Break the Silence on Violence against Women

Break the Silence on Violence against Women, a thematic exhibition timed to the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, is open in the Official Documents Service Department (room 297), from November 21, 2019, to January 9, 2010.

On 7 February 2000, the General Assembly adopted resolution 54/134, officially designating 25 November as the International day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.

Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread, persistent and devastating human rights violations in our world today. It remains largely unreported due to the impunity, silence, stigma and shame surrounding it.

Violence is prevalent throughout the world and is common to all societies and cultures, affecting women regardless of their race, ethnicity, social status, affluence, origin, or any other circumstances. It is rooted in historical inequality of men and women and in unending women discrimination.

Women face violence in the legal sphere and in everyday life. The equal rights of women, proclaimed de jure, are not implemented de facto and are often violated in most countries. Violence can take many forms: from domestic abuse to trafficking, from sexual violence in conflict situations to child marriage, genital mutilation and femicide. It hurts the individual and has far-reaching consequences for families and society.

It is estimated that 35 per cent of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual violence. Some national studies show that up to 70 per cent of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence from an intimate partner in their lifetime. At least 200 million women and girls have undergone female genital mutilation in the 30 countries. Over 700 million women and girls in the world today were married before age 18. Adult women account for nearly half of all human trafficking victims detected globally. Female feticide – the selective abortion of female fetuses – is still prevalent in many countries.

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women is a human rights instrument adopted by the UN General Assembly in Resolution 34/180 of 18 December 1979. The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in its resolution 48/104 of 20 December 1993. These documents provide measures and strategies to prevent and eradicate violence against women and girls throughout the world. The United Nations Secretary-General's campaign Unite to End Violence against Women was launched in 2008. The multi-year effort is aimed at preventing and eliminating violence against women and girls around the world.

In 2017, the European Union and the United Nations have embarked on a new, global, multi-year initiative focused on eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls – The Spotlight Initiative. The Initiative is so named as it brings focused attention to this issue, moving it into the spotlight and placing it at the centre of efforts to achieve gender equality and women's empowerment, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The exhibition reveals the multidimensional activity of the UN and other international organizations, women's movements and associations, for the elimination of violence against women.

The exposition presents more than 80 documents in Russian, English, French and German: books, periodicals, UN mimeographed materials (masthead), brochures and booklets.

Subject areas:

• International and regional legal instruments for the elimination of violence against women
• Violence against women in the Republic of Belarus
• Domestic abuse. Measures to prevent and combat violence against women in the family
• Women in armed conflicts
• Women’s trafficking
• Social inequality and gender discrimination

The exhibition will be interesting to university students, teachers, social educators, psychologists, lawyers, officials involved in fighting human trafficking, activists of human rights and non-governmental organizations.

The opening hours of the exhibition correspond to the library’s opening hours.
Admission is by library card or by ticket of the library's social and cultural center. Information and tickets may be obtained at the registration desk.

For more info: (+375 17) 293 27 34.

Official Documents Service Department