“This is a crucial, worldwide campaign to raise awareness about violence against women and girls," he said.

The High Commissioner virtually delivered remarks on the occasion of UNFPA’s 16 days of activism against gender-based violence campaign, towards strengthening efforts to end gender-based violence and make progress in the gender-equality agenda, said the High Commissioner on Tuesday.

The High Commissioner said this is a human rights issue that requires collective voice and actions at all levels possible to help bring about positive change – from individual community leaders to local grassroots organizations; from national to international NGOs to multilaterals; and from private sector to government institutions.

“Our collective fight against violence against women and girls requires us to be champions of change. It requires youth, both female and male, together with men and women to also be champions in the quest to end the worldwide epidemic that is gender-based violence," said the High Commissioner. 

He also noted Canada’s concern regarding current statistics which present an alarming global picture regarding violence against women.

“Numbers are people. We have to recognize that each statistic represents a woman, child or family – a life – torn apart by violence or abuse. These statistics should be viewed as an urgent call for enhanced actions in the fight against sexual and gender-based violence”, he stated.

"Canada’s Feminist Assistance Policy recognizes that supporting gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls is the best way to build a more peaceful, more inclusive and more prosperous world," aaid the Canadian High Commissioner.

The event brought together a broad group of experts, policymakers, women’s rights organizations, activists, young people, human rights defenders, international organizations, and members of the international community to discuss the challenges in preventing and responding to gender-based violence in Bangladesh.

The global theme for the 2020 campaign is “Orange the World: Fund, Respond, Prevent Collect!”, with four strategic areas which aim to accelerate the progress towards the achievement of the 2030 SDG agenda and build a gender-equal society.

This event created an opportunity for dialogue between activists and policymakers, civil society organizations, service providers, media, and the public, in order to accelerate a concrete policy response to gender-based violence and to promote zero tolerance of gender-based violence across all spheres of Bangladeshi society.