Statement by the Stop Honor Killings Campaign on November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
November 25 is an occasion to draw attention to one of the most widespread human rights violations worldwide: violence against women and girls. In its many forms, ranging from domestic, sexual and economic violence to so-called “honor” killings, femicide, forced marriage and child marriage, this violence threatens the lives and safety of millions of women.
November 25 was chosen in memory of the three politically active Mirabal sisters from the Dominican Republic: Patria, Minerva and María Teresa, who were murdered on November 25, 1960, on the orders of the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. In 1981, women’s rights activists commemorated this date in their honor and as an act of protest against violence against women. Finally, in 1999, the United Nations General Assembly, through the adoption of Resolution 54/134, officially designated November 25 as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The theme and focus of the United Nations’ 2026 global campaign emphasize uniting to end violence against women and girls, ensuring justice, supporting survivors and ending impunity. This agenda advances three fundamental demands: access to justice for women who experience violence; access to legal, psychological and social support; and accountability for perpetrators, without discrimination or impunity.
Despite decades of struggle and sustained efforts by women’s movements, violence continues to threaten the lives of millions of women. According to United Nations statistics, nearly one in three women worldwide experiences physical or sexual violence during her lifetime. Furthermore, in 2024, approximately 50,000 women and girls were killed by their intimate partners or family members an average of 137 women and girls every day.
Alongside established forms of violence, the expansion of digital technologies and artificial intelligence has created new tools for harassing and controlling women. The non-consensual distribution of private images, the creation of sexually explicit manipulated images and videos using AI, threats, online stalking and coordinated attacks against women activists, journalists and human rights defenders reveal new dimensions of this crisis.
Violence against women is a multidimensional phenomenon and must not be reduced to individual personality traits or personal behavior. Discriminatory laws, gender inequality, patriarchal structures, the normalization of violence and the absence of effective protection and accountability mechanisms all contribute to its persistence. Consequently, addressing this phenomenon requires reforming discriminatory laws, guaranteeing equality, supporting survivors and holding responsible institutions accountable.
November 25 is not merely a day to remember violence against women; it is a day to demand change. No tradition, culture, law, religious belief or family relationship can ever justify violence, control, or the denial of women’s and indeed any human being’s, right to life and freedom.
We demand a world in which no woman is threatened, punished or killed because of her choice of clothing, lifestyle, decision to seek a divorce, social activism or presence in digital spaces. The struggle against violence against women is a struggle for the right to life, freedom, equality and human dignity.
From November 25 to December 10, during the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, under the global campaign to Orange the World, let us raise our voices in solidarity with women who have experienced violence and with survivors. Let us stand together in demanding justice, protection and an end to impunity.
Stop Honor Killings Campaign
