Activities held to redouble efforts against sexual violence

A number of activities have been taking place across Vietnam in response to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (November 25) and Human Rights Day (December 10).

They include policy dialogues, workshops, competitions and photo exhibitions, along with football and dance competitions to call for an end to violence against women and girls in Vietnam.

They are part of an annual global campaign named 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence. This campaign accompanies UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign, which calls on governments, social organisations and people around the world to join hands to deal with this issue.

This year’s 16 Days of Activism is themed “Orange the World: Generation Equality Stands against Rape!”, which stresses the need for a common voice and actions against the culture of impunity around sexual violence and all other forms of violence against women and girls.

UN Resident Coordinator to Vietnam Kamal Malhotra said eradicating violence against women must be the top priority for all men, women, governments and businesses.

He noted the UN is ready to assist Vietnam to boost efforts to break the culture of silence and impunity and ensure that sexual violence is unforgivable in any circumstances and any place in the country.

Naomi Kitahara, Representative of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) in Vietnam, said all people have a role to play in creating a culture of zero tolerance to any forms of sexual violence. She called for joint efforts to end violence against women and girls in Vietnam for a future free of sexual violence and gender-based violence.

In October 2015, the Vietnamese Prime Minister approved a national action programme on gender equality for 2016-2020. This programme holds a national action month from November 15 to December 15 each year to promote gender equality and fight violence against women and girls in the country.