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Read the Vice President's Human Rights Day Statement on Gender Violence:

December 16, 2015 at 5:32 PM ET by Carrie Bettinger-Lopez

Summary:

Ending the scourge of violence against women around the world has been the Vice President's life's work. He released the following statement on Human Rights Day.

The Vice President has dedicated his career to ending violence against women -- both domestically and around the globe.

Read his statement on Human Rights Day:

A corporate lawyer in Kenya quits her job to fight gender-based violence. A doctor in Moldova opens a shelter for domestic violence survivors who have nowhere else to turn. An activist helps a young woman get out of a forced marriage in Afghanistan. A police officer in Georgia spends months pursuing justice for women harassed online.

Students at universities across the United States develop It’s On Us campaigns to combat sexual violence on their campuses. These are just a few of the many champions fighting against gender-based violence around the world. For over twenty years, I have worked with and have been inspired by these unsung heroes as we fight this scourge that invades homes, schools, and communities in every country around the world.

That’s why, from my days as a U.S. Senator and throughout my time as Vice President, I have championed the International Violence Against Women Act, which would further this Administration’s work to prioritize global efforts to prevent and respond to violence against women and girls—and shine a light on this affront to human dignity.

We celebrate the work done over the past 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence, culminating in Human Rights Day yesterday. We join with the international community to reaffirm our commitment to eradicating violence against women, and to uphold the basic human right of all women and girls to be free from violence and abuse.