Resources

Definition of VAW The United Nations defines violence against women as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life” (General Assembly Resolution 48/104 Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, 1993). www.un.org/documents/ga/res/48/a48r104.htm

UN Women is the UN organization dedicated to gender equality and the empowerment of women. www.unwomen.org

The virtual knowledge centre on Violence Against Women is an online resource in English, French and Spanish, designed to serve the needs of policymakers, programme implementers and other practitioners dedicated to addressing violence against women and girls. The Centre is an initiative of United Nations Women, bringing together the valuable contributions of expert organizations and individuals, governments, United Nations sister agencies, and a wide range of relevant actors. www.endvawnow.org

UNiTE to End Violence Against Women is a campaign launched by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to prevent and eliminate violence against women and girls in all parts of the world. UNiTE provides an overall “umbrella” for existing and new initiatives at global, regional, national and local levels, it brings together a host of UN agencies and offices to galvanize action across the UN system to prevent and punish violence against women. www.un.org/en/women/endviolence

Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence Against Women is a global advocacy initiative, launched in November 2009, on ending violence against women and girls. It is presented by UN WOMEN as a contribution to advance the objectives of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s campaign UNiTE to End Violence Against Women through social mobilization. The website stimulates, counts and showcases actions on ending violence against women. www.saynotoviolence.org

The eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – which range from halving extreme poverty to halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and providing universal primary education, all by the target date of 2015 – form a blueprint agreed to by all the world’s countries and all the world’s leading development institutions. Goal number 3 is to Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women with a target to Eliminate gender disparity in primary and secondary education, preferably by 2005, and in all levels of education, no later than 2015. www.un.org/millenniumgoals/gender.shtml

ICOGRADA Icograda (the International Council of Graphic Design Associations) is the world body for professional communication design. Founded in 1963, it is a voluntary assembly of organisations concerned with graphic design, visual communication, design management, promotion, education, research and journalism. Icograda promotes communication designers’ vital role in society and commerce and unifies the voices of graphic designers and visual communicators worldwide. www.icograda.org