UN Women, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have launched RESPECT Women, a new comprehensive online platform with the aim of promoting concrete policy action and programs to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls. The site was launched during the Women Deliver Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, which brings together more than 6,000 women delegates dedicated to advancing gender equality, sexual and reproductive health, and women’s and girls’ rights.
Preventing and responding to violence against women and girls remains a global public health, gender equality and human rights priority. Almost every third woman worldwide experiences physical and/or sexual violence in her lifetime. This is a stark reminder of the extent of gender inequality and discrimination against women. Women Deliver 2023 coincides with the halfway point since the Generation Equality Forum appointed WHO and UN Women to co-lead the Coalition for Action to End Gender-Based Violence, which continues to affect millions of women and girls around the world. , with devastating health effects.
The new RESPECT Women website helps fulfill the Action Coalition’s commitments to prevent violence. The user-friendly interactive platform provides practical support for the implementation of the seven evidence-based strategies of the RESPECT Women framework, with reports on the implementation of successful programs as well as training and multimedia materials for advocacy.
Launched in 2019, the RESPECT framework has been implemented in 16 countries, with country examples illustrating positive results. However, data from a WHO report shows that only 40% of countries include at least one of the three key RESPECT strategies (empowering women, ensuring relevant services and changing gender attitudes, beliefs and norms) in their national policies to combat violence against women .