Today, as we mark the 25th anniversary of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, we recommit ourselves to the urgent work of ending gender-based violence in the United States and around the world. Gender-based violence is a human rights abuse and a public health crisis that affects one in three women and girls. We also know that whenever and wherever women and girls are threatened, peace, stability and economic progress are also threatened.
Working to end violence against women and girls is my life's work. In the U.S. Senate, I wrote and advocated for the Violence Against Women Act, working across party lines and with courageous survivors to strengthen the bill four times. As President, I proudly signed into law the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which expanded access to safety and support for survivors, increased prevention efforts, and established new federal protections against online harassment and abuse. Under my Administration, the United States secured an all-time high level of funding for implementation of the Violence Against Women Act, and we have maintained an all-time high level of investment in addressing gender-based violence globally at $250 million annually.
My administration released the first-ever U.S. National Plan to End Gender-Based Violence, updated the U.S. Strategy for Preventing and Responding to Gender-Based Violence Globally, and worked tirelessly to prevent and address gender-based violence in all its forms, including through the White House Task Force to Address Online Harassment and Abuse and the Global Partnership to Combat Gender-Based Harassment and Abuse, which has grown to 15 member countries. Within the United States and globally, we have promoted policies focused on online safety, invested in efforts to prevent technology-facilitated gender-based violence - including combating its crippling effects on women's civic and political participation - and supported survivors of image-based sexual abuse.
We have also taken historic steps to strengthen justice and accountability for conflict-related sexual violence. In 2022, I issued a Presidential Memorandum to Promote Accountability for Conflict-Related Sexual Violence - directing federal agencies to use sanctioning authority, aid restrictions, and other tools to promote accountability for perpetrators of these human rights violations. Since the issuance of this memorandum, the United States has issued nearly two dozen sanctions, including several sanctions issued for the first time solely on the basis of sexual violence. And earlier this year, we announced the Dignity in Documentation Initiative, which supports civil society efforts to investigate and document sexual violence in conflict.
Today we reflect on the tremendous progress we have made since the first International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women a quarter of a century ago. At the same time, we recommit ourselves to the work ahead of us to achieve a world where all women and girls can live free from fear, free from violence and free from abuse.
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