Thinkathon: Youth Innovations against Violence Against Women and Girls

Thank you for joining us today and sharing your visions and ideas to end violence against women and girls.

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence against women and girls is an exceptionally important international campaign that takes place each year – which we are also proud to support in Moldova.

Violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world. It is a major obstacle to the fulfilment of women’s and girls’ human rights and to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In Moldova, 63% of women above 15 have experienced some form of violence (psychological, physical, sexual, and economic) from a partner during their lifetime. 63 per-cent!

Online violence remains high as well. Globally, 38 per cent of women have had personal experiences of online violence, and 85 per cent of women who spend time online have witnessed digital violence against other women. Young women, girls, LGBTQI+ persons, women with disabilities, minorities, and migrant groups of women are more likely to experience more extreme and frequent forms of digital violence.

The impacts of this type of violence extend beyond the digital sphere, deepening inequalities and posing a significant threat to women’s rights and safety both online and off.

Violence is preventable, and you - young people - play a key role in ensuring a future free from violence.

With innovative thinking and creative problem solving, you as young change-makers have an opportunity to help develop new strategies for transforming social norms, addressing unequal gender power relations, and enabling safer environments, which in turn will have the potential to prevent and reduce violence against women – making the world a safer and more equitable place.

With this, I want to thank you for joining this important event. Your ideas, thoughts, and innovations are important.

I am very much looking forward to seeing the results of today’s Thinkathon and your valuable contribution to the prevention of violence against women and girls.