The EU Ambassador to Georgia, Paweł Herczyński, has issued a statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which falls on 25 November.

According to Paweł Herczyński, gender-based violence is not only a personal tragedy, but also a violation of fundamental human rights.

According to the Ambassador, the first way to empower women is to ensure that they can live without fear and security from violence, and we must break the silence and stigma surrounding gender-based violence.

“Gender-based violence is not only a personal tragedy, it is also a violation of fundamental human rights that affects individuals, families and societies all over the world, including in Georgia. Statistics reveal the alarming scale of violence against women: almost one in three women worldwide has experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lives. Recent data shows that one in two women in Georgia has experienced violence at some point in their lives.

To address these challenges, the European Union is funding projects in Georgia that strengthen the capacity of state and non-state actors to combat gender-based violence. Our projects raise awareness and provide women with free legal, social or psychological support to prevent violence. EU-funded projects also work to change stereotypes and harmful perceptions and launch information campaigns. These projects also promote the use of the SafeYou app.

The first way to empower women is to ensure that they can live without fear and protected from violence. We must break the silence and stigma surrounding gender-based violence.

This year, the theme of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is: “A woman is murdered every 10 minutes. "Unite to end violence against women." Together we can create a future in which respect, dignity and safety are guaranteed for all," Herczyński said in a statement.