A Life Free of Violence: Unleashing the Power of Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality UNIFEM Strategy 2008-2013

Violence against women and girls is a global pandemic of alarming proportions. No country is free of the scourge, no socio-economic class is exempt from its destructive effects. It takes place within homes, on the streets, in schools, workplaces and refugee camps, and is prevalent whether in times of peace or during crises and conflicts. Its many forms include domestic violence, rape and sexual abuse, trafficking and sexual exploitation, femicide, and harmful practices such as child marriage and female genital mutilation/cutting. Genderbased violence impoverishes and harms not only women and girls, but also communities and societies as a whole.

The United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) has developed its Strategy 2008-2013 to end violence against women and girls, an overview of which is presented here.