Everywoman Everywhere

Everywoman emerged from research at the Initiative on Violence Against Women at Harvard’s Carr Center for Human Rights. The research showed massive gaps in women and girls' legal protection from violence worldwide and that a treaty was next step the world can take to end the violence. Everywoman is now a coalition of more than 2,000 members in 143 nations developing a global treaty to end violence against women and girls.

Violence against women and girls is pandemic, the most widespread human rights violation on earth. One out of three women has survived domestic or sexual violence alone. The cost to individuals, families and the world is staggering. Violence against women fuels global crises such as poverty and infant mortality, and it exacts an overwhelming annual price tag-8 percent of the global economy or 5.2 trillion dollars. But here’s what we’ve learned: the problem is solvable. Decades of research reveal that if nations adopt a comprehensive approach to violence prevention that includes strong laws and national reform across multiple government sectors, rates of violence plummet. How do we make governments enact national reform? An international treaty. Treaties are legislation at the highest level that, through the enormous political will they create, compel nations to act. With a global treaty, we can, nation by nation, across the globe, end the violence. Treaties unite nations. This one unites humanity.