Maya Dhillon
A United Nations campaign calls for governments to step up against violence against women and girls as a crowd of thousands gather across Italy following the murder of a student in November.
A Rising Protest
Giulia Cecchettin, a 22-year-old biomedical engineering student at the University of Padua, was allegedly killed by an ex-boyfriend after disappearing on 11 November.
Her body was found a week later, and her ex-partner was arrested in Germany soon after. He has since been extradited back to Italy for investigation.
Cecchettin’s death sparked protests in Rome, Naples and Milan as crowds called for an end to violence against women. The demonstrations saw thousands come together on 25 November, the official day recognising the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The incident also led Italian lawmakers to unanimously vote on new measures to prevent gender based violence.
“‘Every single woman killed because she is “guilty” of being free is an aberration'”
Italian Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, took to Twitter/X to criticise Italy’s violent and misogynistic culture. She said: “As of November 12, 102 women have been killed in Italy in 2023 and 53 victims at the hands of their partner or ex.”
“A trail of violence against women that has continued for years with numbers even more dramatic than these in the past.”
“Every single woman killed because she is “guilty” of being free is an aberration that cannot be tolerated and that pushes me to continue on the path taken to stop this barbarism,” she added.
Meloni also promised to launch campaigns in schools to tackle violence against women and girls.
Avevamo tutti sperato in questi giorni che Giulia fosse viva. Purtroppo le nostre più grandi paure si sono avverate. Uccisa. Provo una tristezza infinita nel vedere le fotografie sorridenti di questa giovane ragazza e, insieme alla tristezza, una grande rabbia. Ringrazio le Forze…
— Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) November 19, 2023
#NoExcuse
Meloni’s plan to start preventative measures in schools aligns with the message of the UN’s 2023 campaign against misogynistic violence.
The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women marked the launch of the UN’s 2023 UNiTE campaign.
The UNITE campaign lasts 16 days. It ends on 10 December, which is globally acknowledged as International Human Rights Day.
This year’s campaign slogan, #NoExcuse, calls for crucial intervention and investment from governments to prevent violence aimed at women and girls.
Violence against women and girls contributors
The UN’s initiative also highlights the roles that technology and climate change can play in exacerbating violence.
One in ten women in the EU have experienced some form of cyber-harassment since the age of 15, according to the UN. And 60% of women who use the internet in Arab states say they have been exposed to online violence.
“gradual environmental aggravation poses risks to women and girls”
Climate change also has the capacity to facilitate violence against women and girls. Its gradual environmental aggravation poses risks to women and girls because of the displacement, resource scarcity, insecurity of provisions and services it causes.
In 2017, the amount of girls sold into marriage or exchanged for livestock in Ethiopia following prolonged droughts increased significantly.
Following the 2015 earthquake, trafficking rates more than doubled in Nepal.
Preventing violence against women and girls
The UNITE campaign outlines ten ways in which violence against women and girls can be prevented. It calls on governments and institutions to implement such measures.
The UN Trust Fund proposed these pathways after working with 70 civil society organisations across the world.
These methods include community mobilisation, transformative learning, engaging religious and community leaders, empowering youth and prioritising survivor-centred responses.
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Featured image courtesy of Valentina Ceccatelli on Flickr. No changes made to this image. Image license found here.
Maya Dhillon
Maya graduated from the University of Oxford in June 2022, with a degree in Spanish and Linguistics. She is currently getting her NCTJ qualification at News Associates.