Stopping violence against women | Marta Vieira da Silva

Life isn’t easy for women – anywhere in the world.

I grew up in Dois Riachos – a poor, remote town in the north-east of Brazil. Our family didn’t have much money; my mother worked hard to raise me and my two brothers and sister by herself. We couldn’t even afford a football – if we had bought one, we would have gone without food.

At the age of 7, I knew I wanted to play football for the rest of my life. But being a girl, the path wasn’t straightforward. Everyone from my brothers to the other boys on the field tried to stop me from playing. I was lucky enough to have the support of visionary people who helped me fulfill my dream of being a professional footballer.

So many women don’t have the opportunities I did.

Every year, 2 million women and girls are trafficked into prostitution, forced slavery and servitude.

Up to 60 percent of women experience some form of physical or sexual abuse during their life – and as many as half of sexual assaults are committed against girls under 18.

This kind of violence is happening on all corners of the earth. Women living in poverty are even more vulnerable to this kind of abuse and exploitation. These women could be future teachers, community leaders, artists, journalists, engineers, doctors – but their dreams are being cut short.

Ensuring women have equal rights isn’t just the right thing to do – it makes sense. When women have equal access to education and jobs, they go on to participate fully in decision making, having greater control of their public AND private life.

Let’s be a part of the movement to break the cycle of violence that keeps millions of women from reaching their full potential.

Your voice and your support are crucial plays needed to meet the greater goal of stopping violence against women worldwide.

Join the campaign to #stoptheviolence.

Time for Action to #stoptheviolence against women!

Every year, 2 million women and girls are trafficked into prostitution, forced slavery, and servitude.

Up to 60% of women experience some form of physical or sexual abuse during their life — and as many as half of sexual assaults are committed against girls under 18.

Women’s Empowerment
UNDP focuses on gender equality and women’s empowerment not only as human rights, but also because they are a pathway to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development.

Our Goals
UNDP coordinates global and national efforts to integrate gender equality and women’s empowerment into poverty reduction, democratic governance, crisis prevention and recovery, and environment and sustainable development. Through our global network, we work to ensure that women have a real voice in all governance institutions, from the judiciary to the civil service, as well as in the private sector and civil society, so they can participate equally with men in public dialogue and decision-making and influence the decisions that will determine the future of their families and countries.

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Real men don’t hit women!

Join @UNDP Ambassador Antonio Banderas to #stoptheviolence ag women: undp.org/stoptheviolence #IWD

Film star and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Goodwill Ambassador Antonio Banderas today launched a global video appeal to end violence against women in recognition of International Women’s Day.

“Up to 60 percent of women around the world experience some form of physical or sexual abuse during their life, and as many as half of all sexual assaults are committed against girls under the age of 16,” Banderas says in his video address. “Two million women and girls are trafficked each year into prostitution, forced labour, slavery, or servitude. Young women and girls are often particularly vulnerable to early marriage, female genital mutilation and HIV — putting their health and rights at risk. This is unacceptable, and it must stop now.”

Banderas also calls on men to join him in standing up to violence directed at women and girls. “Stand up to end violence against women, now,” he concludes.

This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “A promise is a promise: Time for action to end violence against women.”

In 1995, at the Fourth World Conference for Women, governments identified violence against women as a violation of human rights and an “obstacle to the achievement of the objectives of equality, development and peace.”

Antonio Banderas, born in Málaga, Spain, is a much acclaimed actor, writer and producer. Banderas is one of eight other UNDP Goodwill Ambassadors: footballers Ronaldo de Lima, Zinedine Zidane, Didier Drogba, Iker Casillas, and the world’s number one female football player, Marta Vieira da Silva; tennis player Maria Sharapova; Japanese actress Misako Konno; and HRH Haakon Crown Prince of Norway

“Real men don’t hit women!” – join our Goodwill Ambassador Antonio Banderas ahead of International Women’s Day and help #stoptheviolence against women.

Click here to find out how: www.undp.org/stoptheviolence