Context: November 25 is observed as International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. This year assumes great significance amid the COVID-19 pandemic. During the unprecedented lockdown, countries across the world reported increased cases of domestic violence. Women's organizations and rights bodies are pushing governments to take measures to protect young girls and women caught in the cycle of violence. International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women is a United Nations designated day observed every year on November 25. In a big push, this year the UN has given a clarion call for ending gender based violence. The 2020 campaign theme is 'FUND, RESPOND, PREVENT, COLLECT'. Like every year, '16 Days of Activism' against Gender-Based Violence (GVB) campaign starts today and ends on December 10. The UN Women - the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women - is working closely with violence survivors, activists, all the stakeholders and people from every walk of life to fund, reach-out and respond faster. Vice President Venkaiah Naidu also made a call to end violence against women; he said 'Where women are respected, divinity blossoms there'.

• The 2020 campaign theme is 'FUND, RESPOND, PREVENT, COLLECT'.
• The day is observed to honour the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered in 1960 by order of the country’s ruler, Rafael Trujillo (1930-1961).
• International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women,2019 will mark the launch of 16 days of activism that will conclude on 10 December 2019 (International Human Rights Day).
• For 2020-2022, the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE (to End Violence against Women campaign) will specifically focus on the issue of rapes committed against women in times of peace or war.

Key Points
Global Scenario

• Every third of all women and girls experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.
• 1 in 2 women killed worldwide were killed by their partners or family in 2017; while only 1 out of 20 men were killed under similar circumstances.
• Only 52% of married women freely make their own decisions about sexual relations, contraceptive use, and healthcare.
• 71% of all human trafficking victims worldwide are women and girls in which 3 out 4 women are sexually exploited.

National Scenario

• According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report, 3.59 lakh cases of crime against women were reported in the country in 2017.
• Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of crimes against women whereas Madhya Pradesh registered the highest number of rape cases in the country.
• Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura - registered the lowest figures of crimes against women.

Global Conventions

• The Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), 1979 was adopted by the UN General Assembly to prevent violence against women and girls worldwide.
• The Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women was issued by the UN General Assembly in 1993.
• It defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in physical, sexual or psychological harm including threats of such acts, deprivation of liberty, etc. occurring in public or in private life.”
• SDG-5 targets for gender equality in the world by 2030.

Steps Taken by the Indian Government
Constitutional Safeguards

• Fundamental Rights: It guarantees all Indian women equality (Article 14), no discrimination by the State on the basis of gender (Article 15(1)) and special provisions to be made by the State in favour of women (Article 15(3)).
• Directive Principles of State Policies (DPSP): It ensures equal pay for equal work (Article 39 (d)).
• Fundamental Duties: It ensures that practices derogatory to the dignity of women are prohibited under Article 51 (A).

Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005

• It provides victims of domestic violence with a means for practical remedy through prosecution.

The Dowry Prohibition Act 1961

• It prohibits the request, payment or acceptance of a dowry.
• The sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and redressal) Act, 2013:
• This legislative act seeks to protect women from sexual harassment at their place of work.

Road Ahead

• Several women in this country are conditioned to think that violence against them a normal act, a slap here or tough of the hair there is something that they can do with and should not make big deal about that needs to change. Violence in any form is not Ok whether it is at home or outside. We need to sensitised the administration and Police as well as far as crime against women are concerned. We need to bring about a lot of awareness.
• The central govt. and the state govt. are doing their bit but much more needs to be done right at the grassroot level too we need to educate people about gender sensitization; we need a change in attitude and that change in attitude can start with each one of us and in every one hope itself; we need to bring boys in conversation and not just keep telling girls that what they are doing is wrong, the boys also need to be told the difference between right and wrong, along with that they should be made aware of consequences of their actions. 
• Till that time some kind of awareness until the time we see a systemic change on ground or a change in mindset or attitude the state needs to come to the floor that every citizen of this country on this very important day let's all take a pledge that we will fight against "Violence against women".