25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

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International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

The United Nations General Assembly designated 25 November as the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, with the aim of raising global awareness of the scale of violence faced by women worldwide, including rape, domestic abuse, and other forms of violence. One of its key objectives is to underline that much of this violence remains hidden from public view.

The date commemorates the brutal assassination in 1960 of the Mirabal sisters, political activists in the Dominican Republic, murdered on the orders of dictator Rafael Trujillo (1930–1961). In 1981, activists from the Latin American and Caribbean women’s organisation Encuentros declared 25 November a day to confront and raise awareness of violence against women. The United Nations officially recognised the date on 17 December 1999.

The UN and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) have played an important role in urging governments, international bodies, and NGOs to organise activities in support of the day and to use it as a platform for action. Internationally, for example, UN Women marks the day each year and provides guidance to other organisations on how to do the same.

The International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women marks the launch of the UNiTE campaign (25 November–10 December) — a 16-day global initiative that concludes on International Human Rights Day (10 December).

The 2025 campaign, UNiTE to End Digital Violence Against Women and Girls, seeks to mobilise all sectors of society. Governments are urged to end impunity by enforcing laws that criminalise such violence; technology companies must ensure the safety of their platforms and remove harmful content; donors should provide the necessary funding to enable feminist organisations to combat this abuse; and individuals are called upon to raise their voices and support survivors.

On this occasion, it is vital to reaffirm that the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), as a social democratic party dedicated to addressing the needs of all segments of society, remains steadfast in its commitment to women’s rights, equality, and the fight against discrimination and injustice. In this spirit, the PUK continues to follow the principled path of the late President Mam Jalal, striving to ensure that women enjoy the freedom to live in a modern society grounded in justice and equality.



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