WHO/P. Virot

Gender-based violence

While 35.6% of women globally have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner and non-partner violence in their lifetime, 40.2% of women in the South-East Asia Region are experiencing these violations. That proportion represents the second highest of WHO’s six regions, and is of distinct concern given the Region accounts for more than a quarter of the world’s population.

There is clear evidence of the health impact of GBV in all forms including higher risk of communicable diseases such as HIV and STIs, adverse sexual and reproductive health outcomes and mental health outcomes including harmful use of alcohol and depression and suicide.

In line with the commitment to Human Rights, the health sector should advocate for the rights of women and girls as they related to GBV. Particularly, allocating appropriate resources for prevention of GBV and response to it as part of the push to achieve UHC.

16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

25 November – 10 December 2021

Gender-based violence (GBV) or violence against women (VAW) remains pervasive in the South East-Asia Region. It is rooted in gender inequality and has with significant negative consequences on women’s physical, mental, sexual and reproductive health.

The share of women experiencing such violence over their lifetime is large. The South-East Asia Region has the second highest rate of lifetime prevalence of intimate partner violence (33%), according to the recent report ‘Violence against women estimates, 2018. Global, regional and national estimates for intimate partner violence against women and global and regional estimates for non-partner sexual violence against women’ (and its Executive Summary) released by WHO and partners.

Public health measures to control the spread of COVID19 – such as restrictions of movement– have increased the risk of exposure to gender-based violence for women and girls and limited their ability to distance themselves from their abusers and access needed services.

As WHO-SEARO Regional Director Dr Poonam Khetrapal-Singh said, “Violence against women is not only a grievous violation of the human rights of women and girls; it is also a priority public health issue, with serious consequences for the health and well-being of victims and survivors, their families and their communities. The health sector needs to play its part in responding to and preventing all forms of violence against women and girls.”

WHO is joining its partners to participate in the annual campaign, the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, observed to highlight the extent of this challenge and strengthen policies and actions to end it. The activist-led campaign commences on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and ends of 10 December, Human Rights Day. The 2021 theme is: “Orange the World: end violence against women now!”

During the 16 Days, WHO is partnering with UNFPA’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific to train health facility managers and policy-makers in three countries—Bhutan, the Maldives and Sri Lanka—in strengthening health sector capacity to respond to VAW, through a series of 6 online workshops.

Studies show that women who experience violence are more likely to seek health care, even if they don’t disclose the associated violence or abuse; and that women identify health-care providers as the professionals they would most trust with disclosure of abuse. Health care providers therefore need to have the required competencies to respond to the needs of survivors in health settings; the health care system needs to be equipped to provide the best possible care for survivors.

On 30 November, WHO will partner with UN Women’s and UNFPA’s Regional Offices for Asia and the Pacific to host an online event to disseminate the updated prevalence estimates on intimate partner violence and sexual violence in the Region. The event will also discuss how better data could be used to strengthen policies and actions to eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

As the 16 Days Campaign marks its 30^th anniversary this year, national governmental organizations and line-ministries, national women’s machineries and commissions as well non-governmental organizations and women-led organizations will participate in the campaign along with WHO and UN partner agencies.

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