Over 20% women in India face intimate partner violence: WHO report
Geneva: A new global report by the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed alarming figures on violence against women, highlighting the severe situation in India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the WHO report said that over one in five Indian women aged 15-49 were subjected to intimate partner violence in 2023, while nearly 30 per cent of Indian women have suffered such abuse at some point in their lives.
Globally, the report said that nearly one in three women, around 840 million, have suffered partner or sexual violence during their lifetime, a figure that has barely changed since 2000.
The WHO further noted that around 8.4 per cent of women aged 15-49 worldwide have faced sexual violence from non-partners. In India, the report said, about four per cent of women aged 15 and above are estimated to have been subjected to sexual violence by non-partners.
“Violence against women is one of humanity’s oldest and most pervasive injustices, yet still one of the least acted upon,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
He added, “No society can call itself fair, safe or healthy while half its population lives in fear. Ending this violence is not only a matter of policy; it is a matter of dignity, equality and human rights. Behind every statistic is a woman or girl whose life has been forever altered”.
Dr Tedros emphasized that empowering women and girls is not optional, it’s a prerequisite for peace, development and health. “A safer world for women is a better world for everyone,” he said.
