Violence against women and girls continues unabated in every continent, country and culture. It takes a devastating toll on women’s lives, on their families, and on society as a whole. Most societies prohibit such violence – yet the reality is that too often, it is covered up or tacitly condoned.
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations, on 7 March at an informal General Assembly debate on gender equality and the empowerment of women
