The World Health Organization (WHO) has published the report Violence Against Women Prevalence Estimates, carried out between 2000 and 2018 in 161 countries and regions of the world. The surveys and studies have been based on a “prevalence data analysis” to report on two types of violence against women: violence against women by the partner – the context of marriage, coexistence or any other formal or informal union – and violence against women by non-partners.

As for the violence perpetrated by the couple, among people between the ages of 15 and 49, 27% of the respondents worldwide have suffered violence once in their lives and in the last twelve months 13%. Women between 30 and 39 years of age who have ever experienced violence by their partner are 28%, according to the WHO graph. The highest percentages were observed in Africa (33%), East Asia (33%) and the Eastern Mediterranean (31%). As for the violence exercised by someone who is not their partner, 6% of the respondents have ever suffered it in their lives. The highest percentages are found in America (11%) and in high-income countries and areas (10%).

Oceania and Sub-Saharan Africa, the worst data on violence against adolescent women

A publication by The Lancet Child & Wear Health collects data on violence suffered by adolescent women. 24% of adolescents aged 15 to 19 years have experienced violence once in their lives by their partner, and 16% in the last twelve months. The data, which indicate that they are different according to the state and region, indicate that the percentage of violence against adolescent women was higher in states and regions of low and medium-low income than in those of high income. Georgia and Papua have given examples of New Guinea. Georgia has 3% of cases of partner violence, compared with 49% in Papua New Guinea. The most dangerous areas for adolescent women are Oceania (47%) and Central Saharan Africa (40%) eldiario.es, and the safest are Central Europe (10%) and Central Asia (11%). “Countries with higher secondary school enrolment rates and succession laws with higher gender equality, on the part of the couple there is less violence against women,” they have collected on the journal’s website.

The journal has gathered proposals to improve the situation and has emphasized the need to “promote and guarantee policies and programs that increase and guarantee equality between the sexes”. It therefore states that States should endeavour in areas such as secondary education for all women, ensure equal rights of ownership for women, eliminate gender-discriminatory rules and abandon harmful practices such as child marriage.