Thai youth join the race to end violence against women and girls
Date:
Other language: Thai (ภาษาไทย)
Bangkok – Close to 1,000 Thai youth took part in the Sasin Chulalongkorn University Mini-Marathon 2014 on Sunday under the theme Hand in Hand, We Run for Respectful Relationships, as part of the efforts to mobilize young people to end violence against women and girls and promote healthy and equitable relationships between women and men.
The event was co-organized by the Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University and UN Women, in support of the United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women Campaign. It coincides with the ‘16 Days of Activism’, which runs every year from November 25th, the International Day of Elimination of Violence against Women, to December 10th, International Human Rights Day, to raise awareness and mobilize people to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls.
The close to 1000 enthusiastic students showing their commitment to ensure a life free of violence for women and girls were joined by renowned Thai actor Wanchana Sawatdee, known for his role in the Legend of King Naresuan -films. Before the marathon kicked-off, Mr Wanchana commented that: “The idea that as a man, you need to be tough or controlling over women, is a harmful notion of masculinity that can be a root cause of violence. Young people, especially boys, can and must play a key role in preventing violence against women and girls, by challenging such norms. As a man, I respect myself and those around me – let’s all join hands for respectful relationships!”
“Data tells us that at least one in three women and girls will become targets of violence in their lifetime”, said Roberta Clarke, UN Women Regional Director of UN Women Asia and the Pacific and Representative in Thailand, at the start of the marathon. “But we all have the same inherent right to lead safe and healthy lives free from violence, and we are all responsible for making that a reality. This is why I am delighted to see so many young people here today, uniting for this important cause”, she added.
Despite progress in recent years in the area of legal reform, violence against women and girls remains pervasive in Asia and the Pacific. A 2013 study which interviewed over 10,000 men across six countries in the region found that overall, nearly half reported using physical or sexual violence against a partner (ranging from 26-80 percent across sites). Of the men who reported raping a woman or girl, around half had done so while still in their teens. The majority did not face any legal consequence, illustrating that impunity for perpetrators is widespread.
“Young people are building the future and should be the ones to define what that future should be. As the leaders of tomorrow, they have the power to create a violence-free generation, based on equitable and respectful relationships between women and men, girls and boys”, Ms. Clarke said.
For Media inquiries:
UN Women:
Montira Narkvichien
Regional Communications Specialist
UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
Tel. +66 81 668 8900
[ Click to reveal ]
For information on the UNiTE Campaign and UN Women’s work to End Violence Against Women:
Anna-Karin Jatfors
Regional Programme Manager, Ending Violence Against Women
Tel.: + 66 861 529070
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Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration:
Vararat Vongprateep
Assistant Head of Marketing and Communications[ Click to reveal ]Tel.: +66 2 218 38534
Praewthip Danwarawijitr
Marketing and Communications Coordinator
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Tel.: +66 2 218 38534 or +66 81 808 5910
Note to Editor:_________________
UN Women: UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. A global champion for women and girls, UN Women was established to accelerate progress on meeting their needs worldwide. For more information, visit http://asiapacific.unwomen.org Twitter @unwomenasia
UNiTE: Launched in 2008, the United Nations Secretary-General’s UNiTE to End Violence against Women Campaign is a UN System-wide initiative aiming to raise public awareness and increase political will and resources for preventing and ending all forms of violence against women and girls. Through global, regional and national advocacy initiatives, the UNiTE campaign is working to mobilize individuals and communities, with a strong focus on actively engaging with men and boys and young people.
For more information on Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration, please consult the following sources:
www.sasin.edu
www.facebook.com/sasinbusinessschool
www.twitter.com/SasinThailand
