A call for action
provides practical guidance for women and children who may be experiencing violence and what they can do to seek help and support.
Strengthening the capacity of health systems and providers
Most women, who are subjected to violence, do not explicitly disclose their experiences. The health system is a critical entry point to identify survivors, provide first line support, and, if needed, referrals.
“The quality of service I am providing has improved dramatically,” said a doctor who took part in a recent pilot training programme for health workers led by WHO and HRP, together with WHO Country Office for India.
“Women, who got redressal, now bring other women with complaints because they are assured of support and confidentiality at our facility.”
Four new modules for health managers are now included in the WHO curriculum for training healthcare providers caring for women subjected to violence, revised edition, addressing facility readiness assessment, improving health worker capacity, improving infrastructure and ensuring supplies, and prevention.
In every country, policy-makers, healthcare managers and advocates also have a role in strengthening their health system response to violence against women. This package for strengthening countries’ health systems response to violence against women includes tools and processes for developing national protocols and guidelines, updating training materials and working with different sectors.
Scaling up prevention and response efforts in humanitarian settings
Research indicates that 1 in 5 refugee or displaced women experience sexual violence.
Providing quality healthcare services for violence survivors is critical in any crisis, be natural disasters, conflicts or disease outbreaks.
WHO works with partners around the world to promote a health systems response to violence against women and girls in crisis settings.
This includes working to strengthen the health sector response to rape and intimate partner violence in humanitarian emergencies, where mass displacement and the breakdown of social protections exposes women and children to greater risk.
Encouraging political will and accountability
Monitoring governments’ policies and budgetary commitments is an important way to foster accountability towards millions of women and girls subjected to violence.
At the Seventy-fourth WHO World Health Assembly, WHO shared preliminary analysis from the forthcoming Violence Against Women Policy Database, the first source of analysis of how countries’ policies are addressing violence against women as a public health problem.
The detailed global status report will be launched on December 10, Human Rights Day.
2021 marks the 30th anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a campaign led by activists around the world.
WHO is proud to stand alongside fellow UN agencies and the inspiring generations of individuals and organisations working tirelessly to prevent and respond to violence against women and children.
As Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general said: “We must put our heads and hearts together, and work harder and faster to make women’s health and gender equality a reality for all.
“We must do much better.”