25 November: International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
Did you know…
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Globally, almost one in three women have been subjected to physical and/or sexual violence at least once in their life
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31% of working women in the EU have experienced sexual harassment at work, with that figure rising to 42% among women aged 18 to 29
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Frontline retail workers are twice as likely to face anti-social behaviour than those in non-frontline roles, and women are disproportionately suffering
The consequences of violence against women are far reaching. Individual victims are suffering with serious mental and physical health impacts. In the workplace, this has a knock-on effect on employee motivation, with some women being forced to leave their jobs. For organisations, this contributes to the gender pay gap and limits women’s opportunities for career advancement. And the overall economic impact of all this is estimated to cost $1.5 trillion, the equivalent of 2% of global GDP.
As we approach November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, we stand in solidarity with those taking a zero-tolerance approach and actively creating safer working conditions for women. This is fundamental to the LEAD Network vision for a diverse and equitable workforce where everyone can contribute and grow, and where organisations thrive.
Open-source resources we recommend:
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‘How business can tackle gender-based violence in the world of work: a toolkit for action’ created by Business Fights Poverty, featuring good practice case studies from Diageo & Unilever
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the UN Women’s UNiTE campaign launch 16 days of activism, calling on organisations to address the global pandemic of violence against women
#OrangeTheWorld #EndViolenceAgainstWomen #GenderEquity