On 25^th of November UNFPA Communication Specialist Ahniya Asanovich informed Belarusian media about launch of theOrange campaign on ending violence against women. UNFPA Communication specialist stressed the importance of the issue worldwide and in Belarus and presented the range of activities, which will be organized during 16 days long campaign together with international, state and NGO partners.

Orange campaign is an initiative of the UN Secretary General UNiTE and UN Women which aims at raising awareness and taking action against violence against women and girls.

Orange campaign in Belarus is carried out by UNFPA, UNDP, UNICEF and IOM. The aim of the campaign is to attract public attention to the issue of violence against women and to prevent domestic violence of which women is most likely to be a victim. The dates of the Campaign are symbolic. 25^th of November is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, 10^th of December - International Human Rights Day.

«Realization of orange campaign on ending violence against women and girls is very important for all of us. 3 out of 4 women in Belarus suffer from domestic violence in Belarus. More than ¼ keep it in silence. Violence against women and girls is responsibility of each of us. It must not be ignored. We should raise this problem as widely as possible and solve it a UNiTED way!» - said Ahniya Asanovich.

The following activities will be conducted during 16 orange days of activism:

25^th of November - joint orange ribbon campaign conducted by UN, Road Police, territorial centers of social services and volunteers of NGO Belarusian Young Women Christian Association. Volunteers will distribute orange ribbons, the symbol of a wow against violence towards women, and orange souvenirs. Orange ribbon campaign will take place in Minsk, Borisov, Grodno, Smorgon and Brest.

26^th of November - seminar for the specialists "Best practices to work with the victims of domestic violence: diagnostics of trauma and the ways of rehabilitation” (NGO Belarusian Young Women Christian Association).

27^th of November - Orange campaign on ending violence will be hosted at Berestié cinema in Minsk (NGO Belarusian Young Women Christian Association, Moscow district territorial center of social services).

3^rd of December - seminar on peculiarities of the socio-psychological work with the participants of domestic violence (NGO Belarusian Young Women Christian Association, Moscow district territorial center of social services).

4^th of December - National Library will be lit orange to support the campaign against violence towards women and girls. On this day UN agencies representatives will make statements on the importance of combating violence against women and preventing domestic violence.

8^th of December - during human rights film festival a movie on violence against women Die Fremde (Germany, 2010) will be demonstrated at Pobeda cinema. Before the film screening guests will receive orange ribbons with STOP VIOLENCE inscription and will see short social videos on ending violence against women with Max Mirnyi, Alexei Kalyuzhny and Yulia Vysotskaya.

Within 16 days of action against violence an intensive media campaign will be launched inviting social media users to orange their profiles, take quiz on Violence against women, watch social videos on ending domestic violence against women and to take part in a photo challenge ‘Say No to Violence against women and girls etc.

General-Secretary of NGO Belarusian Young Women Christian Association, Olga Yanchuk, the Head of the Department of Crimes Prevention, Oleg Karasei and Chief Specialist of the Department of Population, Gender and Family Politics of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection, Elena Komlik elaborated on the challenges and solutions to ending violence against women during press-conference.

Press-conference was organized by NGO Belarusian Young Women Christian Association and took place at National Press-Center of the Republic of Belarus.