Join us on Monday, November 24, at 10:00 a.m. (Washington, D.C. time or EST) for the event "Launch of new estimates on the prevalence of violence against women in the Americas." This event will feature a hybrid audience, including key stakeholders in Washington, DC, such as embassies to the OAS and partner institutions, who will be invited in person. In addition, virtual connection via Zoom will be disseminated widely in the Region with the aim of involving a broad audience interested in the elimination of violence against women and girls.
Objectives
- Formally launch the new WHO estimates on intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence for the Americas.
- Give visibility to the magnitude of violence against women in the Americas and what works to prevent it.
- Highlight examples of good practice from countries and partners that have advanced this important topic in the Americas.
- Underline the need for sustained funding and cooperation to support violence prevention in the Region.
Recording
How to participate
- DATE: Monday, November 24, 2025
- TIME: from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (Washington, DC time or EST) [Check at the end of the page the time in other cities]
- LANGUAGES: Spanish, English, and Portuguese with simultaneous interpretation in those languages.
- REGISTER: https://paho-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_XU0WNuBDQ0aB37akwqJ9Fw#/registration
Agenda
10:00 a.m. Opening remarks
- PAHO
- UN Women
- World Bank
Launch of the Americas estimates
10:20 a.m. Oral interventions of 5-7 minutes by high-level representatives in question-and-answer style, facilitated by a moderator around the following questions:
- Why are these estimates on violence against women important?
- What lessons can be drawn from these data and from the work to prevent violence against women in the Americas?
- Why is sustained and predictable funding key to accelerating the response to violence against women and girls?
- What priority measures are required to address violence against women and girls in all its forms in the Region?
11:45 a.m. Conclusions and closing remarks
Context
Violence against women and girls is one of the most widespread human rights violations and a structural problem with severe repercussions for public health, development, and the building of more equitable societies. Its effects extend beyond the health and well-being of women and girls at risk of violence to profoundly impact families, communities, and countries’ social and economic development. Although preventable, its levels in Latin America and the Caribbean remain alarmingly high.
Women’s organizations have driven calls to action for the elimination of violence for decades. In 1993, the Member States of the Americas recognized violence against women as a major public health issue and committed to its prevention. In 1994, this commitment was further strengthened with the adoption of the Inter-American Convention on the Prevention, Punishment and Eradication of Violence against Women (Convention of Belém do Pará). The Region’s leadership on this topic is noteworthy and must be sustained.
Having up-to-date data on the magnitude of violence in the Region is essential to guide evidence-based policymaking. In 2015, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) included, for the first time, specific indicators on violence against women, framing the prevalence of intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence as central obstacles to achieving sustainable development. Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) is the custodian of SDG indicator 5.2.1 and is mandated to publish global, regional, and national estimates on intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence on behalf of the UN Inter-Agency Working Group on Violence against Women Estimation and Data (IAWG-ED).
In our region, the importance of measuring violence has been reaffirmed by the Member States of the Americas in the PAHO Strategy and Plan of Action on Violence against Women, 2015–2025, as well as in the recent discussions among countries on the PAHO Strategic Plan, 2026–2031. The launch of the estimates is also timely as it precedes the Summit of the Americas and related discussions between government leaders on hemispheric security.
For these reasons, the publication of the new estimates in 2025 represents a strategic milestone for the Americas: it will not only update the regional picture of violence but also strengthen accountability and inform public policies and strengthen their effectiveness to prevent violence against women and girls in all its forms.
This launch event, held in the context of the 16 Days of Activism in 2025, is a unique opportunity to spotlight the new data, galvanize political will, and open a dialogue on which interventions have proven effective to prevent, respond to, and eradicate violence against women and girls in the Region. It is timely for the Region of the Americas to come together and showcase its leadership on this important issue.
Time in other cities
- 7:00 a.m. – Los Angeles, Vancouver.
- 8:00 a.m. – Guatemala City.
- 9:00 a.m. – Belmopan, Mexico City, Managua, San José (CR), San Salvador, Tegucigalpa.
- 10:00 a.m. - Bogotá, Panamá City, Kingston, Lima, Quito, Ottawa, Havana, Nassau, Port-au-Prince, Washington D.C.
- 11:00 a.m. – Bridgetown, Caracas, Georgetown, La Paz, Port of Spain, San Juan, Santo Domingo.
- 12:00 p.m. – Asunción, Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Montevideo, Paramaribo, Santiago.
- 4:00 p.m. – Geneva, Madrid.
For other cities, please refer to the local time at this link.