United Nations Secretary- Generals Campaign:

UNiTE to End Violence against Women

Public Relations Division

Student Paper

Abstract

This paper will provide a student authored analysis of an international public relations campaign

launched by the United Nations. The campaign was launched by United Nations Secretary

General Ban Ki-Moon in 2008. In an effort to confront the problem of worldwide violence

against women and girls of all ages, all members of the global community were called upon,

especially governmental authority figures. The campaign will be analyzed using the ROSTE

public relations model, including critique of the research, objectives, strategies, tactics, and

evaluation. Because this is a public information campaign, it differs in the research and planning

of a typical campaign. An analysis of this campaign is important in order to learn how an

initiative of such magnitude is approached and if it is approached in an accurate manner. The

following analysis was prepared from limited public records and social media observations.

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 Introduction

The UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign was launched by the United

Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon on February 25th, 2008 (Framework for Action, 2009,

p.10). The campaigns goals and objectives were intended to be reached by 2015. The overall

goal was to prevent and end all forms of widespread violence against women and girls of all ages

(Framework for Action, 2009, p.14). The term all was used as a general measurement

throughout the campaign, because Mr. Bans vision was for the entire world to be free from

gender-based violence. His campaign called on government figures, education systems, civil

society, business owners, the media, and all branches of the UN for equal support (About

UNiTE, 2010).

In many countries, perpetrators of violence against women and girls face little to no legal

consequence. Violence against women does not discriminate against age, race, ethnicity,

socioeconomic status, or location (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). Mr. Ban

launched UNiTE to fix this problem; change would be achieved through galvanizing support and

mobilizing resources. Emphasizing the necessity of political will and leadership in stunting and

stopping the violence, the campaign attempted to combat the failing moral responsibility of the

governments (UNiTE Goals). Ignorance is not necessarily the cause for such failure. Often,

governments lack the expertise that it takes to protect the population in whole (Framework for

Action, 2009, p.12). Not only have many governments failed to place protection of women as a

priority, but often, they do not have the funding to adequately do so. Without laws and financial

resources, the goals of the campaign could not be achieved.

UNiTE was not a promotion or bolstering of a product or a reputation; it was a public

information campaign on a global scale. These arent the easiest or most attractive campaigns to

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conduct or evaluate. Two other campaigns that have been analyzed using the ROSTE model are

Avons Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer in the Philippines and Burson - Marstellers

Depression Awareness Campaign in Thailand (Parkinson, 2006). In public information

campaigns, research is required to be extensive. The ROSTE model is an effective tool, because

it recognizes the research as the most essential component of the campaign. This is because the

success of the campaign relies on how well-informed the people are, and the people, in turn,

depend on the quality of research. The ROSTE model also recognizes that a well-planned

campaign should always include objectives, strategies, and tactics - if these components are

weak or nonexistent, the potential for success is low. Two common similarities of public

information campaigns are the general goal of raising awareness and the emphasis placed on

cultural consideration, which are both interpreted thoroughly within the ROSTE model.

There is a major difference between these three campaigns, however. Avon focused their

efforts in the Philippines, and Burson - Marsteller focused their efforts in Thailand. Mr. Ban and

the UN focused their efforts in various nations, not just one. A primary goal of this campaign

analysis is to learn how and if the entire international community, approached at different

regional levels, can be reached successfully during a campaign, or if the campaign should have

focused strictly in one area in order to obtain a more feasible evaluation. Another goal of the

analysis is to observe whether or not an initiative of such magnitude (attempting to change all

cultures attitudes and actions towards the treatment of women) can even be measured as a

success or a failure. How is that to be concluded?

The evaluation of a public relations campaign acts as a learning tool for many

practitioners who wish to launch similar programs. An official evaluation should be present for

both external and internal observation, but they arent always conducted. The ROSTE model

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allows one to conclude their own evaluation about whether or not the campaign was a success, a

partial success, or a failure. It also pinpoints strengths and weaknesses that characterize what

works best in a specific type of campaign. Sometimes campaigns succeed greatly in certain

areas, but fail in others. As years go by, public information campaigns will need to evolve

according to the changing attitudes of the world. The outcomes that are made known from an

evaluation will illustrate how to alter the campaign, or campaigns, in order to hold the attention

of whomever the audience(s) may be.

ROSTE Analysis

Research

Violence is conducted in many forms, including physical, sexual, psychological, and

economical (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). According to the World Health

Organization (WHO), culturally-related risk factors for experiencing violence include low levels

of education, societal based gender inequality, and beliefs based on sexual purity (Violence

against women, 2016). Other risk factors involve witnessing violence in ones past and

difficulties in communicating with ones partner (Violence against women, 2016). Though not

directly linked to violence, they can be linked indirectly. Victims of violence dont suffer just

visible forms of physical and mental distress, but often the remainder of their lives is

permanently changed. If the harm done is severe enough to put the victim out of work, it is likely

to impoverish her family (Violence against women, 2016). In certain cultures, if a woman or

girl is raped, she is shunned from society. Violence does not discriminate against women, yet it

is believed that violence against women is typically a result of gender discrimination (Violence

Against Women: The Situation, 2011).

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 Violence against women is a distinct violation of The Universal Declaration of Human

Rights, because the declarations purpose is to make sure no person can be treated cruelly or

unequally due to distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political

or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status (UN General

Assembly, 1948). A treaty that was developed and adopted specifically for the treatment of

women was The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women

(CEDAW) in 1979. This treaty requires that all member states to the convention (189) take steps

in preventing and ending gender-based violence (Six things you need to know about CEDAW,

2017). In 1993, the adoption of the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence

Against Women publicly condemned gender-based violence. UNiTE boldly claims that while

some states have made ample progress, the issue is still prevalent in many areas.

In 1995, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action was adopted (Tapales, 2010,

p.vii). This declaration targeted governments to promote better research standards on gathering

statistics on violence against women. The push for better statistical methodology created what is

known as The Worlds Women report, which many researchers utilize, including Ban Ki-Moon.

In taking a glance back at the UNs first edition of The Worlds Women: Trends and Statistics,

published in 1990, there is only one section on violence against women. This section is not titled

violence against women it is titled Domestic violence, falls under the chapter Women,

families, and households, and includes 5 variables from a sample of 36 countries (Ahmed,

1991). The 1995 edition of The Worlds Women added a Violence against women section

under the Power and influence chapter (Boutros, 1995). Five years after that, the length of this

section of research had more than tripled in size, and included measures varying from intimate

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partner violence to rape during times of war. By 2005, violence against women was given its

own chapter within the publication.

In sharing statistics, UNiTE referenced The Worlds Women: Trends and Statistics 2010

edition, which will be explored in greater detail below. UNiTE categorized violence against

women in three leading forms: violence by an intimate partner, sexual violence, and sexual

violence throughout conflict. Other forms of violence that arent as common range from female

genital mutilation, dowry murder, honour killing, violence during pregnancy, trafficking,

violence and its connection to HIV/AIDS, to sexual harassment.

According to WHO, the UN defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based

violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to

women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether

occurring in public or in private life" (Violence against women, 2016). Violence by an

intimate partner is referred to as a behavior by an intimate partner or ex-partner that causes

physical, sexual or psychological harm, including physical aggression, sexual coercion,

psychological abuse and controlling behaviors (Violence against women, 2016). Lastly,

sexual violence is defined as any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, or other act directed

against a persons sexuality using coercion, by any person regardless of their relationship to the

victim, in any setting. It includes rape, defined as the physically forced or otherwise coerced

penetration of the vulva or anus with a penis, other body part or object (Violence against

women, 2016).

The most prevalent form of violence that women across the globe face is violence

perpetrated by an intimate partner (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). According

to UNiTE, approximately half of the women that are subject to murder are victims of their

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intimate partners (Krug, 2002). In South Africa, women are murdered by their partners once

every six hours, and in Guatemala, this occurs 1-2 times per day (Violence Against Women:

The Situation, 2011). According to WHO, in Australia, Canada, and Israel, between 40 to 70

percent of women victims of homicide were killed by their partners (Krug, 2002, p.97).

According to The Worlds Women 2010, the percentage of married or divorced women

who have experienced physical or sexual abuse from their partner at least once in their lifetime

reaches around 6 percent in China, 7 percent in Canada, and up to 48 percent in Zambia, South

Africa (Tapales, 2010, p.131). The percentage of married or partnered women who have

experienced the same abuses, but within the last year of their lifetime, reaches approximately 3

percent or less in China, Canada, Switzerland, Poland, the Philippines, etc. (Tapales, 2010,

p.132). The percentages seem minute, however, the actual number of victims is what stands out

to researchers. For example, reports from 2004 in Poland show out of 17.8 million total women

surveyed, just over 3 percent reported abuse that numerically small percentage stands for 500

thousand women victims, just within one year (Tapales, 2010, p.132). Whether or not the abuse

is moderate or severe varies. For instance, in Peru-Province the amount of severe abuse reported

was drastically different than moderate abuse 50 percent of women reported severe, whereas

12 percent reported moderate (Tapales, 2010, p.133).

Sexual violence is the second most prevalent form of violence against women, and it is

highly difficult to measure. This is because of the stigma that surrounds rape. In some cultures,

the act of rape doesnt just bring shame to the individual victim, but to her entire family unit.

Because many cases go unreported, the UN recognizes that statistics gathered from police

records are likely to be unreliable (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). According

to WHO, the percentage of women over 15 years of age fall victim to sexual violence by an

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undefined perpetrator, reaches around 1 percent in Ethiopia and Bangladesh, and around 10 to 12

percent in Samoa, Peru, and the United Republic of Tanzania (Violence Against Women: The

Situation, 2011). The percentage of women in Switzerland that fall victim to sexual violence

reaches 22.3 percent (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). In Canada, over 50

percent of young girls, aged 15 19, had admitted to having experienced sexual coercion while

dating (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). Statistics also share the following

reported percentages of women who have experienced some form of sexual violence within their

lifetime: 5 percent in France, 6 percent in the Philippines, over 25 percent in Switzerland, 34

percent in Australia, 41 percent in Costa Rica, and 44 percent in Mexico (Tapales, 2010, p.133-

134).

The third leading form of violence against women is sexual violence committed during

conflict and war. Gender-based crimes, such as rape, are often used as a tactic of rebel/militant

groups during times of conflict. The purposes range from terrorization and sterilization (through

the process of raping women until they lose the ability to reproduce), to sexual pleasure. It is

noted that this sexual violence occurs to women as old as grandmothers and to girls as young

as toddlers (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). In Darfur, South Sudan, the

conflict which began in 2003, still rages on the UN notes that, here, rape of women and girls is

prominent (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). During the Rwandan Genocide, to

which roughly 800,000 civilians fell victim, anywhere between a quarter and a half million

women were raped (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). In the ongoing conflict

within the Democratic Republic of Congo, just over 1,000 rapes are being reported on a monthly

basis, and it is estimated that around 200,000 women and girls have suffered sexual violence

since the conflict began in 1996 (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011).

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 Encompassed in both physical and sexual violence is the tactic of female genital

mutilation, or FGM. Recognized as a global concern and a violation against international human

rights, the UN defines FGM as all procedures involving partial or total removal of the external

female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons (Tapales,

2010, p.135). UNiTE shared a couple of facts about FGM: an estimated 140 million women and

girls, in todays time, have suffered FGM (occurring primarily in Africa and the Middle East),

and reports also suggest that close to 3 million girls are at risk for FGM on a yearly basis

(Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). FGM is not just emotionally traumatic, and

though its purpose is often to remove the ability to achieve sexual pleasure for the female, or to

remove the ability to reproduce, there are often many other severe repercussions. These include,

but are not limited to, urine retention (which can lead to kidney problems), ulceration to the

genitals, septicemia (blood poisoning), hemorrhaging, and infection, which if severe enough, can

become fatal (Tapales, 2010, p.135).

The Worlds Women 2010 also emphasizes the issue of femicide when dealing with

physical violence against women. Femicide is a term given to any murder that is believed to have

been carried out solely because of the victims gender (Tapales, 2010, p.134). This could be an

effect of the existence of a discriminatory strict female gender role within any given community.

This categorization of violence is even more specific when dealing with violence committed by

an intimate partner, which can be referred to as intimate femicide (Tapales, 2010, p.134).

Cultural-specific forms of femicide include honour killing and dowry murder. Dowry is

defined by Merriam-Webster as a law - the money, goods, or estate that a woman brings to her

husband in marriage (dowry, 2017). Dowry murder, which refers to the killing of a woman, or

wife, who has not been able to meet the financial demands of her husbands family, is a practice

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that has been proven to occur worldwide, but is most prevalent in South Asia (Violence Against

Women: The Situation, 2011). According to UN Women, in 2011, the National Crime Records

Bureau suggested that around 8,600 dowry related deaths had occurred in India (Confronting

dowry-related violence in India, 2012).

Honour killing is a practice common in different areas of the world, typically Asia, where

the concept of saving face is of upmost importance. Psychology Today describes saving face as a

defense strategy to avoid humiliation of ones family (Szalavitz, 2010). Women and girls who

have engaged in pre-marital sex, or have been suspected of doing so, have been murdered by

their relatives in order to uphold the familys reputation (Violence Against Women: The

Situation, 2011). This relates to violence against women, not just because the victims have been

murdered, but because those who are victims of sexual abuse, such as rape, are often murdered

as a result. In this case, violence against women is the indirect cause of the direct effect of the

violence. The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) estimates that some 5,000 women,

world-wide, are killed due to honour killing (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011).

Another sub-category of violence against women is violence during pregnancy. Of

course, violent acts committed to a pregnant woman can not only harm the woman, but have

great potential to harm the infant she is carrying. Pregnant women who suffer abuse are likely to

have high-risk pregnancies and other related problems, such as miscarriages, still-berths, pre-

term deliveries, and low birth weight (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011).

Violence can also occur directly after pregnancy. The practice of female infanticide, which is the

killing of a female newborn infant based on the preference for a son, is widespread throughout

South and East Asia, North Africa, and the Middle East (Violence Against Women: The

Situation, 2011).

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 A controversial and difficult to measure sub-category discussed throughout the campaign

is human trafficking. The Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons

defines human trafficking as the recruitment of persons, by means of the threat or use of

force or other forms of coercion, of abduction, of fraud, of deception, of the abuse of power or of

a position of vulnerability or of the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the

consent of a person having control over another person, for the purpose of exploitation

(McLaughlin). Human trafficking is relevant to the issue of violence against women, because the

UN, and specifically the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), recognizes that

approximately 80 percent of all detected human trafficking victims are women and girls

(Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). Because a portion of trafficking does go

undetected, the exact number of trafficked persons is difficult to quantify. It is estimated that

around 2.5 million people are trafficked per year (Violence Against Women: The Situation,

2011). According to a 2009 UNODC global report, it is noted that roughly 79 percent of all

human trafficking is for the purpose of sexual exploitation, and patterns show that in certain

areas of the world, the norm is for women to traffic other women (Johansen).

The final forms of violence against women as condemned by UNiTE is physical and

verbal sexual harassment, which present as most prominent in the school and work environment.

When measuring the experience of verbal or physical sexual harassment in the workplace, within

the European Union, an estimated 50 percent of women claim victimhood, and within the Asia

Pacific region, an estimated 40 percent of women claim victimhood (Violence Against Women:

The Situation, 2011). Within the school environment, specifically, public institutions within the

United States, some 83 percent of young girls aged 12 to 16 have experienced either verbal or

physical sexual harassment at least once (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011).

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 The female victims of the violence illustrated above are not the only people that have to

pay the price of the acts committed. First and foremost, the monetary cost for the medical

treatment, support services, and the court systems that help bring justice to the perpetrator, if

supplied, are extremely high (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). Another way

the UN measures the financial loss is in loss of productivity throughout the nation. The nation

loses profit if said victim is left unemployed and permanently handicapped. In the United States,

the cost of intimate partner violence alone exceeds 5.8 billion dollars per year (Violence

Against Women: The Situation, 2011). In the United Kingdom, the cost of similar violence

against women measures up to 23 billion euros per year, which is the equivalent to roughly 24.5

billion US dollars this measurement included the cost of pain and suffering (Violence Against

Women: The Situation, 2011). In Canada, an estimated 684 million Canadian dollars is spent

just within the criminal justice system, 187 million is spent for police, and 294 million is spent of

counselling for the victims (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011). This is the

equivalent to a total of roughly 900 million US dollars.

Furthermore, violence against women is inevitably costly in terms of health

consequences. One of the most prevalent health consequences that is connected to violent acts

committed against women is the contraction of Human Immunodeficiency Virus and AIDS.

Sexual violence against women results in a higher risk of abrasion and easy transmission of the

virus, along with other sexually transmitted diseases (Violence Against Women: The Situation,

2011). UNiTE shared that women who are beaten by their intimate partners are a 48 percent

higher risk for infection of HIV/AIDS (Violence Against Women: The Situation, 2011).

Women who have suffered any form of violence are vulnerable for a myriad of other

complications, including, but not limited to, suicide or suicidal tendencies/thoughts, various

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bodily injuries, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders, unintended pregnancies, abortions,

depression, anxiety-disorders, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, sleeping disorders, eating disorders,

alcohol and drug abuse, and increased smoking (Violence against women, 2016). WHO notes

that the victims family is often affected as well. Children who grow up in a household where

violence occurs are at high risk for behavioral and emotional disturbances, and intimate partner

violence has been linked to infant/child mortality and morbidity (Violence against women,

2016).

During the campaigns run, Mr. Ban did not stand alone in his efforts. Within the past

two decades, global agents have started to realize just how evident the problem of gender-based

violence is. Generally, two necessary actions of prevention have been agreed upon: the

production and provision of more resources to help prevent the violence, and that the response

has to be multi-sectoral (Violence against women, 2016). WHO asserts that in order to make a

change, the following strategies are of utmost importance: addressing discrimination against

women, promoting gender equality, supporting women, and helping to move towards more

peaceful cultural norms (Violence against women, 2016).

Objectives

The overall attitudinal objective of the UNiTE campaign was to raise public awareness

and increase social mobilization of violence against women worldwide, so that prevention would

become priority (About UNiTE, 2010). The overall behavioral objective was to increase

political commitment and resources for preventing and responding to all forms of this gender-

based violence (About UNiTE, 2010). To achieve these goals, there were three levels of focus:

global advocacy, advocacy at the national and regional levels, and advocacy within the United

Nations system, itself (Framework for Action, 2009, p.15).

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 Emphasized since the start of the campaign are 5 key outcomes, all of which were set to

be achieved by 2015:

1. Adoption and enforcement of national laws to address and punish all forms of violence

against women and girls, in line with international human rights standards (Framework for

Action, 2009, p.17).

Key output(s): Governments have identified specific gaps within legislation that need to be

reformed and have increased technical support in order to do so (Framework for Action,

2009, p.26).

2. Adoption and implementation of multi-sectoral national plans of action that emphasize

prevention and that are adequately resourced (Framework for Action, 2009, p.17)

Key output(s): Governments have increased resources towards the development and

implementation of plans of action towards the prevention of violence against women, and

related guidelines have been put in place within all relevant sectors (Framework for Action,

2009, p.27).

3. Establishment of data collection and analysis systems on the prevalence of various forms of

violence against women and girls (Framework for Action, 2009, p. 17).

Key output(s): All countries have gathered survey results specifically on rates of violence

against women in varying forms and have taken these results into consideration in creation of

their administrative reporting systems (Framework for Action, 2009, p.28).

4. Establishment of national and/or local campaigns and the engagement of a diverse range of

civil society actors in preventing violence and in supporting women and girls who have been

abused (Framework for Action, 2009, p.17).

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 Key output(s): Civil society has established national and local prevention strategies aimed

towards men and boys, adolescents, faith-based groups, the private sector, and human rights

organizations of all levels. Another primary output to this outcome was the improvement of

media involvement and coverage (Framework for Action, 2009, p.29).

5. Systematic efforts to address sexual violence in conflict situations and to protect women and

girls from rape as a tactic of war and full implementation of related laws and policies

(Framework for Action, 2009, p.17).

Key output(s): UN Peacekeepers have received training in protecting and counseling those

women and girls who have, or who are at risk to experiencing violence during conflict. The

offenders of such acts have been prosecuted, thus eliminating impunity (Framework for

Action, 2009, p.30).

Strategies

UNiTE emphasized three key action strategies that were used to help end violence

against women and girls: influencing laws and policies, mobilizing, and partnering. They would

increase mobilization through a combination of online platforms, competitions, and various other

community affairs. Influencing laws and policies would take more effort, but would enact the

biggest change effective legislation would drive the campaign to reach its goals and objectives.

To do this, extensive support from similar programs and a myriad of UN agencies was pivotal.

UNiTE received this support primarily from the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and

the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), which was established in 2010, after Ban Ki-

Moons campaign had begun (About UN Women). Other key partner agencies included WHO,

United Nations Action Against Sexual Violence (UN Action), United Nations Childrens Fund

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(UNICEF), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), United Nations Population Fund

(UNFPA).

Target audiences. Region-specific plans were essential to UNiTE, because all areas of

the world differ in rates of violence, laws prohibiting the violence (or lack thereof), financial

capabilities, and cultural norms. The campaign saw separate launches in three regions of focus:

Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Within these regions,

action was prioritized for four target audiences: government and local authorities, schools and

universities, civil society, and for businesses/business owners. Strategies for reaching

government and authority included adoption and ratification of action plans, laws, and treaties

(on a state and international basis), the provision of monetary funds and informational resources,

and the improvement of data collection (Take Action). The strategy for reaching schools and

universities was placing the organization of contests and hands-on activities into the school

curriculum that would help raise awareness on the matter (Take Action). Strategies for

reaching civil society heavily involved working through legislature, included the organization of

workshops and seminars, and focused on the sharing of real-life stories (Take Action). For

businesses, the proposed strategy was the implementation of policies against gender

discrimination and harassment in the workplace (Take Action).

The target population for this campaign was not specified, rather it seemed as though the

target population was the entire global community. Target populations did vary occasionally

depending on the strategy and tactic, however, they were not always clearly stated. For example,

it can be assumed that for the audience of government and authority, the target population would

be for employed peoples, perhaps more-so of the male gender, typically over 30 years of age.

Workshops and assemblies for the school audience were aimed at a student population of both

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boys and girls the target age range reaching between elementary and high school age. Games

and competitions hosted by the campaign were often aimed towards boys ranging from

adolescence to young-adulthood.

Communication strategies for UNiTE were present, but were not as premeditated as the

action strategies. For the audience of government and local authorities, Mr. Ban expressed that

the prevention of violence against women and girls needed to become a priority at all levels of

government (UNiTE Goals). For the audience of schools and universities, the message was

indirectly aimed towards the youth population. He expressed throughout various areas of the

campaign that the youth of the world are a driving force in advocating change. They have

knowledge, power, and passion three things that can help break stigmas and prevent bad

behaviors that could lead to violence (UNiTE Global Youth Network). For the audience of

civil society, the messages were scattered, but they all provided the motivation to speak up and

take action.

Networks. In part of the strategies of the campaign, Mr. Ban placed an emphasis on

working with three key networks: the Network of Men Leaders, UNiTE Global Youth, and

UNiTE Artists. These networks were established audiences, who would work as trend-setters and

message-spreaders throughout the campaign, at different events and through different

publications.

The Network of Men Leaders was established in 2009, at the start of the campaign. Mr.

Ban created this network, because of the uncomfortable hesitation to speak up (The Secretary-

Generals Network of Men Leaders, 2009). A male voice may be the only voice heard within a

nation (of patriarchal nature) that can advocate change. The primary goals of the network are to

destroy stereotypes that are placed on women, to speak out when deemed necessary, and to

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embrace equality of the sexes (The Secretary-Generals Network of Men Leaders, 2009). The

Network of Men Leaders is largely comprised of authority figures within the community,

including politicians, lawyers, leaders/executives of similar campaigns, religious authority, and

some members of the Global Youth Network (The Secretary-Generals Network of Men

Leaders, 2009).

The Global Youth Network was established in 2012 at the Global Youth Forum held in

Bangkok (UNiTE Global Youth Network). Mr. Ban recognized the youth of the world as a

necessary agent to see the change needed to prevent widespread violence against women. The

forum was a largely successful, unifying already prominent community youth leaders from all

over the globe. Members of the Global Youth Network were often featured on YouTube and in

brochures during the campaign. It is observed through these outputs that the target population for

the Global Youth Network were students aged between 18-30.

UNiTE heavily relied on a network of artists throughout promoting the campaign. The

purpose of this was to provide a tangible voice to the campaign - one that may be well-known or

locally-famous (UNiTE Artists Network). Visual and performing arts became useful tools to

help raise awareness and teach about prevalence. Many artists were present at workshops and

other events. As well, singers and songwriters were featured on the campaigns social media

platforms, as well as in-concert some of whom wrote songs specifically for the campaign.

Tactics

The key action strategy of mobilizing had the most visible effort throughout the

campaign, and the tactics used worked towards maintaining community and environmental

relations. Tactics used for the audience of schools and universities were a School-Related

Gender-Based Violence (SRGBV) infographic, assemblies involving visitations from UN

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Information Officers, and informational manuals supplied to sports coaches. For the audience of

civil society, the campaign distributed one universal poster and two informational brochures: A

Promise is a Promise and Stand Up, Speak Out. Personal interest stories were shared online,

in-person, and in the publications listed above. In the Caribbean region, they utilized celebrity

endorsements of local artists and athletes, as well as one local singer/songwriter, Kevin Masud

Sadiki Donovan, who wrote a theme song for the campaign: A Stitch in Time (Resources:

Multimedia). Multiple workshops and fairs were held that encompassed both visual and

performing arts, including the art exhibit Congo/Women: Portraits of War, which gained

publicity across the United States and Europe (What is the United Nations doing, 2011). Two

engaging events held in Africa were the T-shirt design competition and the climb of Mount

Kilimanjaro.

Partially managing media relations, but, largely supporting community relations,

mobilization was reached through the use of social media and the establishment of international

days of focus. UNiTEs YouTube account, SayNoToViolence, uploaded approximately 100

videos, primarily in indigenous languages, but with the provision of English translation. The

official video for the campaign, A Promise is a Promise was released in 2012 (Resources:

Multimedia). Say NO UNiTE was established in 2009 as the official social media platform for

the campaign in this year, accounts were created for Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (Say

NO UNiTE to End Violence). Orange Day was established in 2013 and falls on the 25th of

each month. November 25th is the day UN Women coined as the International Day for the

Elimination of Violence against Women. From this evolved the creation of the 16 Days of

Activism, which begins on November 25th and ends on December 10th, Human Rights Day (Say

NO UNiTE to End Violence). Some popular hashtags that were used by social media users

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during these key days of focus were #orangetheworld, #orangeurhood, #16days, and

#endviolenceagainstwomen.

To influence laws and policies, two government handbooks were published the United

Nations Handbook for Legislation on Violence against Women (2010) and the United Nations

Handbook for National Action Plans on Violence against Women (2011). The Virtual

Knowledge Centre to End Violence Against Women and Girls, created as an online database in

2012, acted as a key informational resource providing various tools for all target audiences.

Reinforcement was provided to various sectors within different nations to maintain primarily

environmental, but also employee relations. Supported by the UNFPA, sensitivity training of

medical professionals was provided in Ecuador, Lebanon, Nepal, Russia, Sri Lanka, and various

other countries (What is the United Nations doing, 2011). Other provisions included the

improvement of police forces within Nigeria, counselling services for Syrian refugee women,

and financial support needed to draft more laws and policies (What is the United Nations

doing, 2011).

Tactics that were used for the key action strategy of partnering, which supported both

investor and community relations, are as follows. A free online football game, Breakaway, was

released specifically for UNiTE during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In 2013, MTV collaborated

with the campaign for the creation of The brave are not violent, or El Valiente no Es Violento,

which was a media project competition. Stop Rape Now, founded by UN Action, was recognized

as an avid partner campaign, which focused on ending sexual violence during conflict (What is

the United Nations doing, 2011). In 2013, UN Women started the Orange the World initiative,

with a purpose of raising funds for UNiTE. Introduced by UNiTE in 2015, was the 2030 Agenda

for Sustainable Development (essentially, expanding the efforts of the campaign), which

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involves clear and outlined sustainable development goals towards the initiative to end violence

against women.

Evaluation

The United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) online database of public evaluation

reports does not have an available report on the UNiTE to End Violence against Women

campaign. There are also no peer reviewed reports available. UN Women shares that between

2009 and 2013, the campaign partnered with over 900 civil society organizations and prompted

over 5 million actions of advocacy (Say NO UNiTE to End Violence). In 2014, one year

before the end of the campaign, an e-publication was released that reflected on the achievements

of the year 2013. According to this document, the Orange the World in 16 Days initiative

engaged over 76 million people through social media and the participation of around 50

countries (Looking back, 2014). The Newsletter also highlights the growth of the campaigns

social media following, with the Say-NO Twitter account reaching over 40,000 followers and the

Say-NO Facebook account reaching 100,000 likes (Looking back, 2014). As of this year, the

followings on both Facebook and Twitter have increased by nearly 50 percent.

Discussion and Critique

Research

The preliminary research used for UNiTE was readily available to Ban Ki-Moon in the

UN databases. Quantitative research gathered by the UN is, without a doubt, incredibly

extensive. When statistics lack reliability, they recognize how and why. Unreliability is common

in studies that measure rates of violence against women, because a myriad of variables, cultural

or not, can affect a participants answers. Rates of violence against women have been diligently

21
studied by the UN since the early 1990s. A strength of this research is the close attention paid to

cultural differentiation. The campaign focuses and shares information on all prominent forms of

violence against women and girls, not just the most common offenses.

Objectives

An organizations objectives are meant to be measurable so that the campaign can be

effectively evaluated. Any measurable objectives set by the UNiTE campaign were not made

clear to the public. Two measurable objectives that were found were the expansion of the

Network of Men Leaders to hundreds of global participants by 2015, and the fundraising of

$100 million (in order to finance the campaigns efforts within un-able areas of the world) for the

UN Trust Fund by 2015 (About UNiTE, 2010).

These objectives were not publicized until 2010, whereas, the direct objective referenced

from the beginning of the campaign, states all forms of violence against women and girls in all

parts of the world (Framework for Action, 2009, p. 4). It is questionable as to whether or not

all can be considered a practical measurement. Essentially, this portrays that Mr. Ban set forth

to eliminate 100 percent of violence conducted against women and girls, which would not be

feasible by any standards. It is possible that the use of the word all was to avoid criticism -

how does one aim to end 50 percent of violence within only one region of the world? Also, any

specific percentages could have made the campaign that much more complex. Concrete

objectives may or may not have made the evaluation more effective. If one was to compare the

statistics of gender-based violence before and after the run of the campaign, what is to say if a

change in rates was due to the efforts of UNiTE or due to other unknown variables?

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 The primary time frame for the campaign, which was from 2008 2015, as stated in the

Framework for Action, was not strict. The campaigns website is updated in an untimely manner,

and statements are released suggesting that the campaign is still in progress. They uploaded a

new link, titled UNiTE Campaign Orange Day Action Plan: February 2017, at the end of the

month, after Orange Day had already been celebrated. The statement in this link emphasized the

continuation of Orange Day through the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is

understandable. However, they also stated that throughout 2017 and through its Orange Days,

the UNiTE campaign will continue to highlight specific Sustainable Development Goals,

therefore defying the original timeframe (UNiTE Campaign Orange Day Action Plan, 2017).

Strategies

The campaigns target audiences were well defined, however, there was a lack of target

populations. This campaign called on the support of virtually everyone within any given

community. Based on observations, there were populations that held lesser agency in the

campaign Americans and Western Europeans. Taking into consideration the various audiences

that were reached, it is possible that the campaign may be viewed as too region specific the

focus existed in few places. Equal advocacy from these two populations could have been an

improvement to the campaign. However, lesser advocacy doing away with focus in multiple

regions, could have improved the campaign as well.

The influx of social mobilization and influence of national laws and policies were both

important strategies to create the change that was called for. In most nations, civil society and

government are equally dependent on each other. Regardless of the separation of power, a

change dealing with human rights cannot come about without the agreement of the entire

community. That being said, societal norms and attitudes alone are not enough to prevent

23
violence. Implementing government plans, however, is a highly expensive and extensive process.

To put this expense in perspective, in 2015, UN Trust Fund grants ranged anywhere from 50,000

to 1 million U.S. dollars to fund one initiative (with the focus on ending violence against women)

in just one country (Trust Funds, 2015).

Tactics

The campaigns tactics focused on maintaining relations primarily with the community,

the environment, and partially, the employees within different sectors. The area in which they

were lacking some much-needed support was the media the campaign saw very little attention

from the press. Social mobilization reached throughout the campaign didnt seem to span

worldwide. Workshops that were held at schools were a strong, informative tactic, but they could

have been more numerous. Events for the communities were small in number as well. There

were two informative brochures produced by the campaign, only one of which was distributed in

multiple languages: English, French, Spanish, and Russian. These languages dont cover all of

the languages in the regions of focus; the Asia-Pacific region, Latin America and the Caribbean,

etc. Social media was utilized for the campaign to a certain extent. The SayNoToViolence

accounts post on a daily to weekly basis, however, the outtakes are lacking. As explained

previously, the most likes that one of the accounts has received is just under 200,000. This is

not enough to have an initiative gain virality.

The establishment of days of focus, such as Orange Day, brought originality to the

campaign. There were differentiating themes for each month, covering all aspects of violence

against women. These days created a unification internationally and intra-nationally, turning the

messages of UNiTE into something that was timely and reoccurring, just as violence is in reality.

On Orange Day, participating communities would wear and color the town orange.

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 The influence of laws and policies was arguably the driving force of change in this

campaign. Key tactics were the publication of legislative handbooks and the provision of support

to draft and implement new laws. Financial support also went into training authority figures

within certain nations, such as police and medical professionals. One of the strongest

developments that the campaign had was the Virtual Knowledge Centre to End Violence Against

Women and Girls. The website provides over 700 tools relating to campaigns, health, shelter,

justice, education, legislation, security, conflict, and more (Programming Modules). Even

more advantageous was the fact that these tools have been translated into over 50 different

languages.

The Breakaway video game was a unique tactic that provided an easily available,

interactive, and child-friendly way for youth to get involved and learn about the prevalence of

violence. The game was designed by both students and teachers of Champlain College, Vermont.

The video game, which is still online, is available in four languages; English, Spanish, French,

and Portuguese, and reports show that it has been played in 180 different countries (Our

Mission). Overall, the campaign did have quality tactics, they just werent numerous enough to

reach everyone who was targeted.

Evaluation

There are no formal or informal evaluations of the campaign available to the public, but

this could have to do with an unclear expansion of the campaign. At large, the objectives were

too vague, therefore leaving it impossible to effectively evaluate the campaigns success. In the

circumstance that this campaign did have adequate measurable objectives, it is possible that the

measures still would not have been met due to the magnitude of the actual problem. Even with

the abundance of resources available to the United Nations, this campaign could not have been

25
simple to conduct. When dealing with an initiative with a basis of changing the world, there is no

simple solution to bettering the campaign.

Conclusion

It is difficult to claim whether or not this campaign can be measured as a success or a

failure due to the fact that it has not been formally evaluated. Dividing the campaign into

separate regions of focus was a strong approach that took cultural differentiation into high

consideration. Because Ban Ki-Moon had aimed to eliminate violence against women and girls

from all areas of the world, focusing on culture was a must. However, the international

community was not targeted as a whole as it was originally intended. From the perspective of a

United States citizen, this campaign may be viewed as a failure, because it did not reach this

countrys population or media. That in itself did not doom the entire campaign. Regardless of its

inadequate objectives, within the prominent regions of focus, the campaign seemed to make

substantial headway dealing with enforcement of new policies, training of police forces, and

mobilization within the community. Because of the nature of the initiative, this campaign may

not require the typical public relations evaluation. Whether or not helping one person changes

the world or doesnt make a difference at all is a never-ending controversial argument. Even

though the statistics arent readily available, it can be concluded that if the campaign prevented

violence in just one area - if it saved just one life it is then at least a partial success.

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