By Beatrice Guarrera
“Women speaking to us from El Fasher, the heart of the latest catastrophe in Sudan, tell of hunger, displacement, rape and bombardments.” With these words, Ginevra Anna Mutavati, Regional Director for East and Southern Africa at UN Women, recently described to journalists the situation in North Darfur’s capital. After more than 500 days of siege by Rapid Support Forces (RSF), widespread abuses — including summary executions and sexual violence — have been documented.
Women, she noted, continue to bear the heaviest burden. Even in flight, they remain exposed to grave dangers.
Global numbers show widespread violence
The threat, however, is not limited to contexts of war. Worldwide, the UN estimates that 840 million women — nearly one in three — have experienced physical or sexual violence by a partner, sexual violence by a non-partner, or both, at least once in their lives. The figures underscore the significance of today’s observance, 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
A new UN report highlights one of the most tragic realities: every ten minutes, a woman is killed somewhere in the world. Over the past year, approximately 50,000 women were victims of femicide, 60 percent of whom were killed by partners or relatives. By comparison, only 11 percent of male homicide victims were killed by family members. Gender inequality and misogyny remain key drivers.
On average, 137 women are murdered each day. Although slightly lower than in 2023, this number is influenced by uneven reporting across countries. No region has been spared, and Africa again recorded the highest number, with around 22,000 victims last year.
Online abuse continues to expand
The UN notes that technological development has also contributed to new forms of violence. These include non-consensual sharing of images and information, doxxing, and deepfake videos created using artificial intelligence. Automated harassment and coordinated hate campaigns target women of all ages.
More than 38 percent of women are estimated to have experienced online violence, while 85 percent have witnessed abuse directed at other women on digital platforms.
Talitha Kum’s commitment
“It is very important for us to raise awareness, especially on this Day,” said Sister Abby Avelino, international coordinator of Talitha Kum, the global, sister-led network against human trafficking. Digital violence, she explained, is increasingly widespread, and the online world is now a major site of exploitation.
Sister Abby noted that members of the network gathered online today to reflect on the impact of war and conflict on gender-based violence. “We focused in a particular way on vulnerable women and girls wherever they are — in Ukraine, in the Global South, in African nations, and also in Asia,” she said.
She added that Europe continues to receive many trafficked women, especially those forced to move by trafficking networks.
Reaching 47,000 victims and survivors
Among recent stories, Sister Abby recalled the case of a young woman from South Sudan who had sought assistance. “We did not know where she was, but our network was able to locate her,” she explained. The woman had been taken to Chad; through cooperation with partners in Italy, she was able to reconnect with her mother — herself a trafficking survivor — and they were reunited.
According to Talitha Kum’s latest report, the network accompanied 47,000 victims and survivors in 2024.
“My thoughts today,” Sister Abby concluded, “are with women and girls afflicted by trafficking. As Talitha Kum, we renew our commitment to remain close to those who suffer, offering listening, protection and tenderness, so that every girl may rediscover hope, safety and the strength to begin again. Together: ‘Talitha Kum’ – ‘Little girl, arise. – Vatican News
