New report reveals urgent need for targeted programs that address violence against Indigenous and Afro descendent women and girls in the Americas – PAHO/WHO
Washington DC December 4, 2024 (PAHO) – A new report on violence against indigenous and Afro-descendant women and girls, released today by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), calls on countries in the Americas and partner organizations to urgently improve information and strengthen the implementation of programs that address the impact of gender violence on ethnic groups in the Region.
The report, Violence against indigenous, Afro-descendant and other ethnic women and girls in the Region of the Americas, reveals that while violence against women is prevalent throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, those of certain ethnic origins are particularly affected.
In 2022, PAHO launched a regional study to review available information, identify gaps, and explore next steps to address this issue. The study showed that while several countries in the Region had strengthened information on violence against women of specific ethnic origins, more must be done to improve data, research and policy formulation, in direct collaboration with the communities themselves. indigenous and Afro-descendants.
As a result of this study, the report also calls for a comprehensive response to violence against women that considers the different types of violence, its drivers and consequences, as well as the dimensions of discrimination that affect women and girls from different ethnic groups.
“Understanding the magnitude of violence against women, as well as its risk factors and consequences, is key to preventing and responding to gender violence in our Region,” said Anselm Hennis, Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at the PAHO. “Countries must work together to implement violence prevention policies with cross-cultural approaches to ensure they reach populations where they are needed most.”
“This report highlights the importance of promoting community-based, participatory and culturally appropriate solutions and policies that address the social determinants of health within these communities,” added Gerry Eijkemans, Director of Social and Environmental Determinants for Health Equity at the OPS.
The report urges countries to implement the following measures:
- Generate disaggregated evidence on the prevalence of violence against women, with a focus on indigenous, Afro-descendant women and girls, as well as those belonging to other ethnic groups;
- Promote the creation of a community of practice focused on research into forms of violence against women, as well as risk and protective factors;
- Ensure that the needs of women and girls from indigenous, Afro-descendant and other ethnic groups are taken into account in the design and implementation of health services, policies and plans to address violence against women;
- Promote social participation, such as knowledge dialogues, within and outside health systems;
- Promote comprehensive approaches to address social determinants of health to prevent violence against women through collaboration across sectors and stakeholders.
According to estimates by the World Health Organization (WHO), globally, approximately 1 in 3 women and girls over the age of 15 have experienced physical or sexual violence during their lifetime.
Although any woman can experience violence, women from certain ethnic groups are likely to face greater risk and, at the same time, face greater barriers to accessing support. However, information about these groups, their experiences of violence, and their possible response is often scarce.
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women
The launch of the report occurred during the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the 16 days of activism against gender violence, and in the context of International Human Rights Day (December 10 ).
The International Day is an opportunity to raise awareness about the profound impact of gender violence, not only on the physical and mental health of survivors but also on community development.
