The UN General Assembly, by resolution of 17 December 1999, declared 25 November as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to highlight a major global problem.
One in 5 women experience physical violence at least once during their adult life, at least one in 10 experience sexual violence, while one in 5 women experience domestic violence, one of the leading causes of death among women, according to research in Europe and Cyprus.
This is stated in her message for the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, Gender Equality Commissioner Iosifina Antoniou, who points out that violence is a blatant violation of fundamental human rights and fundamental freedoms and deprives the individual of any desire for free development. creation and progress.
The support and empowerment of women, he says, who escape from the vicious circle of violence is extremely important, for their protection and empowerment, as well as for their smooth reintegration into society.
To this end, he adds, significant progress has been made in our country in recent years, culminating in the ratification of the Istanbul Convention and the preparation of special legislation aimed at its full and effective implementation.
At the same time, a number of actions, programs and measures aimed at the complete elimination of gender-based violence have been implemented and are in the process of being implemented.
Notes that the National Mechanism for Women's Rights, of which it is chaired, always assists in such actions and initiatives, through grants it provides to Women, Non-Governmental Organizations and other bodies for the development of such programs, but also through synergies and actions that undertakes its special committee dealing with issues of combating gender-based violence.
He emphasizes that domestic violence is not a private matter, it concerns the whole society and is one of the most important social problems of our time.
"The silence of this unacknowledged crime - which is the most widespread in the world - affects the life, dignity and integrity of half the world's population and degrades every society morally, culturally, socially and economically. It is the duty of all of us to work collectively and in a coordinated manner for its complete elimination ", concludes Ms. Antoniou in her message.