Although this appeal by Antonio Banderas is already years old, the message is (unfortunately) still urgent.
“Up to 60 percent of women around the world experience some form of physical or sexual abuse during their life, and as many as half of all sexual assaults are committed against girls under the age of 16,” Banderas says in his video address. “Two million women and girls are trafficked each year into prostitution, forced labor, slavery, or servitude. Young women and girls are often particularly vulnerable to early marriage, female genital mutilation and HIV – putting their health and rights at risk. This is unacceptable, and it must stop now.”