Gender-based discrimination, accepted social norms of violence, and gender stereotypes that feed violent cycles are the fundamental causes of violence against women and girls.

Up until now, the majority of the attention in the fight to end violence against women and girls has been on helping those who have been harmed and offering them resources.

The only way to entirely eradicate violence against women and girls is through prevention, which involves addressing the systemic reasons as well as the risk and protective factors related to violence.

Violence must be avoided in order to be stopped after it starts. It calls for political commitment, the implementation of legislation that advance gender equality, financial support for women's organisations, and an effort to address the various forms of prejudice women encounter on a daily basis.