Women's activists have marked November 25 as a day to fight violence against women since 1981. On December 17, 1999, the United Nations General Assemby designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women (Resolution 54/134). The UN invited governments, international organizations and NGOs to organize activities designated to raise public awareness of the problem on this day as an international observance. Women around the world are subject to rape, domestic violence and other forms of violence, and the scale and true nature of the issue is often hidden.

This date came from the brutal assassination in 1960 of the three Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, on orders of Dominican dictator.

There is more information about the history of this day, and UN publications relating to violence against women, at the UN's site: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/news/vawd.html.
 

Through the "Survey of Mothers in Europe" 2011, more than 11,000 mothers have told us that the MOST important factors contributing to their wellbeing are: no abuse at home and healthy relationships, as well as enough time with one's family.  "No abuse" came VERY FIRST in the list!

MMM Europe joins all other actors to combat and eradicate this non-acceptable situation for women. View our press release and position paper on this topic (in French and English).