Photo: © Iván Hidalgo
The initiative "Únete para poner fin a la violencia contra las Mujeres" was launched in Guatemala on November 25, 2009 - International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women - and it is part of a world wide campaign that aims to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls in all parts of the world (UNiTE to end the violence against the Women). One year after, the Latin America UNiTE was expanded to include the Caribbean. The main goal remains the same: increase public awareness and more effective responses to gender-based violence. In Latin America and the Caribbean, only a small fraction of violence against women and girls is reported.
As it happens in other parts of the world, victims feel ashamed of reporting incidents of violence, afraid that they will not be believed or scared with the repercussions of seeking help. Reports say around 25% of the Hispanic women will experience incidents of violence and only 3 out of 10 women are aware they can ask for an order of protection. Additionally, a new study by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to be published next year, finds that between 13 percent and 50 percent of all women in twelve countries of Latin America and the Caribbean reported being victims of physical violence by their partners. However, the public awareness is increasing and next November 25 another UNiTE campaign will be launched. Artists and performers are getting involved and Puerto Rican singer Jerry Rivera, who is Champion of Health of the PAHO since 2006, will appear in a new public service campaign as part of the UNiTE initiative.
UNiTE in Latin America and the Caribbean has three main pillars: (1) fight impunity by pressuring public authorities to implement existing laws and public services that provide care and help for victims; (2) prevent the violence against women by working in schools and local communities, in order to transform gender relations; (3) encourage social mobilization and proactive involvement of non-traditional partners, especially young men.
As it happens in other parts of the world, victims feel ashamed of reporting incidents of violence, afraid that they will not be believed or scared with the repercussions of seeking help. Reports say around 25% of the Hispanic women will experience incidents of violence and only 3 out of 10 women are aware they can ask for an order of protection. Additionally, a new study by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to be published next year, finds that between 13 percent and 50 percent of all women in twelve countries of Latin America and the Caribbean reported being victims of physical violence by their partners. However, the public awareness is increasing and next November 25 another UNiTE campaign will be launched. Artists and performers are getting involved and Puerto Rican singer Jerry Rivera, who is Champion of Health of the PAHO since 2006, will appear in a new public service campaign as part of the UNiTE initiative.
UNiTE in Latin America and the Caribbean has three main pillars: (1) fight impunity by pressuring public authorities to implement existing laws and public services that provide care and help for victims; (2) prevent the violence against women by working in schools and local communities, in order to transform gender relations; (3) encourage social mobilization and proactive involvement of non-traditional partners, especially young men.
video: Jerry Rivera está contra la violencia hacia la mujer (in Spanish)
video: Jerry Rivera manda un mensaje a los varones (in Spanish)
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