November 25 is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.

SOS Malta underlines its commitment to fight any form and expression of gender-based violence. This also includes protection against harmful traditional practices, such as female genital mutilation, both inside and outside the EU.

Women activists have commemorated November 25 as a day against violence since 1981, marking the brutal assassination in 1960 of Patria Mercedes, Maria Argentina Minerva and Antonia María Teresa Mirabal, political activists in the Dominican Republic.

Around the world, as many as 1 in every 3 women has been beaten, coerced into sex, or abused in some other way - most often by someone she knows, including by her husband or another male family member; 1 woman in 4 has been abused during pregnancy.

Violence against women has been called "the most pervasive yet least recognised human rights abuse in the world." Priority must be given to this issue, which jeopardises women's lives, bodies, psychological integrity and freedom. Violence may have profound effects - direct and indirect - on a woman's reproductive health including unwanted pregnancies and restricted access to family planning information and contraceptives; complications from frequent, high-risk pregnancies and lack of follow-up care; sexually transmitted infections, including HIV; persistent gynaecological problems; and psychological problems.

Every effort must be put into breaking the silence and ensuring that the voices of women are heard.

For more information on the Save Women’s Lives Campaign, visit SOS Malta at www.sosmalta.org/savelives.