As India has been rocked by a string of sensational murders of young women, UN secretary- general Antonio Guterres has revealed in a message that "every 11 minutes a woman or a girl is killed by her intimate partner or a family member". The statement comes days ahead of the "International  Day for Elimination of Violence Against Women " which is observed by the United Nations every year on November 25^th.

He also exhorted the governments to increase funding by 50% to women's rights organizations and movements by 2026. Guterres warned that other stresses, from the Covid-19 pandemic to economic turmoil, inevitably lead to even more physical and verbal abuse and added that women and girls also face rampant online violence from misogynistic hate speech, sexual harassment, image abuse and grooming by predators.

He attributed this discrimination and violence to women's participation in all walks of life and in denying them their basic rights and freedoms apart from blocking the equal economic recovery and sustainable growth our world needs.

Speaking on this year's theme: "UNITE: Activism to End Violence Against Women and Girls" he said the theme is a reminder for all to stand with activists around the world who are calling for change and supporting survivors of violence.