Foreign Ministry marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women with a joint event
Today 25 November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, marked across the world with the colour orange, and on this occasion, a joint event was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna and the diplomatic corps.
Addressing the diplomats, Foreign Minister Tsahkna said that violence against women and domestic violence continued to be one of the most widespread human rights violations.
“Worldwide, 133 women are intentionally killed every day by someone they know and trust. This is one every 11 minutes,” Tsahkna said.
He added that crises and conflicts exacerbated violence against women. “The widespread and systematic use of torture and rape and other forms of sexual violence by the Russian armed forces is documented extensively in Ukraine,” the minister noted.
Tsahkna said it was crucial to work together on making sure perpetrators of violence do not go unpunished and are held accountable. The foreign minister also said Estonia considered human rights key to its campaign for membership in the UN Human Rights Council as well as to its chairmanships in the Media Freedom Coalition and the Freedom Online Coalition.
The UN has named 25 November the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Violence against women is a violation of women’s human rights and a form of discrimination against women, caused by unequal power relations between men and women shaped by history.
Orange is the colour agreed upon internationally in the UN, symbolising a better future free of violence and discrimination. To mark this day, the facade of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is lit up in orange tonight.
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