WHO: violence against women has barely decreased in 25 years

This is according to a new global report by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UN agencies.

In the past 12 months, 316 million women (11% of all women 15+ years old) have experienced physical or sexual violence by a current or former partner. Since 2000, such violence has declined at a symbolic rate of about 0.2 per cent per year.

For the first time, the report provides national and regional estimates of non-partner sexual violence: at least 263 million women have experienced such episodes since the age of 15. Experts emphasise that this is most likely an underestimate due to stigma and fear that prevent women from talking about their experiences.

WHO calls violence against women one of the oldest and most enduring forms of human rights violations - and also one of the most poorly addressed.

Health and life risks - from adolescence onwards

Violence leads to a spectrum of consequences:

• unplanned pregnancies;

• increased risk of sexually transmitted infections;

• depression and other mental health problems;

• chronic health problems and social isolation.

The report emphasises that violence often starts very early. In the last year alone, 12.5 million 15-19 year olds (16 per cent of this group) experienced physical and/or sexual violence by a partner.

The prevalence of violence is particularly high in least developed countries, conflict zones and regions vulnerable to climate crises. In Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand), 38 per cent of women experienced partner violence in the past year - more than three times the global average (11 per cent). In Europe and North America, the average is around 5%, but that's still millions of survivors.

The money is going out and the needs are growing

The report comes on the eve of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November) and is the largest-ever analysis of two key forms of violence:

• intimate partner violence;

• non-partner sexual violence.

The authors analysed data from 2000-2023 for 168 countries and concluded: the problem is systemically underfunded.

• In 2022, only 0.2% of global development assistance went to programmes to prevent violence against women.

• In 2025, according to the UN, funding levels have fallen even further, although humanitarian crises, digital risks and social inequalities are only increasing the threats.

At the same time, there is already ample evidence on what works to prevent violence - but without political will and money, it is impossible to scale.

Inequality, poverty, discrimination

WHO and partners emphasise that violence against women is not an isolated problem, but a consequence of gender inequality, poverty, discrimination, armed conflict and weak protection institutions. Particularly vulnerable are:

• indigenous peoples;

• migrant and refugee women;

• women with disabilities;

• women living in war zones and humanitarian crises.

However, data on these groups is often lacking - as is data on sexual violence outside relationships, which in some countries remains almost entirely hidden.

There is progress where there is political will

The report's authors note that positive progress is possible when states take the issue seriously.

• Cambodia is implementing a national project to update domestic violence legislation, improve the quality and accessibility of support services, modernise shelters and use digital solutions in schools and communities to work with adolescents.

• Ecuador, Liberia, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda, and Uganda have developed national plans to address violence, backed by costing and domestic funding. This is a signal that even when external assistance is reduced, governments can allocate resources on their own.

But at the global level, such examples are still rare.

What WHO and the UN are proposing

For a real leap forward, WHO and UN agencies urge governments to:

• scale up prevention programmes that have already been shown to be effective;

• strengthen support services - medical, legal and social - with a focus on survivors;

• invest in data collection systems to see the real scale of the problem, including among the most vulnerable groups;

• rigorously enforce laws and policies that protect and empower women and girls.

At the same time, the updated RESPECT Women framework approach is presented - a set of recommendations for violence prevention including:

• developing partnership skills,

• economic and social strengthening of women and girls,

• guaranteed access to services,

• poverty reduction,

• a safe environment (schools, workplaces, public spaces),

• prevention of violence against children and adolescents,

• changing gender norms and stereotypes.

The authors of the report emphasise that the lack of data or money is no longer an excuse. Violence against women is neither a "private problem" nor a "cultural peculiarity", but an issue of human rights, justice and sustainable development.