25 November marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Under the theme “Orange the World: End Violence against Women Now!”, it also marks the beginning of 16 days of global activism to raise awareness of this enduring violation of women’s and girl’s human rights.
In March 2021, WHO released a report entitled “Violence Against Women Prevalence Estimates, 2018” which shows that 1 in 3 women across their lifetime are subjected to physical or sexual violence. And in times of crises, this number increases, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent humanitarian crises, conflicts and climate disasters. A report from UN Women shows that 2 in 3 women reported that they or a woman they know experienced some form of violence.
From a nursing perspective, consisting of 92% of women, nurses are themselves more likely to be exposed to verbal, emotional or physical violence (including death threats, punches, and sexual harassment) at their workplace in comparison with other professions. Evidence on the frequency and impact of violence on nurses is accumulating, pointing to negative physical, mental, social and professional effects. Most violence in nurses’ workplaces being perpetrated by patients and visitors with evidence that this worsens in disaster and conflict situations.
It is therefore crucial that nurses/women have a strong voice in the design of health and social policies. Nurses/women are ideally positioned to both lead and support such developments. Policy-makers and politicians have here a golden opportunity to ensure that the reform process addresses the challenges of the long-standing inequality between women and men, both as providers and as recipients of care. Engage nurses in the co-design of policies to reach impact.
On 11 November 2021, Helena Dalli, European Commissioner for Equality, strengthening Europe’s commitment to inclusion and equality, and leading the fight against discrimination, raised that the EU directive on violence against women to be proposed by the European Commission will set standards for prevention, protection and access to justice for victims, and criminalisation of specific forms of violence against women, to the extent of EU competence. It will take a victim-centred and intersectional approach and go beyond the Istanbul Convention by addressing both online and offline forms of violence.
On this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the EFN calls on the European Commission to deliver EU legislation with measures to end gender-based violence. We need the EU to act now, especially now with COVID-19. Nurses are getting beaten up while doing their job. We cannot tolerate this violence! The EFN warns that inertia at this stage could lead to irreplicable damage to the nursing workforce, compounding pressures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Ultimately, this situation can drive existing nurses out of the profession as deter new recruits. Unless action is taken, Europe’s capacity to respond to the ever-increasing risk of future pandemics may be significantly diminished.
explained to Members of Parliament’s Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) and Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs (LIBE) Committees that
Two years of pandemic measures such as lockdowns and disruptions to vital support services have further increased women’s exposure to violence.
Nearly 1 in 3 women have been abused in their lifetime. In times of crises, the numbers rise, as seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and recent humanitarian crises, conflicts and climate disasters. A new report from UN Women, based on data from 13 countries since the pandemic, shows that 2 in 3 women reported that they or a woman they know experienced some form of violence and are more likely to face food insecurity. Only 1 in 10 women said that victims would go to the police for help.
As in previous years, this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women launches 16 days of activism to be concluded on the 10th of December 2020 — the day that commemorates the International Human Rights Day.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on 25 November marks the beginning of 16 days of global activism to raise awareness of this enduring violation of women’s and girl’s human rights and to share promising solutions. The end goal, symbolised by the colour orange, is to create a brighter world where all women live free from the many forms of violence perpetrated against them because they are women and from the attitudes and behaviours that allow this violence to continue. In connection with this year’s campaign, the United Nations (UN) stresses that gender-based violence against women is pervasive but not inevitable and that there are effective means of preventing and stopping it.
25 November – In 2017, Vera Jourová, European Commissioner for Justice, Consumers and Gender Equality, took the initiative to dedicate one year to ending violence against women, putting combating gender-based violence high on the EU agenda through a ‘year of focused actions’.
Across the EU, many different initiatives were launched, including training health, legal, and education professionals or young people, or working with communities, local councils, and many other organisations to reduce the risk of violence taking place and support women who have been affected. At EU level, the NON.NO.NEIN. campaign (#SayNoStopVAW) was launched to share information and showcase success stories about the important work done in this field across the EU. More than an awareness-raising campaign, this initiative was aiming to support, engage and connect all stakeholders in combatting this challenge. Some examples of the EU-funded projects working to end violence against women can be seen here.
As that year is coming to a close, it is time to look at what has been achieved and discuss the steps forwards. As such, the European Commission is hosting a high-level conference on 4 December 2018, in Brussels, for representatives from Member States and international organisations, civil society actors and activists, to look at the achievements done so far and discuss the strategic co-operation between EU institutions, EU Member States, International Organisations, NGOs, and academics in combatting violence against women and the impact of the EU’s actions to combat gender-based violence.
From a nursing perspective, consisting of 92% of women, it is crucial that nurses/women have a strong voice in the design of health and social policies. Nurses/women are ideally positioned to both lead and support such developments. Policy-makers and politicians have here a golden opportunity to ensure that the reform process addresses the challenges of the long-standing inequality between women and men, both as providers and as recipients of care. Engage nurses in the co-design of policies to reach impact.