Despite the substantial body of evidence that testifies to the fact that gender-based violence—physical, sexual and psychological—is a significant cause of ill-health and death among women, gender-based violence has not yet been adequately addressed as a public health issue at the national level in many countries.
Gender-based violence continues to be endemic and constitutes an extreme violation of women and girls’ human rights and rights to bodily integrity. These include sexual violence, marital rape, sexual harassment, traditional practices that are harmful to women and trafficking as well as new and emerging forms such as harassment via email and mobile phones. In analysing violence as a manifestation of unequal power relations, women are not the only group that suffers; violence also occurs against gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender people.
