After an in-depth look at the eight UN Millennium Development Goals, one key target is noticeably absent: Violence Against Women. The Millennium Development Goals fail to address violence against women as a target, even where discussion about this issue would be most salient (Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women, Improve Maternal Health, and Combat HIV/AIDS).
MADRE, along with a multitude of other women's groups, have criticized the MDGs and the United Nations for neglecting this extremely critical issue (for MADRE's critique of the MDGs, click here.) As many as three-quarters of women and girls around the world experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. This in turn affects their ability to contribute fully to the improvement of their own lives, the lives of those around them, and the communities in which they live. Without acknowledging the "missing target" of Violence Against Women, the UN's chance of accomplishing the eight MDGs is severely diminished.
UNIFEM released a video about this "missing target" and the recent increase in gender-based violence in Haiti following the January 12th earthquake. MADRE has been working extensively with our sister organization in Haiti, KOFAVIV, to address the epidemic of violence against women since the earthquake. Watch UNIFEM's video below:
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