Executive Director, UN Office on Drugs and Crime, Yury Fedotov: Statement on International Women’s Day

VIENNA, 8 March – International Women’s Day is a day to reflect on the need for every woman and girl to lead lives of dignity, equality and respect. The theme of this year’s day is: “Women in the Changing World of Work: Planet 50-50 by 2030”. Women must be allowed to work without harassment or discrimination, but we must not forget the impact of violence on women and girls. Too often, women and girls across the world face degrading violence and debilitating psychological pressures that savage lives across generations.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime—UNODC—is committed to helping end these brutal assaults by tackling human trafficking and migrant smuggling, as well as promoting criminal justice and the rule of law. Whether in the home, the work place, or in prisons, women must feel safe and secure. No one should live in hopeless fear or helpless terror. If there is to be progress, we must work collectively to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which seeks equality and an end to all forms of violence against women and girls. Barbarous violence against women and girls is a shared shame. It is owned by us all. On this day, I undertake to strive to end this violence, and by doing so, empower and enable women everywhere. (UN Information Service)