2015: a Potential Turning Point in History for Women Around the World

LONDON, March 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Today Womankind Worldwide are launching a major appeal to fund women's rights organisations around the world to stop violence against women and girls, and every donation will be matched by the UK government pound for pound.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: "In a world where one in three women will be beaten or sexually abused in her lifetime, violence against women and girls is one of the greatest and most pressing challenges we face.

"By matching all public donations to Womankind's appeal, we will help train more teachers, police and health workers and work with communities and schools to reduce violence. That means more than 15,500 of the most vulnerable women and girls in Tanzania and Kenya will have the confidence to claim their rights and ultimately take control of their own lives."  

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.

"Would we be where we are today without the women's movement? They have played a big part in setting the tone and through negotiation processes, coming up with frameworks and commitments and monitoring them" - 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.

Notes to editors: 

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.