Inter Press Service: Ending Violence Against Women & Girls in the Sahel: Crucial for Sustainable Development
Amina Mohammed, deputy secretary general of the United Nations

“…[I]t is important that we acknowledge the multiple forms of violence women and girls face, and the consequences they have for individuals, families, communities, and our shared agendas for development — the 2030 Agenda and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. … From early forced marriage to femicide, from trafficking to sexual harassment, from sexual violence to harmful traditional practices: violence in all its forms is a global impediment to sustainable development, peace, and prosperity. It prevents women from fully engaging in society, scars successive generations, and costs countries millions in health expenses, job days lost, and long-term impacts. The United Nations, together with partners, national governments and civil society, is leading efforts to end all forms of violence against women and girls by 2030. And we have existing efforts we can build on. … [W]e need to implement our global agenda on sustainable development — the 2030 Agenda — with urgency, and gender equality is at the very heart of this…” (2/1).