A New Global Norm on Violence Against Women

At this webinar, distinguished panellists will debate the case for a new global norm on violence against women. They will review existing legal frameworks, treaties and instruments; consider lessons learned from successful interventions; and discuss priorities for policy change to end this human rights crisis.

One in three—or 1.3 billion—women and girls experience sexual assault or intimate partner violence in their lifetime. This is a public health and human rights crisis affecting the fabric of every society. For many survivors there is no easy path to justice. Laws and social norms often favour perpetrators, while survivors of violence are often blamed, doubted or ignored.

The international community has sought to address the problem through various instruments, but the result is a patchwork with wide normative, geographical and enforcement gaps. There is still no comprehensive, binding international framework specific to violence against women and girls.

The time has come for a new global agreement to end this scourge.

The webinar will bring together experts from the Every Woman Treaty, Diplomats, Academia and Civil Society, and the interested public, to:

• review the strengths and weaknesses of the various instruments;
• consider lessons learned with successful interventions; and
• discuss priorities for advancing the global struggle to eliminate violence against women and girls.