As the world marks the annual 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, new data from the World Health Organization (WHO) reveals a deeply troubling reality: violence against women and girls remains pervasive across the globe. 

Nearly one in three women has experienced intimate partner or sexual violence in her lifetime, a figure that has shown almost no improvement since 2000. This stagnation highlights the global community’s ongoing struggle to prevent and address what remains both a public health emergency and a grave human rights violation.

Violence inflicts long-lasting harm, contributing to depression, injury, poor reproductive outcomes, and limiting women’s ability to participate fully in society. The findings also spotlight the situation in the WHO Western Pacific Region, where more than a quarter of women have experienced some form of violence. Although regional averages are lower than global figures, the rates vary widely, and in some Pacific island countries, as many as one in two women face intimate partner violence in their lifetime — among the highest levels reported anywhere in the world.

Dr. Saia Ma’u Piukala, WHO Regional Director for the Western Pacific, described violence against women as one of the most severe violations of human rights and a serious threat to health. He stressed that the updated evidence makes it clear where urgent action is needed, urging governments and communities to strengthen policies, scale up prevention, and ensure health systems are prepared to support survivors.

A recent WHO survey on health system readiness shows that while many countries have begun integrating strategies to prevent violence into national plans, significant barriers remain. Survivors still face inconsistent access to essential health and social services. Comprehensive post-rape care is limited, often unavailable outside major urban areas, leading to stark inequalities in access. Data gaps also pose a major challenge, with only about half of countries conducting recent surveys on violence against women and even fewer maintaining reliable homicide data. These gaps make monitoring and accountability difficult and weaken efforts to expand effective interventions.

Dr. Hiromasa Okayasu, Director at WHO’s Regional Office for the Western Pacific, emphasized that every statistic represents a real person whose experience must guide stronger action. He called for enhanced leadership from the health sector, including ensuring survivor-centered services and sensitizing healthcare providers about their pivotal role. He also urged governments to strengthen legal and policy mechanisms and to invest in preventive measures such as shifting harmful gender and social norms, promoting safe environments, and supporting economic empowerment initiatives.

Despite decades of global advocacy, gender-based violence remains a crisis that is both persistent and preventable. WHO officials hope the 16 Days of Activism will serve not only as a reminder of the scale of the problem but as a catalyst for meaningful action. As Dr. Piukala noted, governments and communities must commit to protecting and empowering every girl and woman. The challenge is immense, but the responsibility is clear: violence must end, and it must end now.