International Day for the Elimination of Violence
November 27, 2023
The university recognizes the staggering statistics, revealing that 1 in 3 women globally has experienced sexual or physical violence. Sadly, there is also tremendous loss of life, amounting to over 48,000 women and girls worldwide who are killed by their intimate partners or other family members.
We at the University of St. Martin (USM), as thought leaders in society, have joined our voices to the International echoes advocating for an end to violence against vulnerable girls and women. The next 16 days of observance, will culminate on December 10th, which incidentally is commemorated as International Human Rights Day, and afford us the opportunity to draw attention to the plight of victims of domestic or gender-based violence.
Among the activities organized by USM, is the hosting of a round table discussion on the topic -gender-based violence - with speakers from government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), CSOs, academia the religious and legal fraternities, who will offer various perspectives on the subject matter. The intention is to highlight this social scourge, and to advise victims of the recourse available to them, and how to access the relevant services. We recognize too, that there are some underlying behavioral, psychological, attitudinal and cultural issues that may trigger this unacceptable and criminal behavior from perpetrators or would be perpetrators, hence we must acknowledge that we need to work with our men and boys, as much as we do with our women and girls, to address this very complex problem, which sadly leads to inflicting serious psychological and physical harm.
The university recognizes the staggering statistics, revealing that 1 in 3 women globally has experienced sexual or physical violence. Sadly, there is also tremendous loss of life, amounting to over 48,000 women and girls worldwide, who are killed by their intimate partners or other family members, in effect, more than 133 women or girls are killed every day by a family member. This statistic serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive and sustained efforts to combat this pervasive issue.
According to the United Nations (UN), and I quote: “We need more investment in women's organizations, better legislation, prosecution of perpetrators, more services for survivors and training for law enforcement officials”. This year's campaign hovers around a theme “invest to prevent violence against women and girls” with the slogan #NO EXCUSE. We at USM have opted to demonstrate our solidarity with global and International efforts to end violence against women and girls, by wearing orange t-shirts; the hosting of a symposium, and a library display.
The symbolic gesture of wearing orange t-shirts, the hosting of symposiums, and the integration of discussions on gender-based violence into academic coursework, all underscore USM's commitment to fostering awareness and education. Lecturers and instructors have played a pivotal role in this initiative by embracing the call to incorporating the subject matter into their courses, ensuring that students are well-informed and engaged in the discourse. I wish to thank all those who participated.
We also thank faculty, staff and students who have heeded the invitation to do their part in raising awareness, part of which, as I indicated involve the wearing of USM branded orange t-shirts, to send a strong message, that we at USM lend our voice and effort to ending violence against women.
As USM prepares for the round table discussion and other planned activities, there is a sense of optimism that these initiatives will contribute to greater awareness, understanding, and tangible action in the ongoing battle against gender-based violence. The campaign serves not only as a university-led effort, but as a part of the broader societal movement to bring about positive change and eliminate the scourge of violence against women and girls. In short order we will share more details on the date, time and venue of the round table discussion.
We applaud the work of the government, civil society and private sector organizations that have also done their part in raising awareness, and saying very clearly that they too wish to be part of the effort to end violence against women.
We recognize, though, that there is still much work to be done, and anticipate that this year’s activities will help to raise greater awareness and help trigger greater efforts to address this disturbing, inhumane, and sometimes deadly act against women and girls.
SUMMARY
The University of St. Martin (USM) has taken a proactive stand against gender-based violence, aligning its efforts with the global campaign on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Over the next 16 days, leading up to International Human Rights Day on December 10th, the university is engaging in a series of activities to draw attention to the plight of victims of domestic and gender-based violence.
One significant initiative is the hosting of a round table discussion on gender-based violence. The event will feature speakers from diverse sectors, including government, NGOs, CSOs, academia, religious, and legal fraternities, providing various perspectives on the subject. The aim is to shed light on the social scourge, offer advice to victims on available recourse and accessing relevant services, and address the underlying behavioral, psychological, attitudinal, and cultural issues that contribute to such unacceptable and criminal behavior.
USM is actively raising awareness about the staggering global statistics, revealing that 1 in 3 women has experienced sexual or physical violence. The university also acknowledges the tragic loss of over 48,000 women and girls worldwide, killed by intimate partners or family members—an alarming average of more than 133 lives lost daily. These statistics underscore the urgent need for comprehensive and sustained efforts to combat this pervasive issue.
In alignment with the United Nations' call for action, this year's campaign at USM revolves around the theme "invest to prevent violence against women and girls" with the powerful slogan #NO EXCUSE. The university is demonstrating solidarity with global efforts by wearing orange t-shirts, hosting symposiums, and displaying information in the library.
The symbolic gesture of the orange t-shirts, coupled with the integration of discussions on gender-based violence into academic coursework, reflects USM's commitment to fostering awareness and education. Lecturers and instructors have played a crucial role by incorporating the subject matter into their courses, ensuring students are well-informed and engaged.
USM expresses gratitude to all participants and acknowledges the faculty, staff, and students who have actively joined in raising awareness. The anticipation is that these initiatives, including the round table discussion, will contribute to greater awareness, understanding, and tangible action in the ongoing battle against gender-based violence. The university's campaign is not only a localized effort but part of a broader societal movement working towards positive change and the elimination of violence against women and girls. More details on the round table discussion will be shared soon, and USM applauds the work of government, civil society, and private sector organizations for their contributions, recognizing that there is still much work to be done in addressing this disturbing and sometimes deadly act against women and girls.
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Among the activities organized by USM, is the hosting of a round table discussion on the topic -gender-based violence - with speakers from government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), CSOs, academia the religious and legal fraternities, who will offer various perspectives on the subject matter. The intention is to highlight this social scourge, and to advise victims of the recourse available to them, and how to access the relevant services. We recognize too, that there are some underlying behavioral, psychological, attitudinal and cultural issues that may trigger this unacceptable and criminal behavior from perpetrators or would be perpetrators, hence we must acknowledge that we need to work with our men and boys, as much as we do with our women and girls, to address this very complex problem, which sadly leads to inflicting serious psychological and physical harm.
The university recognizes the staggering statistics, revealing that 1 in 3 women globally has experienced sexual or physical violence. Sadly, there is also tremendous loss of life, amounting to over 48,000 women and girls worldwide, who are killed by their intimate partners or other family members, in effect, more than 133 women or girls are killed every day by a family member. This statistic serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for comprehensive and sustained efforts to combat this pervasive issue.
According to the United Nations (UN), and I quote: “We need more investment in women's organizations, better legislation, prosecution of perpetrators, more services for survivors and training for law enforcement officials”. This year's campaign hovers around a theme “invest to prevent violence against women and girls” with the slogan #NO EXCUSE. We at USM have opted to demonstrate our solidarity with global and International efforts to end violence against women and girls, by wearing orange t-shirts; the hosting of a symposium, and a library display.
The symbolic gesture of wearing orange t-shirts, the hosting of symposiums, and the integration of discussions on gender-based violence into academic coursework, all underscore USM's commitment to fostering awareness and education. Lecturers and instructors have played a pivotal role in this initiative by embracing the call to incorporating the subject matter into their courses, ensuring that students are well-informed and engaged in the discourse. I wish to thank all those who participated.
We also thank faculty, staff and students who have heeded the invitation to do their part in raising awareness, part of which, as I indicated involve the wearing of USM branded orange t-shirts, to send a strong message, that we at USM lend our voice and effort to ending violence against women.
As USM prepares for the round table discussion and other planned activities, there is a sense of optimism that these initiatives will contribute to greater awareness, understanding, and tangible action in the ongoing battle against gender-based violence. The campaign serves not only as a university-led effort, but as a part of the broader societal movement to bring about positive change and eliminate the scourge of violence against women and girls. In short order we will share more details on the date, time and venue of the round table discussion.
We applaud the work of the government, civil society and private sector organizations that have also done their part in raising awareness, and saying very clearly that they too wish to be part of the effort to end violence against women.
We recognize, though, that there is still much work to be done, and anticipate that this year’s activities will help to raise greater awareness and help trigger greater efforts to address this disturbing, inhumane, and sometimes deadly act against women and girls.
SUMMARY
The University of St. Martin (USM) has taken a proactive stand against gender-based violence, aligning its efforts with the global campaign on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. Over the next 16 days, leading up to International Human Rights Day on December 10th, the university is engaging in a series of activities to draw attention to the plight of victims of domestic and gender-based violence.
One significant initiative is the hosting of a round table discussion on gender-based violence. The event will feature speakers from diverse sectors, including government, NGOs, CSOs, academia, religious, and legal fraternities, providing various perspectives on the subject. The aim is to shed light on the social scourge, offer advice to victims on available recourse and accessing relevant services, and address the underlying behavioral, psychological, attitudinal, and cultural issues that contribute to such unacceptable and criminal behavior.
USM is actively raising awareness about the staggering global statistics, revealing that 1 in 3 women has experienced sexual or physical violence. The university also acknowledges the tragic loss of over 48,000 women and girls worldwide, killed by intimate partners or family members—an alarming average of more than 133 lives lost daily. These statistics underscore the urgent need for comprehensive and sustained efforts to combat this pervasive issue.
In alignment with the United Nations' call for action, this year's campaign at USM revolves around the theme "invest to prevent violence against women and girls" with the powerful slogan #NO EXCUSE. The university is demonstrating solidarity with global efforts by wearing orange t-shirts, hosting symposiums, and displaying information in the library.
The symbolic gesture of the orange t-shirts, coupled with the integration of discussions on gender-based violence into academic coursework, reflects USM's commitment to fostering awareness and education. Lecturers and instructors have played a crucial role by incorporating the subject matter into their courses, ensuring students are well-informed and engaged.
USM expresses gratitude to all participants and acknowledges the faculty, staff, and students who have actively joined in raising awareness. The anticipation is that these initiatives, including the round table discussion, will contribute to greater awareness, understanding, and tangible action in the ongoing battle against gender-based violence. The university's campaign is not only a localized effort but part of a broader societal movement working towards positive change and the elimination of violence against women and girls. More details on the round table discussion will be shared soon, and USM applauds the work of government, civil society, and private sector organizations for their contributions, recognizing that there is still much work to be done in addressing this disturbing and sometimes deadly act against women and girls.
Latest News →
