Violence
"You are a weak man if you use your physical superiority to assault and brutalise women" Desmond Tutu.
Violence and abuse against women and girls is a worldwide epidemic. One in every three women will suffer physical, sexual or other abuse by men at some time in her life.
This violence is found in every society and culture; from domestic violence to rape, from acid burnings and beatings to honour killings, Women and girls of all ages are affected.
And what makes this epidemic more shocking is that the violence can be ignored and even condoned by family and community members, religious and traditional leaders and the authorities.
This widespread and appalling abuse of human rights undermines the health of our societies and holds back development. It must be confronted, wherever it is found, by all our political, religious and cultural leaders.
Comprehensive international and national laws are supposed to protect women and girls from violence, but far too often they are ignored and the crimes continue, unpunished.
One in three women suffers abuse during their lives. In some societies, the figure can be as high as 70 per cent. The attacks can come from partners, from family or from strangers.
In the United States, there are nearly five million assaults and rapes on women by their husbands and partners every year. In South Africa, one in four men has admitted to raping a woman, often as a teenager as a "male rite of passage". In Russia, a woman is killed by her partner every 35 minutes.
From the Democratic Republic of Congo to Bosnia, from Rwanda to Iraq, rape has been used as a weapon of war to torture and humiliate women and destroy families and communities.
In India, an estimated 5,000 women are burnt to death each year in 'kitchen accidents' because their dowry was too small.
'Honour' killings are also widespread. Wives and daughters are killed or disfigured because their families believe they have behaved badly or because they refuse to accept decisions made by others about their future. Community and religious leaders often condone such brutal attacks which are frequently are ignored by the local authorities, even when they are against the law.
With determination and leadership, the views of society can be changed surprisingly quickly. Only a generation ago, domestic violence was seen in Europe and North America as a private family matter. It is now acknowledged to be a serious crime, although it is still a major problem. Changing attitudes is the first step towards changing behaviour.
Violence against women and girls is a warning sign about the condition of our communities and societies. No community can be healthy and productive until all its members live lives free from violence.
Ending violence against women and girls requires political, community and religious leaders to end their silence. And it needs men and boys to recognise that attacking women is a sign of weakness, not strength.