In a context overshadowed by the global pandemic, 25 November still makes the news. This year, cases of gender-based violence have increased, as has been confirmed by the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, on several occasions. In one of his talks, he said that the UN urged all governments to include prevention and redress in the design of national response plans for COVID-19.

As such, and as stated in the Manifesto issued by the Inter-university Council of Catalonia Women and Science Committee to which the University has subscribed, “in recent months, there has been a proliferation in the use of digital platforms and the consumption of sexual, pornographic and violent content, with an increase in cyberviolence, digital gender-based violence that encourages harassment. For this reason, legal and social care resources are increasing, and this makes the lives of many women much more difficult.”

The Women and Science Committee is encouraging people to speak up and raise awareness: “[today] is also a day of hope and solidarity among all women worldwide, who, day after day, suffer violence, whether it be from their own family environment, strangers or institutions themselves. For this reason, universities, as institutions that generate and transmit knowledge and values, must become leaders in equality and in the commitment to the elimination of violence against women.”

On the other hand, and according to the Manifesto written and published by the Spanish Rectors Conference (CRUE), the document highlights the Spanish university system’s commitment to "warning people about so-called "vicarious violence", the violence perpetrated by abusers against the victims' loved ones, especially their children, as a means of causing maximum pain and suffering”.

Similarly, in recognition of 25 November, UIC Barcelona would like to highlight how that last year (15 July 2020) the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors approved the Harassment Prevention, Assessment and Intervention Protocol and that the institution maintains a strong commitment to equality, respect and coexistence.

For this International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the UIC Barcelona Equality Office has organised an online conference led by judge Rocio Fons specialised in gender-based violence. The conference will take place on 29 November from 3 to 4 p.m. in this Zoom Room.