According to the agency, United NationsSecretary General Ban Ki-moon in July 2012 proclaimed the 25 th day ofevery month as Orange Day in order to raise public awareness andpromote practical activities to prevent and end violence against womenand girls.
T his year, Orange Day activities have beenfocusing on highlighting recommendations of the agreed conclusionsof the 57th session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women(CSW57) which took place in March this year.
In April, theOrange Day took on the theme of ‘Safe Work Places for Women andGirls’, in May, ‘Safe Homes for Women and Girls’ while inJune, Orange Day focused on ‘State Custody and Care as Safe Spaces’. In July it drew attention to ‘ Cyber Space as Safe Space forWomen and Girls’ while the theme for August was ‘ SexualViolence against Women and Girls in Conflict’ . The theme for OrangeDay in September was ‘ Safe Schools for Girls’.
Many womenand girls are facing violence as well as sexual harassment and abuse inpublic places such as schools, streets and public transport, as well asat the hands of family members.
Violence and the fear ofviolence have obstructed women’s development and reduced the use ofpublic transport while negatively affecting health, spiritual life andthe basic human rights of women and girls.
The “Safe andFriendly City for Girls” report launched by PLAN International, Womenin Cities International and UN Habitat in Hanoi last year showed thatonly 16 percent of girls surveyed feel safe in public places, eightpercent feel safe on the bus, while 30 percent never feel safe whenwalking.-VNA