In 2000 the United Nations General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. To mark this day the Australian National Centre for Latin American Studies (ANCLAS) invites you to join the Embassies of Ecuador and El Salvador, and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, at a panel discussion drawing on the experience of UN member states, including in particular Australia and Latin American countries, in addressing the issue.

Despite being one of the most widespread and persistent violations of human rights globally, violence against women and girls affects an alarming number of individuals. An estimated 736 million women - nearly one in three - have experienced physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both, at least once in their lives.

The event will provide an opportunity to hear from experts from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the International Migration Organisation and the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership. Speakers will comment on the efforts of governments, UN agencies, and civil society to prevent violence against women and girls through education, advocacy and relationship-building and to enhance data collection and analysis, with a view to better understanding the parameters of the issue and the effectiveness of preventive and response measures to date.

Moderator:

Noel Campbell (Director, Australian National Centre for Latin American Studies, ANU)

Speakers:

• Arturo Cabrera (Ambassador of Ecuador to Australia)
• Stephanie Corpus Campbell (Australian Ambassador for Gender Equality)
• Jacqueline Weekers (Chief of Mission and Coordinator for the Pacific, International Organisation for Migration)
• Ligia Carolina Oliveira-Silva (Senior Research Fellow, Global Institute for Women’s Leadership)