WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) – The World Health Organization (WHO) on Wednesday said that violence against women and girls continues to be a serious and persistent problem in the region of the Americas, including the Caribbean.

New estimates released by the WHO and UN partners ahead of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls on November 25, show that one in three women aged 15 and older in the region has experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in her life.

The WHO said intimate partner violence remains the most common form of abuse, with one in four women aged 15-49 experiencing physical or sexual violence from a partner, while one in eight has suffered sexual violence from someone other than a partner.

Young women face early risks, with 21 per cent of those aged 15-19 experiencing partner violence before reaching 20, while older women are not spared, with figures showing that 23 per cent of women aged 65 and above report such violence.

“These figures of women affected in our Region are so striking because violence is preventable. Collecting high-quality data on violence against women is the first step toward giving this important issue the visibility and urgency it requires,” said Dr Jarbas Barbosa, director of the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), regional office of WHO for the Americas.

“There is much that we know, and much that we can do together to prevent and respond to violence in all its forms. We must act to prevent violence, support survivors, and invest in strategies that break the cycles of abuse.”

The WHO said that despite increasing awareness, national multisectoral policies, and health service interventions, progress in reducing violence against women has been slow. Over the past two decades, prevalence rates of intimate partner violence have remained largely

The WHO said that it is unlikely that countries in the Americas will reach Sustainable Development Goal 5.2, which calls for the elimination of all forms of violence against women.

“Shame and stigma associated with sexual violence hinder reporting, suggesting that actual numbers are likely to be much higher,” said Britta Baer, PAHO advisor on violence prevention.

“These figures underscore the urgency for action across all countries in the region, especially strengthening timely access to post-rape care.”

The new estimates represent the most comprehensive study on the prevalence of intimate partner and non-partner sexual violence. The estimates analyse and present data from 2000 to 2023 across 168 countries and territories, including 29 in the Americas.

The WHO said that the finding provides a crucial basis for informed policy decisions.

It said violence against women has severe and long-lasting impacts, including physical injuries, sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies, depression, and, in the most extreme cases, femicide. Children exposed to violence at home are more likely to experience or perpetrate abuse as adults, perpetuating the cycle of violence.

Meanwhile, PAHO said it continues to support countries in strengthening prevention and response through evidence-based strategies, including the RESPECT framework.

RESPECT identifies seven interventions to prevent violence: strengthening relationship skills; empowering women and girls; ensuring services; reducing poverty; creating enabling environments; preventing child and adolescent abuse; and transforming unequal gender attitudes, beliefs, and norms.

The health sector plays a vital role in early identification of at-risk groups, providing first-line support, high-quality clinical care, and connecting survivors to broader services. Ensuring that survivors are listened to, believed, and supported is a minimum requirement for an effective response.

PAHO said it has long worked with governments to promote the strategic use of data for decision-making and advocacy, as well as support the development and revision of national prevention policies and plans.

It is also assisting in strengthening health system capacities to respond to survivors, including supporting countries in operationalising LIVES – a WHO training curriculum for health-care providers— within health services; and facilitating regional dialogue and exchange of experiences to scale up effective interventions.

As part of the 16 Days of Activism 2025, PAHO said it will host a hybrid event on November 24 in collaboration with UN Women and the World Bank to present the new estimates on the prevalence of violence against women in the Americas.

It said this event aims to open a dialogue on interventions that have proven effective in preventing, responding to, and eliminating violence against women and girls in the region.

“It is essential to remember that violence against women is a challenge present in every country of our region. This is why it is — and must continue to be — a regional priority and a shared commitment to make this form of violence visible, strengthen decision-making, and sustain the investments needed to prevent and respond to it effectively,” said the PAHO director.