November 25th is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, an initiative aiming to raise the awareness of every human being of the physical and psychological violence that millions of women, all over the world, suffer in and outside their homes.
Of all the women in the world 35% have undergone physical or sexual violence from their partner or another man. In Italy almost one woman in three has been a victim of violence. The total elimination of all violence against women is the ideal that Cesvi espouses on this day and for which it works all the year round.
The 25th of November, International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, is not a date chosen by chance. It is in memory of the brutal assassination of the three Mirabel sisters by the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic.
Even now the world-wide data on violence against women is alarming: the phenomenon is getting worse and the age of those who suffer it is falling.
Violence against women is one of the problem areas on which Cesvi concentrates most of its energy. All over the world, including Italy, we are committed to guaranteeing respect and equal opportunities to women. We defend women and girls both from the point of view of human rights and in practical terms with financial support, health care and education. In the Houses of Smiles we offer hours of schooling support to girls and try to explain to mothers that education is the only route to becoming free women in the future.
Every day we distribute teaching materials and hold awareness lessons to eradicate the culture of violence against women.
On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women we are all called on to commit ourselves every day to making this phenomenon a thing of the past.