risk to gender-based violence, including conflict-relates sexual violence. An estimated 2.5 million people in Ukraine, primarily women and girls, require support to prevent and respond to gender based violence. UN Women in Ukraine has joined the awareness campaign to increase public awareness about gender-based violence, what it is, how to support survivors, and where to seek help. Together, we must work to make the world a safer place with as little violence as possible,” said Sabine Freizer Gunes, UN Women Representative in Ukraine. 

UN Women supports the 16 Days of Activism campaign annually as part of its mission to end violence against women and girls. Each year, UN Women partners with government and civil society representatives to raise awareness, share survivor stories, and work with those committed to creating a world free from violence. 

This annual international campaign begins on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and concludes on December 10, Human Rights Day. It aims to raise awareness of gender-based violence as one of the most pervasive human rights violations globally. Since its inception in 1991 by activists from the Center for Women's Global Leadership, the campaign has united individuals and organizations worldwide in the fight to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.