UN urges young men help break stereotype of violence

(November 25, 2011) The United Nations chief has urged harnessing the energy, ideas and leadership of young people to help end the pandemic of violence against women saying the scourge is one of most significant barriers to gender equality. “Violence — and in many cases the mere threat of it — is one of the most significant barriers to women’s full equality,” said UN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon in his message for this year’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, observed on Friday. He noted that violence against women and girls takes many forms and is widespread throughout the globe. It includes rape, domestic violence, harassment at work, abuse in school, female genital mutilation and sexual violence in armed conflicts, which are predominantly inflicted by men. The UN chief urged that particularly young men and boys be encouraged to become the advocates of “zero tolerance” towards violence against women and girls. Healthy models of masculinity needs to be promoted, Ban said, lamenting that too many young men still grow up surrounded by outmoded male stereotypes. Earlier on Nov. 23 at a special event to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on the occasion of the 15 anniversary of the establishment of the U.N. Trust Fund to End Violence Against Women, Ban Ki-Moon appealed for a massive increase in funds. He said despite grants worth $77 million to 339 initiatives in 126 countries in the 15 years, demand continues to outstrip resources with the trust fund receiving more 2,500 applications this year alone. Ban’s own campaign called “UNiTE to End Violence against Women” launched in 2008 has received fund from this trust.