New report highlights that, though 83% of PAHO Member States have included violence towards ladies of their well being plans or insurance policies, solely half advocate important first-line help.

Washington, D.C., November 30, 2022 (PAHO) – The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) this week launched a brand new report assessing the standing of well being sector responses to violence towards ladies, and known as on international locations to speed up the complete implementation of methods to deal with this pervasive public well being and human rights downside within the area of the Americas.

The report, “Addressing violence against women in health policies and protocols in the Americas: a regional status report” is the primary of its type. It evaluations insurance policies in PAHO’s 35 Member States and affords a roadmap for well being programs to affix a multisectoral effort to deal with the problem.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), one out of each three ladies within the Americas expertise bodily and/or sexual violence throughout their lifetime. Intimate associate violence is the most typical type of violence towards ladies, and as much as 66 million ladies and women are estimated to have skilled this type of violence within the area.

“We know that violence is preventable, which is why the sheer number of women and girls affected by this in our region is particularly shocking,” stated Dr. Anselm Hennis, Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at PAHO. “We know more today than ever before about what works to prevent violence against women, so this situation is unacceptable,” he added.

The repercussions of violence towards ladies are devastating, not just for their particular person well being and well-being, however for complete households and communities. Consequences embrace a broad vary of bodily, sexual, reproductive, and psychological well being issues.

The well being sector has a key position to play in stopping or mitigating the affect of violence towards ladies and the brand new report highlights that 83% of PAHO Member States have included this difficulty of their well being plans or insurance policies. 

“Making violence against women visible and including it in national health policies and plans sets the tone for engagement on this important topic,” stated Britta Baer, Regional Advisor on Violence Prevention at PAHO. “Often without guidance and policies from health ministries, the issue is not prioritised by governments,” she added.

As well being employees usually deal with survivors of violence and are considered as trusted people, the report highlights their key position in early intervention and within the provision of important care and help. For this to work, nonetheless, well being employees require an evidence-based protocol.

The report exhibits that 60% of nations within the area have at the very least one such protocol however warns that extra must be achieved to reinforce their high quality and to align them with greatest practices, Baer defined, particularly for first-line help.

PAHO considers first-line help as one of many minimal ranges of well being care survivors of violence towards ladies ought to obtain. First-line help is thought by the acronym LIVES, which stands for: hear with empathy, inquire about their wants, validate their experiences, improve their security and help them to attach with further providers. The report signifies that solely 54% of Member States included some side of first-line help of their protocols.

Detailed well being sector protocols are vital as they help well being employees in understanding what is predicted and allow a sooner response. “This is particularly relevant in the response to sexual violence, where every hour counts in providing quality care and in mitigating consequences,” Baer stated.

The report was launched in the course of the week to mark 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence. This worldwide marketing campaign takes place yearly between the International Day for the Elimination of Violence towards Women (25 November) and Human Rights Day (10 December) to spur motion to stop and get rid of violence towards ladies and women.

“The Region has made impressive progress and has the potential to lead change on the ground by sharing experience with other regions,” Dr. Hennis stated. “COVID-19 put the clock back on many advances, so we must focus on regaining ground to reach the 2025 targets in preventing violence and responding to the needs of women and girls in the Americas,” he added.